You know that driving in Spokane, WA, comes with insurance requirements. That’s a given, but how much liability coverage do you need? To help with that answer, we at Capital Insurance made this quick guide.
Minimum Requirements
The state of Washington sets minimum liability coverage limits that you must maintain to drive legally. They look like this:
- $25,000 of boldly injury coverage per person
- $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident
- $10,000 of property damage coverage per accident
If your coverage is less than that, you could face fines and even potential jail time.
Even if you meet the state requirements, if you are at fault in an accident that leads to property damage and personal injury, you could be on the hook for more money than your policy covers. That’s where the more significant question comes back. How much do you actually need?
Going Beyond the Law
Answering this question is different for everyone, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Minimizing liability coverage can help you keep insurance costs down when you’re on a tight budget. That does come with risk if you cause an accident, but that’s the trade-off.
If you have any assets of significant value, then it’s usually a good idea to increase your liability coverage, and it doesn’t usually raise premiums by a whole lot. An average policy would include $100,000 of injury coverage per person, $300,000 in injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of property damage coverage per accident.
At the high end, those numbers approach $250,000 / $500,000 / $250,000.
If you want liability coverage beyond that, at this point, it’s usually better to supplement your auto insurance with an umbrella policy.
That covers the basics, but you can get a customized, personal answer from your Capital Insurance representative. Have a conversation and see what coverage in Spokane, WA, should look like.
