Car Insurance in Washington, District of Columbia
Estimated full coverage in Washington runs about $2,005 a year ($167/month) — ▲ 0% versus the District of Columbia average, ranking 1st most expensive of the 1 District of Columbia cities we cover.
Why car insurance in Washington costs more than the District of Columbia average
Insurers price by territory, and Washington's numbers explain most of the gap. With 702,250 residents on 61.1 square miles, the city's density (11,489 people per square mile) is about the same as the density where the typical District of Columbia resident lives (11,489). The average commute is 30.0 minutes (District of Columbia: 30.0), and 27% of workers drive alone. Together these put our location factor at 1.00× the state baseline for liability and collision.
| Factor | Washington | District of Columbia ref. | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11,489 / sq mi | 11,489 / sq mi | More vehicles per mile of road means more fender-benders and claims. |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 30.0 min | Longer daily drives add exposure to crashes. |
| Commutes over 60 min | 8.0% | — | Long highway commutes raise mileage-based risk. |
| Drive alone to work | 27.4% | — | Share of workers commuting by car. |
| Public transit to work | 20.3% | — | Transit use lowers how much residents drive. |
| Work from home | 33.0% | — | Remote workers may qualify for low-mileage pricing. |
| Households without a car | 36.0% | — | Context for non-owner and occasional-driver policies. |
| Weather hazard score (FEMA) | 92.2 | 92.2 | Hail, wind, flood and hurricane exposure drive comprehensive claims. |
Car insurance cost by ZIP code in Washington
Rates can change from one ZIP code to the next. Across 28 Washington ZIP codes, our full-coverage estimate ranges from $1,705 in 20064 to $2,130 in 20020. Denser, longer-commute neighborhoods estimate higher. Click a column to sort.
| ZIP | Population | Density / sq mi | Commute | No car | Est. full / yr | vs. city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20002 | 72,397 | 14,093 | 29.5 min | 34.5% | $2,015 | 0% |
| 20011 | 67,434 | 12,574 | 32.0 min | 23.2% | $2,045 | +2% |
| 20019 | 63,380 | 10,329 | 35.4 min | 36.5% | $2,080 | +4% |
| 20020 | 53,005 | 11,525 | 38.0 min | 40.0% | $2,130 | +6% |
| 20009 | 50,150 | 38,050 | 28.6 min | 48.9% | $2,105 | +5% |
| 20001 | 44,616 | 21,796 | 27.4 min | 41.5% | $2,025 | +1% |
| 20032 | 40,920 | 7,797 | 33.9 min | 42.8% | $2,025 | +1% |
| 20003 | 37,482 | 16,490 | 25.9 min | 31.7% | $1,975 | −1% |
| 20016 | 32,730 | 7,387 | 26.0 min | 16.9% | $1,895 | −5% |
| 20010 | 31,808 | 31,968 | 29.2 min | 42.0% | $2,095 | +4% |
| 20008 | 29,434 | 9,529 | 28.6 min | 32.1% | $1,965 | −2% |
| 20007 | 24,602 | 7,962 | 25.4 min | 23.7% | $1,895 | −5% |
| 20017 | 21,208 | 9,545 | 31.0 min | 19.3% | $2,000 | 0% |
| 20018 | 19,562 | 6,482 | 33.3 min | 28.2% | $2,000 | 0% |
| 20012 | 17,519 | 8,492 | 36.2 min | 19.7% | $2,070 | +3% |
| 20024 | 15,888 | 7,242 | 29.1 min | 43.0% | $1,945 | −3% |
| 20015 | 15,653 | 4,503 | 28.4 min | 15.1% | $1,890 | −6% |
| 20037 | 13,156 | 17,973 | 20.6 min | 56.3% | $1,895 | −5% |
| 20005 | 13,131 | 30,326 | 27.1 min | 61.3% | $2,055 | +2% |
| 20036 | 4,605 | 14,169 | 22.1 min | 70.0% | $1,895 | −5% |
| 20057 | 3,229 | 20,699 | 12.9 min | — | $1,780 | −11% |
| 20052 | 2,730 | 60,667 | 15.0 min | 100.0% | $1,915 | −4% |
| 20004 | 1,831 | 9,438 | 21.8 min | 49.9% | $1,855 | −7% |
| 20064 | 1,442 | 7,472 | 10.2 min | — | $1,705 | −15% |
| 20006 | 1,362 | 3,858 | 14.8 min | 92.0% | $1,705 | −15% |
| 20059 | 1,338 | 12,389 | 15.4 min | — | $1,775 | −11% |
| 20373 | 383 | 758 | 13.3 min | 0.0% | $1,705 | −15% |
| 20390 | 246 | 61,500 | 12.6 min | — | $1,875 | −6% |
Minimum car insurance in Washington
Washington drivers follow District of Columbia's rules: at least 25/50/10 liability coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage. District of Columbia is at-fault (tort). We estimate state-minimum coverage in Washington at $740 a year, and $1,075 for 100/300/100 limits.
