Finding cheap auto coverage in Washington, D.C., can be challenging. District of Columbia car insurance comes with some of the steepest prices in the country because of several factors, including high population density and accident frequency. Car insurance rates are also plain unpredictable; a single policy can fetch quotes that are thousands of dollars apart, depending on the insurer.
To help D.C. drivers simplify their shopping and get a quality deal, NerdWallet researched rates from the five largest insurance companies operating in the district and found the three cheapest options for these driver types:
- Good drivers
- Young drivers
- Drivers with one at-fault accident
- Drivers with poor credit
- Retired drivers
Cheapest for good drivers
For drivers with no at-fault accidents, DUIs or moving violations; range of average prices: $1,058 to $3,260 a year
price
- $1,058/year
price
- $1,245/year
price
- $1,440/year
The average for good drivers among the three cheapest quotes was $1,248 a year. USAA, which had the lowest estimate in our study, was well under that average, making it a good value for those who qualify: active or retired military and their families. For non-military folks, Geico and State Farm rounded out the cheapest three companies. Both are giants in the industry that offer wide-ranging service in just about every state and plenty of discounts that accident-free drivers can use to trim their rates.
Cheapest for young drivers
For drivers in their early 20s; range of average prices: $421 to $1,984 a year
price
- $421/year
price
- $455/year
price
- $634/year
Drivers in their early 20s typically don’t have families, expensive cars or high-priced assets to protect — and can usually get by with less car insurance than older, more established motorists. As a result, young drivers can find pretty cheap Washington, D.C., car insurance. USAA again led the field with the cheapest estimate in our analysis. For those who don’t qualify, Geico wasn’t much more; both companies returned quotes under $38 a month, which probably won’t break even a young driver’s budget.
Cheapest for drivers with one at-fault accident
Range of average prices: $1,446 to $4,786 a year
price
- $1,446/year
price
- $1,706/year
price
- $2,456/year
Your risk profile goes up if you have at-fault accidents on your record, which could mean higher premiums when shopping around. In our test, causing just one incident raised a driver’s lowest available quote by almost $400 a year. That said, rates could be a lot worse. Sample prices nearly reached $5,000 a year on the high end of our study, proving that drivers with spotty records can benefit more than just about anyone else from comparing as many offers as possible.
Cheapest for drivers with poor credit
For drivers placed in the lowest credit tier as determined by the industry; range of average prices: $1,608 to $3,603 a year
price
- $1,608/year
price
- $1,676/year
price
- $2,257/year
Frustrating as it may be, having a low credit score can be particularly damaging to your D.C. car insurance premium. The lowest average quote in our test — from Geico at $1,608 per year — was about $550 a year more than lowest price offered to good drivers of the same age with no credit issues. USAA was the next-closest competitor with similar rates to Geico’s, only about $6 more per month. State Farm rounded out the group with a significantly higher sample price.
Cheapest for retired drivers
For drivers in their mid- to late 60s who no longer use their car for commuting; range of average prices: $940 to $3,260 a year
price
- $940/year
price
- $1,145/year
price
- $1,235/year
Drivers shouldn’t buy into the myth that older shoppers always pay more for car insurance. In fact, in Washington, D.C., the lowest average quote we found for retirees was lower than that for good drivers half their age. A big reason older drivers can save is that they generally spend much less time behind the wheel than policyholders who still commute every day, which to your insurer means less accident risk. USAA again had the most affordable estimate, but all three of the cheapest companies returned pretty similar quotes for this group — only about $25 a month difference between lowest and highest.
Minimum D.C. car insurance requirements
Drivers in Washington, D.C., must carry liability insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI/UIMBI) and uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD/UIMPD) in the following amounts:
- $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $10,000 property damage liability per accident
- $25,000 UMBI/UIMBI per person
- $50,000 UMBI/UIMBI per accident
- $5,000 UMPD/UIMPD per accident
Keep in mind, a serious crash could easily leave damages that exceed these amounts, which is why experts recommend buying more than the bare minimum when it comes to auto coverage.
Check out NerdWallet’s guide to state car insurance requirements to learn more about the limits on your D.C. policy as well as optional coverages you might want to add.
Alternative car insurance in Washington, D.C.
If you have a checkered driving history, poor credit or other factors preventing you from getting traditional auto coverage, you can seek coverage through the network of assigned-risk providers in the District of Columbia Automobile Insurance Plan (DCAIP).
NerdWallet is also here to help drivers in D.C. get the coverage they need at prices they want. Our handy comparison tool is your go-to source for getting fast, easy quotes from leading companies and possibly saving hundreds on your premium.
METHODOLOGY
For most categories, NerdWallet averaged rates from the largest insurers for 30-year-old men and women in 10 ZIP codes and with 100/300/50 liability insurance limits, 100/300 uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage, and $50,000 uninsured and underinsured property damage coverage. We used a 2012 Toyota Camry in all cases.
Our sample retired driver was 67 and drove 50% fewer annual miles than other groups. Our sample young driver was 22 and carried the minimum required coverage. These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
Alex Glenn is a staff writer for NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: aglenn@nerdwallet.com.
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