MOSES LAKE — Like pretty much everything else, the cost of car insurance is going up – and in Washington, it’s going up by a hefty percentage.  

Divya Sangam, insurance specialist for LendingTree.com, said in a press release that car insurance rates in Washington are going up by an average of 17.2% in 2025.  

“This is the highest auto insurance rate hike in the country,” Sangam said. 

New Jersey drivers will also be paying about 17.2% more, according to LendingTree’s annual report on trends in auto insurance. Even though Washington drivers are experiencing the biggest increase, rates for most of the state’s drivers are below the national average, which is $175 per month. Washington drivers will pay an average of $159 per month in 2025.  

Evergreen State drivers may experience the biggest increase, but Mike Garza, owner of the Garza Insurance Agency-Farmers Insurance in Othello, said they’re not alone. 

“I’ll be honest with you – it's not just Washington. It is everywhere,” Garza said. 

Like real estate, car insurance is partly about location.  

“Usually, ratings go by where you live, and that determines to a certain extent, your premium,” Garza said. “You’re more prone to have an accident in Seattle than you are in Othello.” 

Steve Crapson, owner of the Crapson Insurance Agency: Allstate Insurance in Moses Lake, cited the case of a customer who moved from Bridgeport to South Tacoma – and paid for it. 

“I asked him, 'You're sitting down, aren’t you, sir?’” Crapson said.  

In Bridgeport, the customer was paying about $430, but when he moved to Tacoma the bill increased to about $1,900. The customer shopped around but couldn't find cheaper coverage, Crapson said.  

Garza said he had a customer whose move from Royal City to Moses Lake resulted in an increase in the customer’s car insurance premiums.  

“Location seriously matters,” Crapson said.  

So does the kind of car.  

“What you drive, the features on the car – you go buy a sports car, anything with a turbo on it, it’s considered a sports model, it’s going to cost you more,” Garza said. 

Inflation has impacted the car insurance market, just like it has everything else, Crapson said. As the price of cars, new and used alike, increases, insurance companies are paying more when there’s a loss.  

“Inflation is a big driver,” he said.  

Drivers should think about the replacement value of their vehicle, Crapson said, when evaluating their insurance coverage.  

Crapson said industry analysis indicates there are more incidents as people have returned to the road following the COVID-19 pandemic. More accidents are being caused by distracted driving, as one example, he said. 

“Drivers seem not to care so much about following the rules of the road,” he said. “Way more speeding.” 

Sangam said drivers should comparison shop when deciding on a car insurance agent. However, Crapson said companies reward customers who stay with them with better rates. 

“Your driving record, of course, is a big part of it,” Garza said. 

Sangam estimated that Washington drivers cited for speeding, an at-fault accident or a DUI will experience a 41% increase in their rates in 2025.  

Sangam said drivers should ask for discounts – many companies will give a better rate to drivers with a safe driving record or who take a defensive driving course. Parents of teenagers may want to think about asking their teens to hold off on that driver's license for a year or two. The average cost of car insurance for young drivers in Washington is three times more than the cost for a 30-year-old, she said.