Washington law

Insurance Disputes Laws in Washington.

Washington insurance is regulated by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner under Title 48 of the Revised Code of Washington. Washington recognizes common-law bad faith as an independent tort (Safeco v. Butler, 118 Wn.2d 383 (1992)) and also provides a statutory remedy under the Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA, RCW 48.30.015) — treble damages and attorneys' fees for first-party claimants unreasonably denied coverage. Washington is a traditional tort (fault) state for auto insurance; PIP is optional but must be offered.