Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers in Seattle?

For low mileage drivers, one of the more important components that determine auto insurance rates is where you live in Seattle. Cities with larger populations are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims tend to receive slightly lower rates.

The table below ranks the priciest cities in Washington for infrequent drivers to buy an auto insurance policy in. Seattle shows up at #8 having an annual price of $1,349 for the average policyholder, which is around $112 per month.

Car insurance prices in Seattle
Rank City Annual Premium
1 Federal Way $1,435
2 Renton $1,403
3 Tacoma $1,385
4 Auburn $1,380
5 Lakewood $1,378
6 Shoreline $1,366
7 Kent $1,350
8 Seattle $1,349
9 South Hill $1,314
10 Bellevue $1,256
11 Marysville $1,245
12 Redmond $1,238
13 Everett $1,238
14 Kirkland $1,231
15 Sammamish $1,220
16 Vancouver $1,192
17 Olympia $1,105
18 Spokane Valley $1,098
19 Lacey $1,078
20 Spokane $1,071
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Rates are estimated as specific Seattle zip code can impact price quotes significantly.

Figuring out which companies quote the cheapest car insurance rates for infrequent drivers takes more work in order to find coverage that fits your budget. Every insurance provider uses a different method for establishing rates, so let’s examine the car insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in Seattle, WA.

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Cheapest Washington car insurance ranked by price
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 Capital $754
2 Grange $822
3 Nationwide $961
4 PEMCO $974
5 Travelers $1,008
6 Mutual Enumclaw $1,023
7 California Casualty $1,072
8 The Hartford $1,080
9 USAA $1,082
10 Chubb $1,083
11 Allied $1,131
12 State Farm $1,141
13 American Family $1,172
14 Safeco $1,216
15 Amica $1,219
16 Liberty Mutual $1,296
17 Farmers $1,315
18 Progressive $1,525
19 National General $1,540
20 MetLife $1,681
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Capital has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Seattle at around $754 each year. Grange, Nationwide, PEMCO, and Travelers also make the cut as some of the best Seattle, WA auto insurance companies.

As illustrated above, if you currently have a policy with Nationwide and switched to Capital, you might achieve a yearly price reduction of about $207. Drivers with PEMCO may save as much as $220 a year, and Travelers insureds might lower prices by $254 a year.

Be aware that those premiums are averaged for all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and are not factoring in a vehicle location for infrequent drivers. So the insurer that fits you best may not even be in the top 25 companies in the list above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get auto insurance quotes using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.

The vehicle driven is probably the most important factor that determines whether or not you can buy the most affordable coverage for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor crash test ratings, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than safer models. The next list illustrates car insurance rates for a number of the cheaper automobiles to insure.

Cheapest Vehicles to Insure in Seattle, WA
Make and Model Estimated Cost for Full Coverage
Honda CR-V LX 2WD $1,260
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan $1,378
Ford Escape XLS 2WD $1,411
Ford Edge SEL AWD $1,463
Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD $1,493
Chevrolet Malibu LT $1,524
Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD $1,546
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD $1,555
Chevrolet Impala LTZ $1,570
Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan $1,580
Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment $1,570
Dodge Grand Caravan CV $1,581
Toyota Prius $1,584
Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD $1,631
Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan $1,641
Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD $1,631
Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan $1,633
GMC Sierra Denali Crew Cab 2WD $1,710
Toyota Corolla S $1,716
Toyota Camry SE $1,725
Nissan Rogue SL 2WD $1,746
Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan $1,753
Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 4WD $1,749
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Prices based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Washington minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can alter insurance rates considerably.

Looking at the rates, you can conclude that models like the Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Ford Edge are likely to be the most economical vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.

How accidents and violations affect rates

The recommended way to maintain the most affordable car insurance prices in Washington for low mileage drivers is to be a safe driver and not have accidents or get tickets. The example below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault claims can increase insurance costs for different age groups. The information is based on a married female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

The data charted above shows the average cost of auto insurance per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,264. Add in one speeding ticket and the average cost swells to $1,479, an increase of $215 each year. Now include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of car insurance for infrequent drivers jumps again to an average of $2,072. That’s an increase of $808, or $67 per month, just for not being attentive to the road!

Types of discounts on Seattle car insurance

Cheaper Seattle, WA car insurance for low mileage driversInsurers that provide policies for infrequent drivers could also offer special discounts that could reduce prices by as much as 35% or more if you meet specific eligibility requirements. Popular car insurance companies and some of the discounts can be found below.

The diagram below illustrates the comparison of auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. Data assumes a male driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, Washington state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with multiple policy, homeowner, passive restraint, claim-free, vehicle safety, and multiple vehicle discounts applied. In this example, theamount saved on car insurance for infrequent drivers is 28% or $576.

The illustration below illustrates how your choice of deductibles can raise or lower insurance rates when getting quotes for cheap insurance for infrequent drivers. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

As shown above, a 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $270 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $410 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the Age 20 category, could possibly save up to $820 each year just by choosing larger deductibles. If you make the decision to raise deductibles, it is a good idea to have enough in a savings account to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the one inconvenience of using high deductibles.

How to find the cheapest insurance for infrequent drivers

Below you’ll find some of the recommended money-saving ideas that can help Seattle drivers buy low-cost coverage.

The last tip is certainly valuable, as we discussed in this write-up. Rates fluctuate considerably, so don’t hesitate to change insurance companies if a better deal can be had. Brand loyalty is not necessarily bad, but we do not recommend it if that dedication is costing hundreds of dollars a year. In less than five minutes you could shop around to find cheaper car insurance for infrequent drivers in Seattle.

The insurance agencies listed below can probably help you decide which insurance coverage you need, since lots of people like to have professional advice when shopping for the best coverage for low mileage drivers. It can be complicated to find coverage yourself, so a professional agent can bring comfort knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim.

To locate an agency closest to you, click the button link following the list or click here to compare price quotes now.

Allstate Insurance: Carmelita Strong
5959 Martin Luther King Jr Way SSeattle, WA 98118(206) 725-8969

Olivia Crelencia – State Farm Insurance Agent
502 Rainier Ave S Ste 102Seattle, WA 98144(206) 725-2424

Forrest Dawson – State Farm Insurance Agent
3509 NE 45th StSeattle, WA 98105(206) 526-2747

Allstate Insurance: Josh Boender
4453 California Ave SWSeattle, WA 98116(206) 932-2191

More Seattle, WA insurance agents