DC ranks near top in car insurance costs; Virginia is low

DC ranks near top in car insurance costs; Virginia is low

Washington, DC, is the 3rd most expensive market in the nation (if compared with states) for car insurance, according to a new study by Insure.com. Maryland is 11th and Virginia is 43rd.

The car insurance comparison website surveyed rates from six major carriers across multiple zip codes in all 50 states and DC, averaging rates for the 20 best-selling vehicles nationwide. Those models represented 40 percent of the U.S. new-car market in 2014. Where the driver lives is usually more important in determining insurance rates than the car model.

Cities usually have higher rates, and DC, of course, is just that. The average driver in DC has an accident every 5.1, years versus every 10 years nationally, according to Allstate.

The average insurance premium is $1,799 in DC, $1,590 in Maryland and $1,008 in Virginia. The national average is $1,311.

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