Liability Insurance

• A driver must carry liability insurance on his registered vehicle. Bodily injury liability and property damage liability are the two parts of liability coverage. When a driver is at fault in an auto accident, his bodily injury liability pays the medical bills for injuries sustained by the other driver and occupants in the other driver's vehicle. The property damage liability pays to repair the other driver's vehicle. The minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage is $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for more than one person. The minimum amount of property damage liability required by Washington law is $10,000.
  
  

Requirements

• Washington law does not require drivers of particular types of vehicles to carry auto insurance. Motorcycles, cycles with motors, mopeds, vehicles older than 30 years old, state vehicles or Washington Utility and Transportation vehicles do not need to purchase auto insurance before registering the vehicle.
  
  

Insurance Identification Card

• An insurance company must provide a policyholder with an identification card when she purchases a new policy or renews one. An insurance card must have the name of the insurance company, policy number, the dates the policy is effective and an expiration date. The driver's name and information about the vehicle--such as the year, make and model--must be on the card.
  
  

Proof of Insurance

• A driver must keep proof of insurance in his vehicle at all times. When a law enforcement officer requests a driver's insurance identification card, he must provide it. A driver without this card can receive a traffic citation. If he provides a false insurance card, he can face misdemeanor charges.
  
  

Penalties

• A driver who operates a motor vehicle without auto insurance must pay a fine, which can cost up to $450. A driver involved in an accident with no insurance can have his license suspended for up to three years if there is property damage greater than $700, injuries or the possibility of a court judgment against him. A judge can require the driver to pay a public safety and education assessment fee. Driving without insurance becomes part of an individual's driving record.