Key Takeaways
- State Farm has the cheapest average car insurance rates for most D.C. drivers.
- USAA offers even lower rates in most cases if you have military ties.
- Car insurance in Washington, D.C. costs more than the national average rate.
In this article
The cheapest car insurance companies in Washington, D.C.
- Cheapest overall and most popular: State Farm
- Cheapest for teen drivers: Erie
- Cheapest for current or veteran military: USAA
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance rates for the majority of D.C. drivers, with an average minimum-coverage rate of $91 a month. They also are the most popular provider. As of 2022, State Farm held 16.8% of the market share for private passenger auto insurance.
Erie has the cheapest rates for teens, at $158 a month for minimum-coverage car insurance. Erie also has the cheapest full-coverage rates for teens, at $342 a month,
USAA has the cheapest rate for military members and their families, with an average premium of $76 a month for state-minimum coverage. Year after year, USAA is considered the best of the best among insurance providers. While USAA actually has the cheapest rates for car insurance in Washington, D.C., it only provides insurance for military members and their families.
Washington, D.C. car insurance state minimums
D.C. law requires registered drivers to carry at least the following amounts of minimum-coverage car insurance:
| Coverage type | State requirements |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 |
| Uninsured motorist liability | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | $5,000 |
Cheapest minimum-coverage auto insurance rates in Washington, D.C.: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest rate for minimum-coverage car insurance at $91 a month. Erie is the second-cheapest at $102 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $91 |
| Erie | $102 |
| Allstate | $121 |
| Progressive | $150 |
| GEICO | $160 |
| NICOA | $176 |
| USAA | $76 |
| Rates are for minimum-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Cheapest full-coverage auto insurance rates in D.C.: State Farm
For D.C. drivers looking for full-coverage car insurance, State Farm has the cheapest average rate of $173 a month. Erie is the second-cheapest at $216 a month. For comparison, the average rate for full-coverage insurance in D.C. is $269 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $173 |
| Erie | $216 |
| Progressive | $298 |
| NICOA | $339 |
| Allstate | $349 |
| GEICO | $357 |
| USAA | $150 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Full-coverage car insurance is a combination of liability, collision and comprehensive coverages. The liability protection that a minimum-coverage policy provides only covers other drivers. To have your own injuries or damages covered, you need full-coverage car insurance.
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Cheapest car insurance for drivers with bad credit: State Farm
If you have poor credit, State Farm has your cheapest car insurance rate of $250 a month. Erie has the second-cheapest rate, at $341 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $250 |
| Erie | $341 |
| Progressive | $397 |
| Allstate | $411 |
| NICOA | $431 |
| GEICO | $534 |
| USAA | $213 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with poor credit and a good driving record. | |
Some auto insurance companies consider bad credit a risk factor, which can result in higher rates. Many states, however, are putting laws into place to prohibit credit from being a factor in insurance quotes.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a prior incident
Your driving history can affect your insurance rates. If you have a speeding ticket, an accident or a DUI on your record, it can increase your premium. State Farm has the cheapest average rates for D.C. drivers with speeding tickets, accidents or DUIs on their insurance record.
Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket: State Farm
If you're a D.C. driver with a speeding ticket, State Farm has the lowest rate for car insurance, with an average of $173 a month. Erie is second-cheapest at $189 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $173 |
| Erie | $189 |
| NICOA | $277 |
| GEICO | $278 |
| Progressive | $302 |
| Allstate | $334 |
| USAA | $136 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one speeding ticket on his driving record. | |
If you have a clean and long driving record, your first speeding ticket may not result in a rate hike. If it does, you can see the increase stay on your car insurance for three to five years. All the more reason to watch your speed when you hit the road.
Cheapest for drivers with an at-fault accident: State Farm
D.C. drivers with an accident on their record find the cheapest car insurance rate with State Farm, with an average of $189 a month. Erie is the next-cheapest at $228.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $189 |
| Erie | $228 |
| NICOA | $359 |
| Progressive | $382 |
| Allstate | $404 |
| GEICO | $408 |
| USAA | $161 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one at-fault accident on his driving record. | |
Cheapest for drivers with a DUI: State Farm
If you have a DUI, State Farm has your cheapest rate for car insurance in D.C. at $173 a month. Erie is the next-cheapest at $268 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $173 |
| Erie | $268 |
| Progressive | $269 |
| Allstate | $369 |
| NICOA | $487 |
| GEICO | $529 |
| USAA | $195 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old male with one DUI on his driving record. | |
If you are pulled over and found to have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, you are guilty of driving under the influence (DUI). The penalties for a first-offense DUI in Washington, D.C. include 180 days in jail, a fine of $1,000 and a six-month license revocation.
