Why Washington is the only state where car insurance rates may fall in 2024

Drivers in the state of Washington are on the road to better car insurance deals in 2024.

Car insurance rates shot up after the pandemic largely because of more frequent collisions, pricier technology in vehicles, such as cameras and sensors, and higher costs for auto repair.

Insurers have also raised rates more aggressively recently to account for increasingly destructive weather, such as hail and floods.

“Those are all steeply rising prices all happening at the same time,” Chase Gardner, data and insights manager at insurance-comparison website Insurify, told ConsumerAffairs.

The average yearly cost for full-coverage car insurance is projected to reach $2,469 in the U.S. at the end of 2024, up from $2,019 at the end of 2023, according to Insurify, with 27 U.S. states seeing costs grow faster than the national average.

But Insurify, which bases its estimates on the pricing behavior of insurers, said drivers in Washington are expected to see costs for full-coverage car insurance drop 10% from the end of 2023 to 2024, unlike in every other state where rates should rise.

Washington already has some of the lowest car insurance rates in the nation, and is expected to rank as the eighth cheapest state at the end of 2024, Insurify said, with an average annual cost of $1,648 for full-coverage insurance, down from $1,827 at the end of 2023.

Why does Washington have lower car insurance rates?

Washington state has lower car insurance rates in part because there are large rural areas where there are fewer drivers and the state doesn’t typically have catastrophic weather, such as hail and flooding, Ned Gaines, deputy commissioner at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, told ConsumerAffairs.

But another big reason car insurance rates differ in Washington is the patchwork of regulations across the country.

Washington’s government has prior-approval authority, meaning an insurer can’t charge more until their reasoning is reviewed for mathematical accuracy and doesn’t violate any laws in the calculation.

“Sometimes that means we won’t allow them to implement the full amount they have requested,” Gaines said. “We’ll still approve their rate, but it’s going to be at a lower level.”

Only 14 states including Washington have have prior-approval rules for car insurance, which discourages insurers from price gouging.

“Prior approval states do a much better job of protecting consumers and reducing rate increases, and so that has an impact on auto insurance premiums,” Michael DeLong, research and advocacy associate for fair auto insurance at nonprofit Consumer Federation of America, told ConsumerAffairs.

He said that Washington’s current insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, has also been a strong consumer advocate and has issued a premium change transparency rule, which requires insurers to notify customers if prices go up and explain why.

“That rule, while still in its first phase, may be having an impact,” DeLong said.

But getting a car insurance quote in Washington isn’t always easy

Gardner of Insurify said it can be difficult to get car insurance in Washington because insurers don’t find the state especially attractive for signing up new customers due to tight profit margins.

He said the conditions can make it harder for the average driver to get a quote and even more difficult for those with a riskier profile.

“It is definitely good for drivers that rates are staying steady, but it also has the potential drawback if insurance companies don’t see that they are having a ton of viable business in the state,” he said.

How to save money on car insurance

There are a quite a few ways to lower car insurance costs. Here’s some advice experts have shared with ConsumerAffairs:

• Shop around: If you have the time, spend up to a couple hours plugging in your information at various providers to make sure you get many quotes to compare. There are also websites where you can quickly compare prices.

• Speak with insurance agents: An agent might know about current deals and smaller, cheaper companies that aren’t as well known.

• Bundle insurance: You can get discounts for combining your auto insurance with other insurance like homeowners, renters and motorcycle insurance.

• Improve your credit: Check for errors in your credit score and pay off debt.

• Pay-as-you go: A lot of insurers will slash premiums based on how much you drive, which is especially helpful if you work from home.

• Pay in full: Some insurers give discounts if you pay your premium in full, including in six-month installments, instead of monthly.

• Telematics: If you are comfortable with your data getting collected, you can plug in a device in your car or download an app on your phone that watches your driving behavior and calculates your insurance premium, such as if you speed or you slam on the brakes a lot. Telematics can significantly lower costs if you are a good driver.

• Bare-bones coverage: This makes more sense for older, less valuable cars. It is risky, but you can opt only for liability coverage if you damage another person’s vehicle, instead of additional coverage if you damage your car or it is stolen.

• Miscellaneous discounts: Some insurers give discounts if teenagers have good grades, you are a member of the military, have an anti-theft device on your car or if you have a paperless insurance policy.