Washington Auto Coverage Requirements
This chapter covers the coverage rules a Washington producer must know to place personal auto correctly: the compulsory liability limits, the offer-and-reject treatment of UM/UIM and PIP, and Washington's tort approach to the right to sue.
Compulsory Liability Limits
Washington requires minimum auto liability of $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 property damage (25/50/10), verified this session via a state auto-insurance requirements source. Drivers may also satisfy the financial-responsibility law through other approved methods, but a standard liability policy at these limits is the usual route. These are minimums that can change by law; verify the current figures with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
UM/UIM and PIP: Offered, Not Mandated
Unlike liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage and personal injury protection (PIP) are not compulsory in Washington, but insurers must offer them and the applicant may reject them in writing. UM/UIM protects the insured when the at-fault driver has no or too little coverage; PIP provides first-party medical and related benefits regardless of fault. Because these are offer-and-reject coverages, a producer should document the client's written election. Confirm the current offer and rejection rules with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
A Tort State, Not No-Fault
Washington follows a traditional tort (at-fault) system rather than no-fault: an injured person keeps the full right to recover from the at-fault driver, and PIP is an optional first-party add-on rather than a mandatory no-fault benefit. This distinguishes Washington from the roughly a dozen true no-fault states that restrict lawsuits below a threshold. Because states periodically revisit their auto systems, confirm the current framework with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner when advising clients.