| Coverage | Required? | Minimum | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Yes | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Property damage liability | Yes | $10,000 | Damage you cause to other vehicles and property |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | No | — Personal injury protection must be offered but is optional. | Your own medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Yes | 25/50 BI; 5,000 PD Uninsured motorist bodily injury of 25/50 and uninsured motorist property damage of $5,000 (subject to a $200 deductible) are required. | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | No | — Underinsured motorist coverage is not part of the required minimums. | The gap when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | No | — Medical payments coverage is optional. | Medical bills for you and your passengers |
Coverage must be kept continuously while a vehicle is registered; return plates to DC DMV before canceling insurance.
Risk factors that shape Washington premiums
Accidents
District of Columbia recorded 47 traffic deaths, or 1.33 per 100 million vehicle miles (U.S.: 1.19), in the latest full year of federal crash data. Local crash frequency is folded into our density and commute factors.
Vehicle theft
District of Columbia's vehicle theft rate is 674 per 100,000 residents (U.S.: 197). The most-stolen vehicle in the state is the Toyota Camry (NICB). Theft losses are paid by comprehensive coverage.
Weather
FEMA rates District of Columbia as relatively high for hail, relatively high for inland flooding and very high for strong wind, and relatively high for hurricanes.
Traffic & commuting
8.0% of Washington commuters spend an hour or more getting to work, and there are 0.86 vehicles per household. 33.0% work from home — worth mentioning to insurers that offer low-mileage pricing.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score (0–100) | Insurance impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 97.0 | Comprehensive (car); roof claims (home) | |
| Tornado | 90.4 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Hurricane | 96.0 | Comprehensive; wind/hurricane deductibles (home) | |
| Inland (river) flooding | 97.4 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Coastal flooding | 74.0 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Strong wind | 98.2 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Winter weather | 96.8 | Collision (icy roads); frozen pipes (home) |
Scores are national percentiles of FEMA's county risk (higher means more expected loss than most other U.S. counties).
Estimated car insurance in Washington by driver profile
A clean-record driver in their 50s pays the least in our Washington model (about $1,845 for full coverage); an 18-year-old on their own policy pays about $5,510, and a DUI pushes a 30-something to $3,705.
| Driver | Minimum | Standard | Full coverage | Full / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen driver (18, own policy) | $2,040 | $2,960 | $5,510 | $459 |
| Young adult (22) | $1,190 | $1,720 | $3,205 | $267 |
| Adult in their 30s | $740 | $1,075 | $2,005 | $167 |
| Adult in their 50s | $685 | $990 | $1,845 | $154 |
| Senior (72) | $830 | $1,205 | $2,245 | $187 |
| 30s, one at-fault accident | $1,075 | $1,560 | $2,905 | $242 |
| 30s, DUI on record | $1,375 | $1,990 | $3,705 | $309 |
Minimum vs. standard vs. full coverage in Washington
| Coverage level | What it includes | Per year | Per month | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum liability | Only the liability (and PIP/UM where required) limits your state mandates. No coverage for your own car. | $740 | $62 | $610–$875 |
| Standard liability (100/300/100) | Higher liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. Still no coverage for damage to your own car. | $1,075 | $90 | $885–$1,270 |
| Full coverage | Standard liability plus collision and comprehensive, typically required on a financed or leased car. | $2,005 | $167 | $1,645–$2,365 |
Estimate your premium in Washington
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Cheap car insurance in Washington: how to lower your rate
The cheapest policy is the one that fits your situation. These levers are priced with Washington's own numbers:
| Change | Est. yearly savings | Good fit if… |
|---|---|---|
| Raise collision/comprehensive deductible from $500 to $1,000 | $130 | You have savings to cover a bigger out-of-pocket repair. |
| Low-mileage / usage-based pricing (under 7,500 mi) | $140 | You're among the 33.0% of Washington workers who work from home, or you rarely drive. |
| Drop collision & comprehensive on an older car | $510 | The car is paid off and worth little more than a year of premiums. |
| Standard (100/300/100) instead of full coverage | $930 | No loan or lease requires physical-damage coverage. |
| Avoid one speeding ticket | $440 | Everyone — violations typically affect rates for three to five years. |
Also ask about bundling, good-student, paid-in-full and defensive-driving discounts, and re-shop at every renewal — the same driver can be priced very differently by different insurers. We don't recommend specific companies. Common car insurance discounts.
