Wash. Rev. Code » Title 46 · Chapter 46.29
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490 (2026)

"Motor vehicle liability policy" defined

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) Certification. A "motor vehicle liability policy" as said term is used in this chapter means an "owner's policy" or an "operator's policy" of liability insurance, certified as provided in RCW 46.29.460 or 46.29.470 as proof of financial responsibility for the future, and issued, except as otherwise provided in RCW 46.29.470, by an insurance carrier duly authorized to transact business in this state, to or for the benefit of the person named in the policy as insured.
(2) Owner's policy. Such owner's policy of liability insurance:
(a) Shall designate by explicit description or by appropriate reference all vehicles with respect to which coverage is to be granted by the policy; and
(b) Shall insure the person named therein and any other person, as insured, using any such vehicle or vehicles with the express or implied permission of such named insured, against loss from the liability imposed by law for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of such vehicle or vehicles within the United States of America or the Dominion of Canada, subject to limits exclusive of interest and costs, with respect to each such vehicle as follows: Twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident and, subject to said limit for one person, fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and ten thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
(3) Operator's policy. Such operator's policy of liability insurance shall insure the person named as insured therein against loss from the liability imposed upon him or her by law for damages arising out of the use by him or her of any motor vehicle not owned by him or her, within the same territorial limits and subject to the same limits of liability as are set forth above with respect to an owner's policy of liability insurance.
(4) Required statements in policies. Such motor vehicle liability policy shall state the name and address of the named insured, the coverage afforded by the policy, the premium charged therefor, the policy period, and the limits of liability, and shall contain an agreement or be endorsed that insurance is provided under the policy in accordance with the coverage defined in this chapter as respects bodily injury and death or property damage, or both, and is subject to all the provisions of this chapter.
(5) Policy need not insure workers' compensation, etc. Such motor vehicle liability policy need not insure any liability under any workers' compensation law nor any liability on account of bodily injury or death of an employee of the insured while engaged in the employment, other than domestic, of the insured, or while engaged in the operation, maintenance, or repair of any such vehicle nor any liability for damage to property owned by, rented to, in charge of, or transported by the insured.
(6) Provisions incorporated in policy. Every motor vehicle liability policy is subject to the following provisions which need not be contained therein:
(a) The liability of the insurance carrier with respect to the insurance required by this chapter becomes absolute whenever injury or damage covered by said motor vehicle liability policy occurs; said policy may not be canceled or annulled as to such liability by any agreement between the insurance carrier and the insured after the occurrence of the injury or damage; no statement made by the insured or on his or her behalf and no violation of said policy defeats or voids said policy.
(b) The satisfaction by the insured of a judgment for such injury or damage shall not be a condition precedent to the right or duty of the insurance carrier to make payment on account of such injury or damage.
(c) The insurance carrier may settle any claim covered by the policy, and if such settlement is made in good faith, the amount thereof is deductible from the limits of liability specified in subsection (2)(b) of this section.
(d) The policy, the written application therefor, if any, and any rider or endorsement which does not conflict with the provisions of this chapter constitutes the entire contract between the parties.
(7) Excess or additional coverage. Any policy which grants the coverage required for a motor vehicle liability policy may also grant any lawful coverage in excess of or in addition to the coverage specified for a motor vehicle liability policy, and such excess or additional coverage is not subject to the provisions of this chapter. With respect to a policy which grants such excess or additional coverage the term "motor vehicle liability policy" applies only to that part of the coverage which is required by this section.
(8) Reimbursement provision permitted. Any motor vehicle liability policy may provide that the insured shall reimburse the insurance carrier for any payment the insurance carrier would not have been obligated to make under the terms of the policy except for the provisions of this chapter.
(9) Proration of insurance permitted. Any motor vehicle liability policy may provide for the prorating of the insurance thereunder with other valid and collectible insurance.
(10) Multiple policies. The requirements for a motor vehicle liability policy may be fulfilled by the policies of one or more insurance carrier which policies together meet such requirements.
(11) Binders. Any binder issued pending the issuance of a motor vehicle liability policy is deemed to fulfill the requirements for such a policy.
[ 2010 c 8 s 9043; 1980 c 117 s 6; 1967 ex.s. c 3 s 4; 1963 c 169 s 49.]

Notes:

Effective date—1980 c 117: See note following RCW 48.22.030.
Effective date—1967 ex.s. c 3: See note following RCW 46.29.090.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 51 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1969–2022 · leading case: Strunk v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 580 P.2d 622 (Wash. 1978).
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Strunk v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 580 P.2d 622 (Wash. 1978). · cites it 4× “posed by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this state unless…”
Shields v. Enter. Leasing Co., 161 P.3d 1068 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 8× “ANALYSIS Third Party Liability Coverage ¶8 Even though Shields did not purchase third party liability coverage, he contends Enterprise has a duty to *670 provide third party liability coverage under the terms of the rental agreement and RCW 46.”
Tibbs v. Johnson, 632 P.2d 904 (Wash. Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 5× “Former RCW 46.29.490 required that the following provision be incorporated into every certified policy: (6) Provisions incorporated in policy.”
Moritz v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins., 739 P.2d 731 (Wash. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 6× “While RCW 46.29.490(2) (b) only requires coverage for persons using a vehicle with express or implied permission of the named insured, and permission is limited by the scope granted by the named insured, Eshelman v.”
Viking Ins. Co. v. Hill, 787 P.2d 1385 (Wash. Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 3× “Kirschenmann also argues the release is void because it violates the public policy of RCW 46.29.490. 10 He asserts *351 it constituted a cancellation or annulment of the policy which breached Viking's contractual duty to Mr.”
Vadheim v. Cont'l Ins., 734 P.2d 17 (Wash. 1987). · cites it 2× “At the time the policy was issued, RCW 46.29.490 required that all motorists carry liability insurance *843 of at least $15,000/$30,000 or be able to post security in those amounts.”
Mut. of Enumclaw Ins. v. Wiscomb, 622 P.2d 1234 (Wash. 1980). · cites it 2× “) RCW 46.29.490(2)(b). [1] This court has explained the purpose of the financial responsibility law as follows: The sections of our statutes involved here .”
Touchette v. Nw. Mut. Ins., 494 P.2d 479 (Wash. 1972). · cites it 2× “posed by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this state unless…”
Britton v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Am., 707 P.2d 125 (Wash. 1985). “posed by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this state unless…”
Blackburn v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 697 P.2d 425 (Idaho 1985). · cites it 2× “030 and RCW 46.29.490 for vehicles registered or principally garaged in this state, because out of state vehicles driven in this state are required to carry liability insurance as fixed by the laws of their own states.”
Rau v. Liberty Mut. Ins., 585 P.2d 157 (Wash. Ct. App. 1978). “by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect *329 to any motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this state unless…”
Mission Ins. v. Guarantee Ins., 683 P.2d 215 (Wash. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 2× “By statute, a motor vehicle liability policy must contain an omnibus clause, RCW 46.29.490(2)(b), and the liability of the insurer becomes absolute when injury or damage covered by the policy occurs.”
Show all 51 citing cases →
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(1) — 1 case
Oregon Auto. Ins. v. Salzberg, 524 P.2d 461 (Wash. Ct. App. 1974).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(2) — 4 cases
Thompson v. Grange Ins., 660 P.2d 307 (Wash. Ct. App. 1983).
Cont'l Cas. Co. v. Darch, 620 P.2d 1005 (Wash. Ct. App. 1980).
Moritz v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins., 739 P.2d 731 (Wash. Ct. App. 1987). “While RCW 46.29.490(2) (b) only requires coverage for persons using a vehicle with express or implied permission of the named insured, and permission is limited by the scope granted by the named insured, Eshelman v.”
Progressive Nw. Ins. v. Haker, 780 P.2d 919 (Wash. Ct. App. 1989).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(2)(b) — 14 cases
Shields v. Enter. Leasing Co., 161 P.3d 1068 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007). “ANALYSIS Third Party Liability Coverage ¶8 Even though Shields did not purchase third party liability coverage, he contends Enterprise has a duty to *670 provide third party liability coverage under the terms of the rental agreement and RCW 46.”
Mut. of Enumclaw Ins. v. Wiscomb, 622 P.2d 1234 (Wash. 1980). “) RCW 46.29.490(2)(b). [1] This court has explained the purpose of the financial responsibility law as follows: The sections of our statutes involved here .”
Moritz v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins., 739 P.2d 731 (Wash. Ct. App. 1987). “While RCW 46.29.490(2) (b) only requires coverage for persons using a vehicle with express or implied permission of the named insured, and permission is limited by the scope granted by the named insured, Eshelman v.”
Kroeber v. GEICO Ins. Co., 366 P.3d 1237 (Wash. 2016).
Tori Kruger-willis v. Heather Hoffenburg, 393 P.3d 844 (Wash. Ct. App. 2017).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(3) — 1 case
Tibbs v. Johnson, 632 P.2d 904 (Wash. Ct. App. 1981). “Former RCW 46.29.490 required that the following provision be incorporated into every certified policy: (6) Provisions incorporated in policy.”
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(6) — 3 cases
Viking Ins. Co. v. Hill, 787 P.2d 1385 (Wash. Ct. App. 1990). “Kirschenmann also argues the release is void because it violates the public policy of RCW 46.29.490. 10 He asserts *351 it constituted a cancellation or annulment of the policy which breached Viking's contractual duty to Mr.”
Federated Am. Ins. v. Hansen, 563 P.2d 1303 (Wash. Ct. App. 1977).
Oregon Auto. Ins. v. Salzberg, 524 P.2d 461 (Wash. Ct. App. 1974).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(6)(a) — 7 cases
Moritz v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins., 739 P.2d 731 (Wash. Ct. App. 1987). “While RCW 46.29.490(2) (b) only requires coverage for persons using a vehicle with express or implied permission of the named insured, and permission is limited by the scope granted by the named insured, Eshelman v.”
Mission Ins. v. Guarantee Ins., 683 P.2d 215 (Wash. Ct. App. 1984). “By statute, a motor vehicle liability policy must contain an omnibus clause, RCW 46.29.490(2)(b), and the liability of the insurer becomes absolute when injury or damage covered by the policy occurs.”
Progressive N. Ins. Co. v. Corder, 15 S.W.3d 381 (Ky. 2000).
Adam A. Chukri v. Jason Stalfort & Jane Doe Stalfort (Wash. Ct. App. 2017).
Thomas Anderson v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. (9th Cir. 2019).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(6)(c) — 1 case
Zarelli v. GEICO Secure Ins. Co. (W.D. Wash. 2022).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(7) — 2 cases
Safeco of Illinois v. Auto. Club Ins., 31 P.3d 52 (Wash. Ct. App. 2001).
Safeco Ins. v. Auto. Club Ins., 108 Wash. App. 468 (Wash. Ct. App. 2001).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(9) — 1 case
Cammel v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 543 P.2d 634 (Wash. 1975).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.29.490(b) — 1 case
Holland Am. Ins. v. Nat'l Indem. Co., 454 P.2d 383 (Wash. 1969).
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