A DUI will lead to an increase in your rates. Furthermore, insurers consider a DUI to be an extreme risk factor, and they may not offer you coverage at all.
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Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers: State Farm
State Farm offers the cheapest rate for senior drivers in D.C., with an average of $162 a month. Erie has the second-cheapest average rate of $213 a month.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $162 |
| Erie | $213 |
| Progressive | $296 |
| NICOA | $319 |
| Allstate | $349 |
| GEICO | $363 |
| USAA | $155 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a 65-year-old male with a clean driving record. | |
Senior drivers often pay higher auto insurance rates than most younger demographics. This is mostly due to the risk that can occur from response-time loss that happens with age. Seniors with a clean driving record still pay a lower premium than teen drivers.
Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: Erie
If you're a young driver in D.C., Erie has your cheapest average rates for both minimum and full-coverage car insurance. Erie has an average rate of $158 a month for minimum-coverage car insurance, and $342 for full coverage. State Farm is the next-most affordable, with an average rate of $222 a month for minimum coverage, and $436 for full coverage.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $158 |
| State Farm | $222 |
| Allstate | $367 |
| NICOA | $376 |
| GEICO | $402 |
| Progressive | $587 |
| USAA | $133 |
| Rates are for an 18-year-old male with a clean driving record. | |
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $342 |
| State Farm | $436 |
| NICOA | $742 |
| GEICO | $909 |
| Allstate | $1,042 |
| Progressive | $1,109 |
| USAA | $264 |
| Rates are for an 18-year-old male with a clean driving record. | |
Teens tend to pay the highest rates for car insurance, due to their inexperience driving. If you're looking to save money on car insurance, we've found that teens on a parent's insurance pay 48% less for car insurance. If you have a teen driver, adding them to your car insurance will still raise your premium, but it will probably be cheaper than with separate policies.
Cheapest car insurance for married drivers: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance rates for married drivers in D.C., with an average monthly rate of $173. Erie has the next-lowest rate of $211 a month. Providers tend to view married drivers as a lower risk, and offer lower rates appropriately.
| Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $173 |
| Erie | $211 |
| Progressive | $297 |
| NICOA | $333 |
| Allstate | $347 |
| GEICO | $356 |
| USAA | $143 |
| Rates are for full-coverage car insurance for a married 35-year-old male with a good driving record. | |
Washington, D.C. car insurance laws
No-fault insurance
Washington, D.C. is a no-fault state. This means that your insurer will pay out on medical expenses arising from a car accident, regardless of who is responsible. Personal injury protection (PIP) covers your injuries as well as the injuries of your passengers in the event of an accident.
In the event that you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by another driver and you have PIP insurance, you have up to 60 days to decide whether to file a claim against the responsible driver or use your PIP.
Washington, D.C. car insurance: FAQs
How much is car insurance in D.C.?
The average cost of minimum-coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C. is $125 a month. Full-coverage car insurance costs an average of $269 a month.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C.?
State Farm has the lowest rates in D.C. for most age brackets, regardless of insurance history. Erie has the cheapest average rates for teen D.C. drivers.
What are D.C.'s car insurance requirements?
Washington, D.C. law requires that drivers carry the following car insurance minimum limits:
- Bodily injury per person: $25,000
- Bodily injury per accident: $50,000
- Property damage: $10,000
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident/$5,000 property damage.
Methodology
The rates shown in this article are based on an analysis of more than 300,000 auto insurance quotes obtained from Quadrant Information Services for sample drivers from across Washington, D.C.
Unless otherwise noted, our sample driver is a single 35-year-old with good credit. All sample drivers own a 2012 Honda Accord LX that they drive for an average of 13,500 miles per year.
Our senior base driver is a 65-year-old male with a good driving record. Our young base driver is an 18-year-old male with a good driving record.
Minimum-coverage rates reflect the cost of policies meeting the minimum liability limits required by the state.
Full-coverage policies include the following coverages, limits and deductibles:
-
Bodily injury liability: $100,000 limit per person/$300,000 limit per accident
-
Property damage liability: $100,000 limit
-
Collision: $500 deductible
-
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
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