Erie Insurance offers the cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C., beginning with minimum-coverage policies averaging $48 a month. However, those in the military community may score lower rates with USAA. Since several factors can affect your price, here’s what you need to know about finding cheap car insurance in Washington, D.C.
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Washington, D.C.’s cheapest car insurance companies
Our in-depth analysis of car insurance quotes from leading companies shows that Erie and USAA generally offer the cheapest rates in Washington, D.C. to a wide variety of drivers, including seniors, teens and those with prior tickets or accidents. State Farm tends to offer the next-best rates for most driver categories.
Cheap car insurance for D.C. drivers with a clean driving record
For Washington, D.C. motorists with a clean driving record, Erie offers the cheapest rate for minimum-coverage car insurance, $48 a month, followed by USAA, $53 a month, and State Farm, $72 a month.
However, USAA offers the cheapest rate in D.C. for full-coverage car insurance, $101 a month, followed by Erie, $106 a month, and State Farm, $135. USAA is only available to current and former members of the military and their families.
A minimum-coverage car insurance policy meets D.C.’s requirements for liability and uninsured motorist coverage.
The average cost of minimum-coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C. is $75 a month.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $578 | $48 |
| USAA | $631 | $53 |
| State Farm | $864 | $72 |
| GEICO | $876 | $73 |
| Average | $899 | $75 |
| Allstate | $986 | $82 |
| Progressive | $1,025 | $85 |
| Nationwide | $1,335 | $111 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Full coverage includes collision and comprehensive coverages, as well as liability limits that exceed the state’s minimum requirements. The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C. is $157 a month.
Learn more about the differences between minimum- and full-coverage car insurance.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,211 | $101 |
| Erie | $1,272 | $106 |
| State Farm | $1,619 | $135 |
| GEICO | $1,833 | $153 |
| Average | $1,883 | $157 |
| Progressive | $1,964 | $164 |
| Nationwide | $2,464 | $205 |
| Allstate | $2,821 | $235 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Find cheap car insurance from top D.C. companies
Cheap car insurance for D.C. drivers with a ticket or accident
Erie offers the cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C. to drivers with a speeding ticket or an accident on their driving record.
Erie charges drivers with a speeding ticket $111 a month for full coverage. The next-best rates are available from USAA, $126 a month, and State Farm, $148 a month.
Erie also offers the cheapest rates to D.C. drivers with a prior accident, $134 a month for full coverage, followed by USAA, $150 a month, and State Farm, $162 a month.
A speeding ticket raises the average price of car insurance in Washington, D.C. by 19% to $187 a month for full coverage. An accident raises the average price of full-coverage car insurance by 54% to $242 a month.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $1,332 | $111 |
| USAA | $1,506 | $126 |
| State Farm | $1,780 | $148 |
| Average | $2,249 | $187 |
| GEICO | $2,339 | $195 |
| Progressive | $2,620 | $218 |
| Nationwide | $2,909 | $242 |
| Allstate | $3,257 | $271 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $1,610 | $134 |
| USAA | $1,794 | $150 |
| State Farm | $1,940 | $162 |
| Average | $2,901 | $242 |
| GEICO | $3,632 | $303 |
| Progressive | $3,654 | $305 |
| Nationwide | $3,734 | $311 |
| Allstate | $3,945 | $329 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Cheap car insurance for D.C. drivers with a DUI
State Farm offers the cheapest car insurance for D.C. drivers with a DUI, charging $148 a month for full coverage, followed by Erie, $158, and USAA, $181.
A DUI raises the average price of car insurance to $252 a month for full coverage. This is 61% higher than the average rate available to a typical driver with a clean driving record.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,780 | $148 |
| Erie | $1,890 | $158 |
| USAA | $2,170 | $181 |
| Progressive | $2,333 | $194 |
| Average | $3,020 | $252 |
| Allstate | $3,599 | $300 |
| GEICO | $4,371 | $364 |
| Nationwide | $4,995 | $416 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Cheap car insurance for teens in Washington, D.C.
Erie insurance offers the cheapest car insurance to teen drivers in Washington, D.C., charging 18-year-olds an average of $99 a month for minimum coverage and $223 a month for full coverage
The next-best rates are available from USAA, which charges 18-year-olds in D.C. $120 a month for minimum coverage and $232 a month for full coverage, and State Farm, whose rates average $221 a month for minimum coverage and $440 a month for full coverage.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $1,187 | $99 |
| USAA | $1,441 | $120 |
| State Farm | $2,654 | $221 |
| GEICO | $2,756 | $230 |
| Allstate | $3,471 | $289 |
| Average | $3,508 | $292 |
| Nationwide | $4,443 | $370 |
| Progressive | $8,605 | $717 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $2,672 | $223 |
| USAA | $2,778 | $232 |
| State Farm | $5,282 | $440 |
| GEICO | $5,756 | $480 |
| Average | $7,168 | $597 |
| Nationwide | $8,624 | $719 |
| Allstate | $9,772 | $814 |
| Progressive | $15,291 | $1,274 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Teens are charged high rates for car insurance because they have the highest crash rates among all age groups. If you are a teen driver, you can usually save on car insurance by being added to a policy of a parent or guardian, if possible.
The average car insurance rates for 18-year-olds in D.C. are $292 a month for minimum coverage and $597 a month for full coverage.
For comparison, 25-year-olds in D.C. are charged an average of $88 a month for minimum-coverage car insurance and $189 a month for full coverage.
| Age | Minimum coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | $292 | $597 |
| 25 | $88 | $189 |
| 35 | $75 | $157 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
Cheap car insurance Washington, D.C.’s senior citizens
Erie and USAA also offer the lowest rates to senior citizen drivers in Washington, D.C.
