Washington · Uninsured driver · Updated Oct 2026

Hit by an uninsured driver in Washington: coverage, penalties and what to do

Your coverage, the penalties and how to claim your losses.

Short answer

Driving without insurance, or failing to show proof of insurance, is a traffic infraction with penalties set by court rule (RCW 46.30.020). Underinsured motorist coverage (it also covers uninsured, hit-and-run and phantom vehicles) must be included for injuries at the same amount as your liability limits, and for damage to your car, unless you or your spouse reject it in writing (RCW 48.22.030).

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage
Included unless you reject it
Minimum liability
25/50/10
Insurance system
Fault (tort)

Uninsured motorist coverage in Washington

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Underinsured motorist coverage (it also covers uninsured, hit-and-run and phantom vehicles) must be included for injuries at the same amount as your liability limits, and for damage to your car, unless you or your spouse reject it in writing (RCW 48.22.030). Personal injury protection must be offered; you can reject it in writing (RCW 48.22.085).
Liability minimum
25/50/10
Official text
Read the official text

Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

If the other driver has no insurance in Washington

  • You can also claim under your own underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (unless you rejected it), which can cover hit-and-run and phantom vehicles, or use collision and PIP.

Penalties for driving uninsured in Washington

  • Driving without insurance, or failing to show proof of insurance, is a traffic infraction with penalties set by court rule (RCW 46.30.020).
  • If an uninsured driver does not pay for crash damage of at least $1,000 or an injury, you can report it to the Department of Licensing on a Motor Vehicle Claim for Damages within 180 days of the crash, with copies of estimates and receipts; DOL may then suspend that driver's license.

How fast an insurer must handle a claim in Washington

  • Insurers must acknowledge a claim within 10 business days and reply to your communications within 10 business days (WAC 284-30-360), and must finish investigating within 30 calendar days or tell you in writing why not, then update you in writing every 30 days (WAC 284-30-370).
  • The Insurance Commissioner says insurers must approve, deny or explain a delay within 30 days, and respond to supplemental reports and final invoices within 5 days.

Claiming from the uninsured driver in Washington

Small claims limit for car damage in Washington: $10,000 for individuals, $5,000 for businesses. Washington small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Step by step if an uninsured driver hits you in Washington

  1. Report the crash to the police. Call police if anyone is hurt; the Insurance Commissioner advises not to leave the scene without calling police, even if the crash seems minor. Reporting a crash in Washington and getting the police report
  2. Write down the other car's plate and get witness names.
  3. Claim under your uninsured motorist coverage; in Washington it is included unless you reject it.
  4. If your coverage doesn't pay everything, sue the driver before the deadline: 3 years for both property damage and injury. Deadlines to sue in Washington, with the calculator

Free help in Washington

Questions about uninsured drivers in Washington

Is uninsured motorist coverage required in Washington?

Underinsured motorist coverage (it also covers uninsured, hit-and-run and phantom vehicles) must be included for injuries at the same amount as your liability limits, and for damage to your car, unless you or your spouse reject it in writing (RCW 48.22.030). Personal injury protection must be offered; you can reject it in writing (RCW 48.22.085).

What happens if you drive without insurance in Washington?

Driving without insurance, or failing to show proof of insurance, is a traffic infraction with penalties set by court rule (RCW 46.30.020). If an uninsured driver does not pay for crash damage of at least $1,000 or an injury, you can report it to the Department of Licensing on a Motor Vehicle Claim for Damages within 180 days of the crash, with copies of estimates and receipts; DOL may then suspend that driver's license.

What can I do if an uninsured driver hits me in Washington?

You can also claim under your own underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (unless you rejected it), which can cover hit-and-run and phantom vehicles, or use collision and PIP.

What is the minimum car insurance in Washington?

25/50/10

How long do I have to sue an uninsured driver in Washington?

3 years for property damage and 3 years for injury.

How fast must an insurer handle a car insurance claim in Washington?

Insurers must acknowledge a claim within 10 business days and reply to your communications within 10 business days (WAC 284-30-360), and must finish investigating within 30 calendar days or tell you in writing why not, then update you in writing every 30 days (WAC 284-30-370). The Insurance Commissioner says insurers must approve, deny or explain a delay within 30 days, and respond to supplemental reports and final invoices within 5 days.

More for Washington drivers

Nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.