District of Columbia Car Insurance Information

There are some facts you should know before buying your Washington, DC car insurance policy. With the motto of "Justice for All", the District of Columbia is a no-fault state that requires valid auto insurance through the "Compulsory No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act" for the entire time your car is registered. The District of Columbia also demands vehicle safety education through its GRAD program for young adults who want to start driving.

Washington car insurance minimum coverage limits as mandated by state law are:

• $10,000 for Property Damage Liability
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for Bodily Damage Liability
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury
• $5,000 (with a minimum $200 deductible) for Uninsured Motorist Property Damage

If your insurance lapses, you will be fined $150 for the first thirty days and an additional $7 per day for every day beyond that you do not secure coverage. You will also need to carry valid proof of your District of Columbia auto insurance with you or failure to do so can result in a $30 fine.

GRAD Program
In an effort to help the streets remain safe for motorists and pedestrians alike, District of Columbia implemented the Gradual Rearing of Adult Drivers (GRAD) program. This graduated licensing program goes deeper than standard driver's education. In addition to learning basic controls such as steering and braking, GRAD educates its students in more complex driving circumstances, such as night driving. As its name implies, it is a graduated study, taking its students through three phases.

The first phase is a Learner Permit, geared for young adults aged 16 to 21. In addition to the vision test, they have 50 minutes to pass a knowledge test. They must log 40 hours of driving with a fully licensed adult (21 or older) before scheduling the road test.

The next phase is the Provisional License, which requires a minimum age of 16 years and 6 months. Here students must log another 40 hours and pass a Road Skills Test. For the third phase, Full License, the minimum age is 17. Ten hours of night driving are required and must be logged accordingly. If a person under the age of 18 is issued a full license, they will not be allowed to drive alone, and never have more than two passengers under the age of 21 (siblings excluded) until they reach the age of 18. Furthermore, students under all three phases of the GRAD program have restricted driving times of when they are and aren't allowed to be on the road.

By increasing the safety of its drivers through education and awareness, the District of Columbia is taking an active role in reducing the number of crash statistics and fatalities that every state suffers. When shopping for your mandatory District of Columbia auto insurance, be sure to take your own safety record into consideration to see if any discounts are applicable. In addition to obtaining the minimum coverage required by state, be sure to carry enough Washington car insurance coverage to protect your financial assets.