Notice your insurance rates on the rise like gas prices? According to ValuePenguin, a Lending Tree firm that researches auto insurance last year saw an average 24.7% increase in insurance rates for vehicles in Washington State.

THE INCREASES ARE COSTING RESIDENTS MORE THAN JUST LAST YEAR

Using Seattle as an example officials say the average cost for car insurance in Seattle is now $901 a year or $75 a month. That's for a basic policy. You want full coverage? That will cost you $2,086 per year or $174 per month.
Insurance rates have been on the rise since 2017 when the state saw a 7.1% increase. But rates shot up 6.5% in 2022 and in 2023 rates rose 12%.

Distracted Drivers
Bob Riha Jr.
loading...

RATES OF INCREASE ARE LINKED TO THE RATE OF INFLATION

Officials in the Washington Insurance Commissioner's Office have linked the rate increase to inflation. Critics say that's wrong and irresponsible. But insurance companies say they simply want to make a profit and say it's not easy in this economy.

BUT WHAT'S DRIVING COSTS UP?

Industry officials say several factors are driving costs including the cost of labor, the rising cost of auto parts and traffic crashes.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DRIVERS CAN'T AFFORD INSURANCE?

High insurance rates only mean one thing. Fewer drivers will be buying insurance. Many drivers in the state say they can't afford insurance now and are very concerned about increases in the future. Some drivers say they drive without insurance hoping to avoid any problems or accidents. Officials at ValuePenguin at https://www.valuepenguin.com/ say 8.5% of Washington drivers are uninsured. But some critics say we could see that number climb to 40% uninsured if rate continue increasing in Washington State.

See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State

Gallery Credit: Sarah Jones

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli

LOOK: 20 American foods that raise eyebrows outside of the US

Stacker compiled a list of 20 unusual and uniquely American foods that might raise eyebrows outside the U.S.

Gallery Credit: Charlotte Barnett

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.
 

Gallery Credit: Joni Sweet

50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America

YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you'll even find a favorite or two.

Gallery Credit: Paul Feinstein

KEEP READING: 3-ingredient recipes you can make right now