Claire Smith Last Updated On: July 25, 2023

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Get the Best Car Insurance in Idaho

Did you know that 2021 was the worst year ever in terms of fatal car accidents in the State of Idaho? Or that 2023 is on track to surpass these statistics by the end of the year?

We swear we’re not trying to scare you; we just want what’s best for you (Gosh, we sound your mother right now don’t we?). And what’s best for you is car insurance.

Insurance protects your finances and peace of mind while on the roads. And did we mention that you’re legally obligated to carry it? Because, well, you are.

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Table of Contents

Minimum Automobile Insurance Coverage Requirements

It is, in fact, illegal to drive without insurance and doing so will result in significant legal penalties.

As of January 2020, Idaho drivers are required to show proof of insurance for at least 2 consecutive months and failure to do so can result in a suspended vehicle registration (not applicable to commercial vehicles, trailers, and off-highway vehicles).

We’ve made it pretty clear that you need insurance in order to drive, but you might still be wondering exactly how much insurance you have to carry. Well, this is where the legal minimum coverage limits come into play.

The legal minimum coverage limits describe the absolute bottom baseline for how much coverage a person must carry in order to legally drive. These amounts are unique to each state.

In Idaho, the legal minimum coverage is as follows:

  • $25 000 per person and $50 000 per accident for Bodily Injury to Others Coverage
  • $15 000 for Property Damage Liability Coverage

This may be all that is required within the state, but it’s highly recommended that you carry more.

Full Coverage Car Insurance in Idaho

A full coverage Idaho auto insurance policy will include bodily injury to others and property damage liability alongside two other coverage types. These two other coverages are:

  1. Collision: this coverage extends to damages inflicted on your vehicle due to an accident.
  2. Comprehensive: this coverage extends to non-collision related damages, including theft, vandalism, or weather.

Insurance experts advise that every driver carry a full coverage car insurance policy because they offer the most extensive coverage for a reasonable price.

If your vehicle is loaned or leased, you may be obligated to carry a full coverage policy. This is because the parties loaning/leasing the funds want to ensure they get their money back even in the event of an accident.

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Additional Auto Insurance Coverages

Depending on the insurance company that you choose, you will also have options for purchasing additional coverages. If it’s within your budget, these coverages can be extremely helpful in all kinds of different circumstances.

In Idaho, the following additional coverage options are offered:

  • Loan/Lease Payoff: Let’s say you’ve leased your vehicle, and it’s not paid off yet. Then, you get into an accident. Now you still have to pay off your lease, even with a damaged vehicle. Loan/Lease Payoff insurance provides more coverage so that you don’t need to worry about not being able to pay back those vehicle loans.
  • Medical Payments: Sometimes collisions cause more than a just few dents in the vehicle. Having medical payments coverage means that you won’t have to worry about medical bills relating to a covered collision.
  • Rental Car Reimbursement: It’s pretty difficult to drive a totaled vehicle sitting in the shop. But you still need to get places, even after a car accident. Having rental car reimbursement coverage means you can afford to pay for a rental car while you await repairs on or replacement of your own vehicle.
  • Roadside Assistance: Ever been stuck with a flat tire on a remote country road? Or run out of gas because you weren’t paying attention to the gauge? We’ve all been there and purchasing a roadside assistance rider will give you peace of mind knowing you won’t be without help in these kinds of circumstances.
  • Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: At the risk of sounding like your mother again, the reality is you can’t always trust strangers. You might wind up getting into an accident with someone who does not have sufficient car insurance to cover damages. If this happens to you, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage will pick up the slack.

It doesn’t take much to see just how helpful these additional coverages can be for drivers. We’d say it’s certainly worth at least exploring Idaho car insurance quotes for policies that have additional coverages.

Average Cost of Idaho Car Insurance

Sure, it sounds great to have a full coverage policy with all of the bells and whistles, but how much does it all cost?

Well, because there are so many different types of policies—not to mention so many different types of drivers—the answer isn’t exactly simple. When pricing your insurance policy, the provider will take the following factors into consideration:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Location
  • Credit score
  • Driving history
  • Claims history
  • Policy type

Even though there is no one-size-fits-all policy, we can tell you that the average driver in Idaho pays about $1,338 annually for a full coverage policy or $377 for a minimum coverage policy.

And hey, a bonus for those purchasing auto insurance in Idaho is that their rates are 12% lower than the national average. Props to the Gem State on that one!

These figures offer a good baseline to compare your insurance quotes against to see if you’re getting a good deal or not.

But again, don’t always expect to see these kinds of prices. For example, teen drivers aged 16-19 in Idaho pay an average of $4 852 per year which is pretty significant increase.

Finding Cheap Car Insurance in Idaho

Whether you’re a young driver with a clean driving history, or an experience driver with a few blemishes on the record, you’ll need an insurance policy specifically catered to your individual needs. This means that finding the right insurance policy is a slightly different process for everyone.

That said, there are some general rules of thumb that will help you find the cheapest car insurance in Idaho:

Best Car Insurance Providers in Idaho

Likely the most important money-saving tip is to compare insurance quotes from multiple companies. Insurers are always mixing things up and offering competitive deals to draw business, so staying vigilant really does pay off.

Pay special attention to these four companies as they are known to be the cheapest and most trusted insurance providers in Idaho:

  • USAA
  • State Farm
  • PEMCO Insurance
  • Auto-Owners

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Cheapest Car Insurance in Idaho by City

Where you live also has a big impact on how much you pay for car insurance. This is because different areas pose different risks based on population demographics and other statistics.

Currently, the cheapest car insurance rates in the Gem State are:

  • Boise City
  • Meridian
  • Nampa
  • Caldwell
  • Idaho Falls

Obviously, there are many factors to consider when moving beyond car insurance rates. However, we think that insurance is worth being one of the factors you consider.

Conclusion

Finding an affordable Idaho car insurance plan shouldn’t be difficult, not if we have anything to say about it!

ConsumerCoverage has worked tirelessly for years to keep consumers informed about insurance, empowering them to make money-conscious choices. Consult our many resources for more information, contact us with queries, and access free insurance quotes online.

Claire Smith Claire is a creative entrepreneur with a variety of marketing and content creation skills, including blog and web copy writing, research, and strategy. She has a Masters in Cultural Studies from Queen's University and is known for thinking laterally about marketing, based on her deep knowledge of people and behavior.

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