In Washington State, anyone operating a motor vehicle must have an insurance liability policy, a certificate of deposit, liability bond or if you have more than 26 vehicles, be self-insured. Carrying liability insurance on your vehicle is the most common way of showing financial responsibility.

The Mandatory insurance law, Title 46 of the Revised Code of Washington, notes that as a Washington motorist you must carry with you an insurance identification card verifying you have a valid vehicle insurance policy. The current mandatory limits for WA are 25/50/10.

If you are found operating a motor vehicle without having proof of meeting the requirements of the mandatory insurance law you are committing a traffic violation. This infraction of the law is punishable by a minimum fine of $250. There are other fees and assessments that can be added to this fine so it typically costs about $450.

There is also a public safety and education assessment that will be part of your penalty. A ticket for driving without insurance is like any other traffic infraction and will become part of your WA driving record.

Make sure that you are properly insured. You can start now obtaining affordable car insurance for Washington State.