Washington State Motorcycle Insurance Laws
New Washington state motorcycle insurance laws passed in 2019 require all motorcyclists to carry insurance. Learn Washington laws and coverage limits! Bernard Law Group provides helpful insurance information for Washington motorcyclists along with state-by-state motorcycle insurance laws.
State by State Motorcycle Insurance Laws
U.S. states set their own motorcycle insurance laws. Each state has its own regulations regarding the amount of coverage and liability required by law. All 50 states require some form of motorcycle insurance with the exception of Florida, Montana, and New Hampshire.
Selecting the right motorcycle insurance plan is important if you plan to ride in several states on a regular basis. 
This can be frustrating if you don’t know state-by-state motorcycle insurance laws. However, compliance with state motorcycle insurance laws where you register your motorcycle is typically sufficient.
Below you’ll find the current Washington state motorcycle insurance laws. For information regarding state motorcycle insurance laws outside of Washington, the Unofficial DMV Guide website provides a helpful state-by-state motorcycle insurance guide.
Washington State Motorcycle Insurance Requirements
Washington state motorcycle insurance laws changed as of July 28th, 2019. Motorcyclists in Washington must carry liability insurance. Prior to this change, motorcyclists were exempt from Washington state’s mandatory auto insurance law. Like other motorists, motorcycle riders must also be able to provide proof of insurance.
Washington’s minimum liability limits for motorcycle insurance are the same as the limits for automobiles.
- $25,000 for injuries or death to another person.
- $50,000 for injuries or death to all other people.
- $10,000 for damage to another person’s property.
Insurance Agents or Motorcycle Accident Attorneys: Who Do You Call?
In addition to complying with state motorcycle insurance laws, motorcyclists should consider their preferred level of coverage.
How much coverage is affordable? Should they choose liability, comprehensive, or collision insurance? How much coverage should their uninsured/underinsured clause protection provide?
Everyone has different answers to these questions. Calling a trustworthy, experienced, and knowledgeable insurance agent helps make the right choices.
When you need help understanding state motorcycle insurance laws after an accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer. If you need motorcycle accident claim assistance in Washington state, contact Bernard Law Group.
Understanding Motorcycle Insurance Policies
In order to understand motorcycle insurance policies, people need to know common insurance terms. According to standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a motorcycle rider is defined as the operator only.
A passenger is any person sitting on, but not in control, of the motorcycle. Motorcyclists refers to the motorcycle rider (operator) as well as the passenger. Understanding these and other insurance-related terms helps you sort through specific coverage options offered by each policy.
When deciding what type and amount of motorcycle insurance coverage you need, this Insurance Information Institute guide can help you sort through the confusion. It suggests asking about insurance coverage for motorcycle accessories and reduced rates for purchasing “safer” models. In addition, the guide covers lay-up policies for Northern riders and discounts for multi-bike owners.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, super sports motorcycles have the overall highest insurance losses under collision coverage among all classes of motorcycle models, almost four times higher than touring models and more than six times higher than cruiser models.
To help save money, ask about decreasing insurance coverage during winter months. Special discounts for bundling motorcycle insurance with automobile, life, or homeowner’s insurance are common. Selecting only the level of coverage required also reduces costs.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Ready to Help!
The Bernard Law Group has years of experience in motorcycle crash cases. To best represent our clients, we are experts on Washington state motorcycle insurance laws. First, our skilled team of motorcycle accident lawyers investigates the facts and assesses your claim.
After that, we establish which parties and insurance companies should be held responsible based on state insurance laws. Finally, we organize all the necessary details to compose and present your case. If we don’t win, you don’t pay!
