Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
www.insurance.wa.gov
Washington State
Office of the
Insurance Commissioner
A Consumer’s Guide to:
Auto
Insurance
Choosing and using your auto insurance coverage
Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Dear auto insurance consumer:
Auto insurance is one of the most personal kinds of coverage we purchase. Yet
my office receives more complaints about auto insurance than any other type of
coverage.
While we are able to solve many of those problems, complaints too often involve
discrepancies between what consumers thought they were buying and the actual
coverage they receive. This guide will help you understand how auto insurance
works and what coverage is right for you.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) publishes additional guides, fact
sheets and other information to educate and assist consumers. All are available on
the OIC’s Web site at: www.insurance.wa.gov under “Publications.”
Also, if you need help with an insurance problem, or want to file a complaint, call our Insurance Consumer
Hotline toll free at 1-800-562-6900.
We’re here to help you.
Sincerely,
Mike Kreidler
Washington State Insurance Commissioner
1
Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Understanding your auto
insurance policy
The policy
The second part of your insurance contract is the
policy itself. This includes:
Insuring agreement
Definitions
When and where coverage applies
Conditions if the vehicle is financed
General conditions
Mutual conditions
Exceptions and endorsements of the policy
Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. It spells out exactly
what the company agrees to do in exchange for the premium that you pay. This contract is divided
into two sections: a declarations page and the policy itself.
The declarations page
This section of the policy includes basic details of
the agreement. It is important that you review this
page to make sure all the information is correct and
all the coverages