Comparing car insurance quotes in Washington
- Use identical limits and deductibles on every quote — e.g. 100/300/100 liability with $1,000 deductibles — or prices aren't comparable.
- Get quotes from different channels: captive agents, independent agents who quote several insurers, and direct online insurers. There are 54 offices listed below.
- Check complaint records with the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (complaint information) before you buy.
- Mention your ZIP code accurately — within Washington, our estimates differ by up to $425 a year between neighborhoods.
Car insurance agents near Washington, DC
We found 54 insurance offices within about 6 miles of central Washington, from open map data. Hover over a listing to show it on the map, click it to open the address in Google Maps, or tap it on a phone to start navigation. We don't sell insurance, rate these offices or receive anything from them.
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Erie Insurance
700 K Street Nw, Floor 3, Washington, DC 20001 -
State Farm
1713 7th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001 -
Chris Miller - State Farm
601 13th NW, 12th Floor/ Suite 48 North Tower, Washington, DC 20005 -
State Farm
405 H Street Northeast, #B, Washington, DC 20002 -
AAA Insurance
DC -
State Farm
528 H Street Northeast, , DC -
Wellpoint
609 H Street Northeast, Washington, DC 20002 -
Paul Dougherty - State Farm
1609 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009 -
Carl Nwadike - Allstate
2300 Washington Place NE, Ste 110s, Washington, DC 20018 -
State Farm
DC -
Greg Owens - Allstate
1726 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 -
David Gonzalez Martinez - State Farm
700 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Ste 2026, Washington, DC 20003 -
Erie Insurance
1801 Belmont Road Nw, Suite 201, Washington, DC 20009 -
Nationwide
3016 14th Street Northwest, , DC -
Lashawn Hayes - GEICO
3115 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010 -
Claude Harriott - State Farm
80 M Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 -
Erie Insurance
80 M Street Se, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20003 -
Rudy Alston III - Allstate
2901 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20017 -
Erie Insurance
1200 G Street Se, #A, Washington, DC 20003 -
J Blaine Somerville - State Farm
1255 Union Street NE, 7th Floor Suite 42, Washington, DC 20002 -
Nationwide
3600 14th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20010 -
Felicia Adereti - Allstate
3901 Georgia Ave NW, Ste 1, Washington, DC 20011 -
Erie Insurance
1355 Montague Street Nw, Washington, DC 20011 -
Mohammad Y Bajwa - Allstate
229 Upshur St NW, Washington, DC 20011 -
Stephon Scriber - State Farm
3000 Conn Ave NW, Ste 304, Washington, DC 20008 -
Renee' Montague - State Farm
578 23rd Street S, Arlington, VA 22202 -
Janine Goraya - Allstate
834 Chillum Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20783 -
Johno Steffen - State Farm
2649 N Pershing Drive, Suite A, Arlington, VA 22201 -
Wil Christian - State Farm
4236 Hildreth Street, Washington, DC 20019 -
Michael Garcia - State Farm
2508 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204 -
Jose Bernal - Allstate
3601 Hamilton St, West Hyattsville, MD 20782 -
J. Reed Laughlin - Allstate
4545 42nd St NW, Ste 203, Washington, DC 20016 -
Jose Herrera - State Farm
3300 N Fairfax Dr, Suite 201, Arlington, VA 22201 -
Allstate
6861 New Hampshire Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912 -
William H. Carver Jr. Insurance Agency Inc. - State Farm
7040 Carroll Avenue, Suite 2, Takoma Park, MD 20912 -
Erie Insurance
5028 Wisconsin Avenue Nw, Suite 103, Washington, DC 20016 -
Discount Home Auto Life Insurance
7121 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20012 -
Western Union
7123 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20012 -
Anthony Lutsik - State Farm
4001 9th Street N, Suite 101, Arlington, VA 22203 -
Adria Brown - Allstate
2413 26th Rd S, Arlington, VA 22206
Map © Google. Office list: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) - https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright; All The Places (alltheplaces.xyz), data released under the CC-0 waiver; run 2026-09-19-13-32-18. OSM license. Listings are informational and may be out of date.
