Idaho Auto Insurance

"Being insured is the law in Idaho"

Consumers have questions and so did we...

• What are the types of insurance coverage and what are the amounts required for the state of Idaho.

• What does the law say pertaining to minimum insurance coverage in Idaho?

Idaho has strict mandatory policies about vehicle registration, insurance coverage minimums, and financial responsibilities pertaining to every vehicle owned, operated, or parked on its roadways. In Idaho, you can obtain your learner’s permit at fourteen and a half, and your restricted license at fifteen, with a full license at sixteen.

To adhere to Idaho's auto insurance rules, you must...

In Idaho, you must maintain a current insurance policy with a registered insurance company or broker carrying the minimum insurance requirements or greater. There are many different types of insurance, at competitive rates, so shop around for the best price. Be aware that once insured, if you miss a payment on your policy, your insurance could be cancelled, without notice.

1. Idaho requires each driver to carry third party liability insurance, also called PLPD, accidental benefits coverage, and uninsured and unidentified driver’s coverage, which insures you, in case you injure someone, cause a death, or damage someone’s property in a motor vehicle accident.

In Idaho, you must have third party liability insurance for bodily injury with each person allowed $20,000.00, up to maximum of $50,000.00, as well as an additional $15,000.00 for property damages. If there are more than two people injured, whoever files first gets the settlement.

2. In Idaho, you must carry your driver’s license and proof of insurance, which has not expired, in your motor vehicle. If you driver’s license has been suspended, or your insurance has expired, your vehicle could be towed to the compound by the police. You driver’s license can also be suspended if you owe back child support.

Important facts about auto coverage in Idaho:

• Your driver’s license can be suspended, if you are caught driving without adequate insurance, with too many fines, or driving while under the influence of alcohol or refusing to take a blood-alcohol test, and leaving the scene of an accident or failing to file an accident report. Seat belts are mandatory in Idaho.
• You are required to change your driver’s license, if you move, within seven days.
• Your insurance agent has access to your driving record to check for fines, suspensions, and accidents that can cause your policy to increase or be cancelled.
• If you are in an accident, and do not have the minimum insurance, you are financially responsible for all injury and damage settlements awarded by the courts.

Comprehensive or collision insurance does NOT meet minimum requirements.

Used Cars in Idaho

Auto Insurance FAQ

Question: What is the bare minimum for full coverage auto insurance?
I live in Idaho. I have not yet payed off the auto loan so I'm required to have full coverage insurance. According to some people I am paying too much (about 700 for 6 months), as they are paying far less. I have geico, but from time to time I look around and get quotes, and it is always slightly higher than what I have now. However, that might be because I am opting for coverage I might not need. So the question boils down to, what is the bare minimum requirements for "full coverage" auto insurance in Idaho?

Answer: All I would add is that you should ask your finance company what exactly they mean by "full coverage." As Victor alluded to, "full coverage" is not any kind of set standard for the insurance industry. It just means liability + comp/collision. But, the sticking point here is that you need to know exactly what your finance company wants to make it "full." The factors here you need to know are: A. What does my deductible on comp and collision need to be? (Deductible is how much you pay in the event of an claim before your insurance company begins to pay. Your finance company usually wants your deductible to be LOW, but that means that your premiums are more expensive -- because the lower your premium is, the more the insurance company is going to pay in the event of a claim. Usually, people who are trying to save money try and raise their deductible to something like $1000 -- which is basically a gamble. You're gambling that you won't get into an accident and won't ever have to pay it. If you have some wiggle room, go higher on collision and lower on comprehensive. i.e.- $1000 on collision, and $250 or $500 on comp. Comp covers things like window breakage, theft of vehicle, hitting a deer, etc, and as such will TEND -- not always, as in the case of theft -- to be smaller claims. Thus, you'd want your deductible to be lower so that insurance kicks in and actually pays something.) B. What do my liability limits need to be? (Liability is what the insurance company pays to someone else in the event of an accident. So if you hit someone and injure the driver and total the vehicle, your insurance company pays out of the liability coverage to the other person. You want these numbers to be HIGHER because it will cover more liability, but of course this means your premium will go up. Liability comes in three numbers -- usually, depending on your state it may only be two or one. But if there are three, then the first number represents what your insurance company will pay to EACH PERSON in an accident that you have liability towards. The second number represents the "cap" of what your insurance company would pay in total to other people you have liability towards. And the third number represents damage to property. Thus, a common liability set would be: 50/100/50, meaning your insurance company would pay up to $50k per person, but no more than $100k to any group of people, and $50k for property damage. Alternatively, it's possible you may have a simple "single liability" number like $300k, which just means that your company will pay out whatever liability is owed up to $300k. KEEP IN MIND that these numbers represent LIMITS. So, if you have an accident where you cause more damage than the liability provided, YOU will end up being sued by the other parties for the remaining amount of liability. Consider this situation: you fall asleep at the wheel and cross a median, totaling a $75k Mercedes and badly injuring its driver. Her total medical costs are $150k. If you have 50/100/50, you will end up owing her -- assuming a civil suit against you grants her just the costs and no more -- $100k in medical costs and $25k for her vehicle. This is because insurance only covered $50k in medical liability to a single person and $50k on her property.) Being that your finance company is the one who is saying you're required to have full coverage insurance, it's important you ask them what it is they want so that there's no breach of contract if your vehicle is totaled. Generally, finance/purchase contracts require lower liability limits and higher deductibles, while something like a lease is going to require high liability limits and low deductibles. If you're concerned about getting lower cost insurance, one tip I have is to consolidate all your insurance into one company and get a multi-line discount. For example: call a major insurer and offer the salesperson to get auto insurance and renters/homeowners insurance, life insurance, etc. all with them and ask what the discount will be. (You should have all these products anyway, so if you can get a better deal than you're already getting on all of these products with one company, then why not do so?) Also: remember that your credit and driving record affects your premiums. Get your credit score UP UP UP and stop speeding. Watch your premiums drop :)

Question: where can i get auto insurance for cheap?
i have a utah license but live in idaho. i don't want to pay much more than $150 a month.

Answer: Try Wawanesa. They are by far the cheapest. Geico couldn't touch them. We tried to get insurance through my husband's union and it was $2200 every 6 months. Wawanesa is just under $1200 for the whole year. I've made claims with them before and they were awesome. I've been with them almost 10 years. They are A+ rated. Not sure if they insure in your state, but worth looking into for the cost.

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