DC

District of Columbia Insurance Regulations

Consumer rights and insurance laws in District of Columbia

Overview

DC's Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking oversees insurance regulation in the nation's capital. Like a handful of other jurisdictions, DC follows the strict contributory negligence rule, barring recovery if the claimant bears any fault.

Key Insurance Regulations in District of Columbia

Contributory negligence — even 1% fault bars recovery
3-year statute of limitations for personal injury and property damage
Mandatory auto insurance: 25/50/10 minimum liability with uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

Filing an Insurance Complaint in District of Columbia

If you believe your insurance company has acted unfairly or violated District of Columbia insurance laws, you can file a complaint with the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. The department investigates consumer complaints and can take enforcement action against insurers that violate state regulations.

Before filing a complaint, make sure you have documented all communication with your insurance company, including claim numbers, dates, and the names of representatives you've spoken with. The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking typically responds to complaints within 30 days.

DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking

Insurance Commissioner: Karima Woods

Phone: (202) 727-8000

Website: https://disb.dc.gov

File a Complaint: Consumer Complaint Portal

Diminished value claims in District of Columbia

Yes. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals held in American Service Center Associates v. Helton (2005) that the owner of a damaged car can recover both the reasonable cost of repair and the value it still lost after repair. You have three years to sue for injury to personal property (D.C. Code § 12-301(3)). The catch is fault: in a crash between two drivers, the District of Columbia still follows contributory negligence, so any negligence of yours that helped cause the crash can bar the claim entirely.

Read the District of Columbia diminished value guide

Insurance Claim Guides for District of Columbia

Browse our detailed insurance claim guides tailored specifically to District of Columbia laws and regulations.

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