As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Car insurance requirements vary from place to place and can affect how much you pay for your policy. In Washington, D.C., drivers must carry liability limits of 25/50/10, which includes bodily injury and property damage liability insurance.
It’s important to understand D.C.’s auto insurance laws and how much car insurance you need before you hit the road. A lack of proper coverage can leave you vulnerable to medical and vehicle damage expenses, and you could even lose your license.
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Washington, D.C., car insurance requirements
Washington, D.C., law requires drivers to carry at least the following amounts and types of auto coverage:[1]
Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $10,000 per accident
Uninsured motorist bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
Uninsured motorist property damage liability: $5,000 per accident, subject to a $200 deductible
Bodily injury liability coverage
Bodily injury liability insurance protects you if you cause an accident that results in another driver or passenger’s injury or death. It covers the medical bills of the injured people, but it won’t cover your own.
The minimum limit of bodily injury liability required for a policy in D.C. is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
Property damage liability coverage
Property damage liability insurance covers you if you damage another driver’s vehicle or property in an at-fault accident. This policy covers the other party’s damages but won’t cover damages to your own vehicle or property.
The minimum property damage insurance limit required for an auto insurance policy in D.C. is $10,000 per accident.
Uninsured motorist liability coverage
Uninsured motorist liability coverageprotects you from an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It covers both bodily injury and property damage liability expenses if the other driver can’t pay.
Car insurance policies in D.C. must have $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist bodily injury liability coverage and $5,000 per accident in uninsured motorist property damage liability coverage. This property damage coverage is subject to a $200 deductible.
Washington, D.C., offers the District of Columbia Automobile Insurance Plan for people who can’t find auto insurance coverage in the traditional way. This plan helps drivers in the auto insurance residual market find insurance coverage. Drivers need a valid District of Columbia driver’s license and a vehicle registered in D.C. to qualify for the program.[2]
Do you need more than minimum coverage in Washington, D.C.?
Washington, D.C. doesn’t require drivers to carry more than its minimum coverage amount. But the minimum requirement is just that: a minimum. Most drivers should carry more to have financial protection in the event of a car insurance claim. Liability coverage only pays for the other driver’s medical expenses and property damages, not your own.
If you lease or finance your vehicle, your leasing company or lender will require you to carry full-coverage auto insurance to protect its investment in your car.
Most drivers opt to carry additional protection in the form of full-coverage car insurance, which includes liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance. In fact, 79% of insured drivers buy comprehensive insurance, and 75% buy collision insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute.[3]
Drivers in Washington, D.C., pay an average car insurance rate of $212 per month for full coverage and $121 per month for liability coverage. Full coverage costs more than liability coverage, and it provides much greater financial protection in the event of an accident. If you have an auto accident, you may wish you had a full-coverage policy.
Good to Know
It may make sense to buy liability-only coverage in some cases, like if you have an old vehicle that isn’t worth much or if you hardly drive and only travel short distances.
The cost of liability-only car insurance in Washington, D.C.
The average cost of liability-only car insurance in Washington, D.C., is $121 per month. Liability coverage is the bare-minimum legal car insurance that D.C. requires. It only covers bodily injury and property damage liability expenses for another driver, not you.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, May 16 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company
Average Monthly Quote
GEICO
87
Erie
89
State Farm
95
USAA
98
Midvale Home & Auto
110
Liberty Mutual
124
Progressive
162
CSAA
165
Allstate
188
Nationwide
189
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., drivers pay an average of $212 per month for full-coverage car insurance. It costs much more per month than liability coverage, but it provides more coverage if you have an accident. It’s a good idea in almost all cases, as property damages and medical bills can add up very quickly after a car accident.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, May 16 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company
Average Monthly Quote
GEICO
148
Erie
150
State Farm
162
USAA
166
Midvale Home & Auto
209
CSAA
247
Progressive
275
Liberty Mutual
280
Allstate
319
Nationwide
320
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Washington, D.C.
If a law enforcement officer catches you driving without proof of insurance in Washington, D.C., you can face the following penalties for a first offense:[4]
Cancellation of insurance
License suspension
Required SR-22 maintenance
$500 civil fine for driving an uninsured vehicle
$150 civil fine for owning an uninsured vehicle
$98 reinstatement fee
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Optional car insurance coverages to consider
While you only legally need to carry liability insurance in Washington, D.C., you should consider optional coverages for greater protection.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision with another vehicle or object.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays to repair or replace your vehicle after damage from non-collision events, such as severe weather, vandalism, or theft.
Roadside assistance
Roadside assistance coverage pays for various roadside services, including towing, jump-starts, tire changes, and more.
Gap insurance
Gap insurance can be useful if you’re financing a vehicle. If you total your car, gap insurance will cover the difference between your outstanding loan balance and your payout from your car insurance company.
Rental reimbursement
Rental reimbursement coverage pays for the cost of a rental car if you need one while your car is in the auto body shop.
Personal injury protection (PIP)
Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance can pay for the medical expenses, work loss, and funeral expenses of you and your passengers following an accident. D.C. insurers must offer you this coverage, but you don’t need to purchase it.[5]
Washington, D.C., car insurance requirements FAQs
It’s important to know what kinds of and how much car insurance coverage you need to drive in Washington, D.C. The following information should help answer some of your remaining questions about D.C.’s car insurance requirements.
Does Washington, D.C., require car insurance?
Yes. Washington, D.C., drivers must carry 25/50/10 liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage to legally be on the road.
Does D.C. require uninsured motorist coverage?
Yes. Washington, D.C., requires drivers to carry uninsured motorist protection. Drivers must carry it at limits of 25/50/5.
Do you need car insurance to register a car in Washington, D.C.?
Yes. You need car insurance to register a car in Washington, D.C. You can’t legally drive your car without an active insurance policy that includes the state’s minimum liability requirements.
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in Washington, D.C.?
Insurance follows the car in Washington, D.C., not the driver. If you lend your vehicle to another driver, your auto policy will cover them. Always keep your current insurance and registration in the vehicle.
Does D.C. have no-fault car insurance laws?
No. Washington, D.C., doesn’t have no-fault laws. It uses at-fault rules, meaning the car insurance of the at-fault driver will cover the other driver’s damages and injuries. But D.C. law does require insurers to offer policyholders the option to buy personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which drivers can reject.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Danny is a Brooklyn-based writer with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance. A former editor at Insurify, he specializes in auto, home, and pet insurance. He works to translate his insurance expertise into digestible, easy-to-understand content for drivers, homeowners, and pet owners alike.
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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