WASHINGTON — People in Washington should expect to pay more for car insurance this year.
A report by Value Penguin, a personal finance website, shows that Washington drivers will see the second biggest increase in car insurance premiums in the nation this year. State officials said it's the biggest increase they have approved in years.
“In the past year, my car insurance rate doubled technically from what it was,” said Bethany Henriques, who lives in Seattle.
She said these increases are just another hit for families trying to afford to live in Seattle.
“We're a two-car household only because we own one of our cars," Henriques said. "But it would make me think to give up one."
This year people in Washington could be paying around 20% more for car insurance.
“We saw increases kind of setting in towards the end of last year, the second half of last year,” said Aaron VanTuyl, the Communications Director with the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
VanTuyl said last year the office approved a 24% average base rate change for insurance companies, the highest it has approved in years.
“The good news is they're not as bad as some places in the country and they are going up everywhere,” VanTuyl said of car insurance costs.
Reports show that Washington car owners pay on average $128 per month on car insurance. That is less than the national average of $165 per month and much less than what some other states are paying. Michigan drivers pay an average of $386 per month and Florida drivers pay $249 on average.
Vantuyl said the main reasons for the increase are the cost of fixing a car is becoming more expensive and the number of serious crashes in Washington is increasing.
Data shows state traffic fatalities from 2018 to 2022 in Washington increased significantly. Traffic fatalities for 2023 are expected to be the highest in decades.