Erie offers 65-year-olds the lowest rates on minimum-coverage car insurance, $47 a month, followed by USAA, $53 a month, and State Farm, $69 a month.
USAA offers 65-year-olds the lowest rates on full coverage, $98 a month, followed by Erie, $103 a month, and State Farm, $126 a month.
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Erie | $562 | $47 |
| USAA | $639 | $53 |
| State Farm | $829 | $69 |
| Average | $910 | $76 |
| Progressive | $969 | $81 |
| GEICO | $1,022 | $85 |
| Allstate | $1,091 | $91 |
| Nationwide | $1,258 | $105 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
| Company | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,172 | $98 |
| Erie | $1,234 | $103 |
| State Farm | $1,512 | $126 |
| Progressive | $1,753 | $146 |
| Average | $1,826 | $152 |
| GEICO | $1,917 | $160 |
| Nationwide | $2,295 | $191 |
| Allstate | $2,896 | $241 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
As a group, senior citizens tend to have slightly higher crash rates than middle-aged drivers. This is one of the reasons why your insurance rates may inch up in your retirement years.
For example, 75-year-olds are charged an average of $191 a month for full-coverage car insurance in D.C., compared to $146 a month for 60-year-olds, which is a 31% difference.
Maintaining a good driving record and good credit may help you keep your car insurance rates down. Several companies offer discounts to senior drivers who complete an approved driver education course, including some that may be available online.
| Age | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|
| 60 | $146 |
| 65 | $152 |
| 70 | $164 |
| 75 | $191 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
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How much car insurance is required in Washington, D.C.?
Vehicle owners in Washington, D.C. are required to carry both liability and uninsured motorist coverage with bodily injury limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. District laws also require at least $10,000 in property damage liability, and at least $5,000 in uninsured motorist property damage coverage.
D.C. car car insurance companies are also required to offer personal injury protection (PIP). Though PIP is highly recommended, you can waive the coverage.
If you have a car loan, your lender is likely to require you to also carry collision and comprehensive coverage, which are also typically required for leased vehicles.
Underinsured motorist coverage is also available on an optional basis. Here’s a look at how insurance coverages work in Washington, D.C.
| Coverage | What it covers | Required or optional? |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Medical treatment for those injured in an accident you cause. | Required, with limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. |
| Property damage liability | Repairs to vehicles and/or other property damaged in an accident you cause. | Required, with a limit of at least $10,000. |
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury | Medical treatment for injuries you and/or your passengers suffer in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist. | Required, with limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | Repairs to your own vehicle for damage caused by an uninsured motorist. | Required, with a limit of at least $5,000. |
| Personal injury protection | Medical treatment for injuries you and/or your passengers suffer in a car accident, regardless of fault, plus lost wages and funeral benefits. | Must be offered by an insurance company, with a limit of at least $50,000, but you can reject the coverage. |
| Collision | Repairs to your own vehicle, generally from an accident you cause. | Optional, but typically required for a loan or least. |
| Comprehensive | Repairs to your own vehicle from any cause other than a collision, plus glass breakage and theft of the vehicle. | Optional, but typically required for a loan or lease. |
| Underinsured motorist bodily injury | Medical treatment for you and your passengers from an accident caused by a driver without enough insurance. | Optional |
| Uninsured motorist property damage | Repairs to your own vehicle after an accident caused by a driver without enough insurance. | Optional |
| *Additional available coverages vary by insurance company. | ||
If your share of medical and/or car repair costs from an accident are greater than your policy’s limits, you may have to tap into your savings or other assets to make up the shortfall. This is the main reason to consider coverages and limits that exceed the minimum requirements.
D.C.’s no-fault car insurance laws
PIP is considered no-fault insurance, because it covers medical treatment for injuries you and/or your passengers suffer in a car accident and provides other benefits, regardless of who is at fault for the accident.
If you and/or your passengers are injured in a crash caused by another driver and you have PIP, you have 60 days to decide whether to file a liability claim against the at-fault driver or use your own PIP.
PIP also covers treatment for your own injuries in a crash you cause, though any injured passengers may file a liability claim against you to cover their medical costs.
Frequently asked questions about D.C. car insurance?
How much is car insurance in Washington, D.C.?
The average cost of car insurance in Washington, D.C. is $899 a year, or $75 a month, for a minimum-coverage policy and $1,883 a year, or $157 a month, for full coverage.
How do DWI and DUI laws work in Washington, D.C.?
A motorist found driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or greater is considered guilty of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Drivers with a BAC below 0.08% who show signs of impairment from alcohol and/or any other drug may be convicted of driving under the influence (DUI).
Those under 21 with any measurable amount of alcohol may be charged with DWI.
Who offers the cheapest car insurance in Washington, D.C.?
Erie offers the cheapest minimum-coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C., charging an average $48 a month, while USAA offers the cheapest rates on full-coverage car insurance, $101 a month.
Methodology
We obtained non-binding quotes from Quadrant Information Services for a typical driver in every ZIP code in Washington, D.C. Unless otherwise noted, our typical driver is a 35-year-old male with a clean driving record. He owns a 2012 Honda Accord LX and drives an average 13,500 miles a year.
Minimum-coverage insurance rates are based on a policy meeting D.C.’s minimum requirements for liability and uninsured motorist coverage.
Full-coverage policies meet the minimum requirements for uninsured motorist coverage and include the following additional coverages, limits and deductibles:
- Bodily injury liability: $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $100,000
- Collision coverage: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive coverage: $500 deductible
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