Insurance cost of popular cars in Washington
| Model | Segment | Est. full coverage / yr | vs. average car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | Small SUV | $1,505 | −25% |
| Subaru Outback | Wagon | $1,485 | −26% |
| Tesla Model 3 | Midsize car | $2,135 | +6% |
| Subaru Forester | Small SUV | $1,455 | −27% |
| Honda Civic | Compact car | $2,300 | +15% |
| Toyota Corolla | Compact car | $2,145 | +7% |
| Jeep Wrangler | Midsize SUV | $1,680 | −16% |
| Mazda CX-5 | Small SUV | $1,700 | −15% |
| MINI Cooper | Subcompact car | $1,520 | −24% |
| Tesla Model Y | Midsize SUV | $1,920 | −4% |
More car insurance topics in Washington
Car insurance in nearby District of Columbia cities
All District of Columbia cities and state rules · Homeowners insurance in Washington
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Washington, DC?
We estimate full coverage in Washington at about $2,005 a year ($167 a month) for a driver in their 30s with a clean record, and about $740 for District of Columbia's minimum liability coverage. Real quotes vary by insurer, driver and vehicle.
Why is car insurance in Washington more expensive than the District of Columbia average?
Our Washington estimate is about the same as the statewide figure. The model reflects a population density of 11,489 people per square mile (the typical District of Columbia resident lives at about 11,489) and an average commute of 30.0 minutes versus 30.0 statewide. Denser traffic and longer drives mean more claims, which insurers price into local rates.
What car insurance is required in Washington?
Drivers in Washington follow District of Columbia law: at least 25/50/10 liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage.
Which ZIP code in Washington has the cheapest car insurance?
Among Washington's 28 ZIP codes, 20064 has the lowest estimate (about $1,705 a year for full coverage) and 20020 the highest (about $2,130), mainly because of differences in density and commute times.
How much is car insurance for a teenager in Washington?
An 18-year-old with their own full-coverage policy would pay around $5,510 a year in Washington by our estimate ($2,040 for minimum coverage). Adding a teen to a parent's policy is usually cheaper.
Does weather affect car insurance in Washington?
Yes. FEMA's National Risk Index rates District of Columbia for hail (relatively high), hurricane (relatively high), inland (river) flooding (relatively high), and tornado (relatively high) risk. Weather mainly affects the comprehensive part of a policy, which pays for hail, flood and wind damage.
Are there car insurance agents near me in Washington?
We list 54 insurance offices in and around Washington, with addresses, phone numbers where published, and directions. We don't sell insurance or rank these offices.
How we estimate this
We start from the state's average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums published by the NAIC, then apply a location factor (population density and commute time from the Census ACS, weather hazard scores from FEMA's National Risk Index), a vehicle factor (HLDI insurance-loss data where available, otherwise vehicle segment), and a driver-profile multiplier. Results are rounded ranges for comparison, not quotes. Read the full methodology.
- DC DMV: Vehicle Insurance
- DC Code 31-2405 (PIP election and lawsuit restriction)
- DC Code 31-2406 (required and optional insurance)
- DC DMV: IID Program Enrollment Requirements (SR-22)
- DISB: Automobile Insurance Premium Comparison
- DISB: File a Complaint or Report Fraud
- NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report: Data for 2023
- Insurance Research Council uninsured motorist estimates (via Triple-I)
- IIHS Fatality Facts: state by state
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 4)
- NICB 2022 Vehicle Theft Data: top 10 stolen vehicles by state
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table DL-1C (licensed drivers)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table MV-1 (registrations)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-2 (vehicle-miles traveled)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (Washington and ZIP code tabulation areas)
- U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Gazetteer files
- FEMA National Risk Index (county hazard ratings)
- Insurance office locations: OpenStreetMap contributors and All The Places