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Finding low cost auto insurance in Idaho is no easy task. With dozens of companies to choose from, uncovering the best quotes often involves hours of research. To help you save time, our Geeks crunched the numbers and compared the most affordable insurance rates from several companies.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Idaho
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Idaho
The most effective way to snag the cheapest premiums in Idaho is to compare rates from different providers. Below, we’ve outlined the results of our comparison study:
Cheapest Insurer | Driver Category |
---|---|
Liberty Mutual | Safe Drivers |
USAA | Drivers in the Military |
Esurance | Drivers Who Pay Their Premiums Upfront |
Allstate | High-Risk Drivers |
State Farm | Drivers with a DUI |
Best Car Insurance Companies in Idaho
Using customer reviews and complaint data, our Geeks were able to filter out the duds and identify the best insurers in the state of Idaho. The table below provides an overview of our findings:
Rank | Company | Our Rating |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | A |
2 | Liberty Mutual | A- |
3 | Progressive | A- |
4 | Allstate | B+ |
5 | Esurance | B |
6 | Nationwide | B |
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Idaho
In Idaho, drivers must carry auto insurance that will cover $25,000 for bodily injuries to one person, $50,000 for bodily injuries per crash, and $15,000 for property damage.
Bodily injury (BI) coverage protects you from the medical expenses of the other driver and any passengers or other affected parties. Property damage (PD) coverage pays for repairs to the cars and other property you have damaged in the crash.
You are only required by law to carry the minimum amounts, but in the event of a serious crash, you may find these are insufficient to cover all the related costs. Depending on your own circumstances and driving habits, you may find it necessary or useful to purchase insurance at higher limits than the required rates.
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance in Idaho
Law enforcement officers may request to see your insurance identification card at routine checkpoints. They will confirm your policy compliance by cross-referencing that information with the details stored on Idaho’s Online Insurance Verification System. If you are caught driving without insurance you could face serious penalties.
The first time you are found to be driving while uninsured you will face a $75 fine and have your license suspended until you can show you have purchased an insurance policy in line with the minimum requirements. You will also need to pay a license reinstatement fee of $85.
If you are convicted of a second offense within five years, you will be hit with a misdemeanor, which means your case will be treated as a criminal offense. You could be fined anything up to $1,000, and face a maximum of six months in prison time, at the court’s discretion – and your license may be suspended until you have fulfilled your penalties.
Idaho Car Insurance FAQs
What Are My Additional Coverage Options in Idaho?
Carrying the minimum amounts of liability insurance may be enough to ensure you are driving legally in Idaho, but these will most likely not protect you from the full range of costs usually associated with a serious car accident.
For example, if you sustain significant damage to your own vehicle, or sustain a major physical injury, you will have to pay for these expenses from your own pocket. Likewise, if you are involved in an accident with a driver who has either no insurance or not enough insurance to pay for your costs, you will be on the hook for damages you suffer as a result.
Speak to your insurance broker about additional forms of insurance that might cover you in these cases. Optional accident coverage includes:
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury cover pays for your medical bills if you are in a crash with a driver who does not have the proper insurance at the time. You are not legally required to carry uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance but will have to reject this option in writing if you choose not to.
- If you are involved in a crash with a driver whose insurance is insufficient to cover your costs, underinsured motorist bodily injury cover pays the balance.
- Physical damage insurance covers the costs of repairing any physical damage to your vehicle, regardless of who is at fault in causing the crash.
What Is the Comparative Negligence Law in Idaho?
Car accidents can be complicated events with multiple causes and mitigating factors. In Idaho, the law agrees that a number of drivers can be found at fault for a single accident. This is the law of comparative negligence, which determines the varying degrees of fault.
Comparative negligence means that you will be awarded damages after an accident only if you were the least at fault of all the drivers involved. It also means that your damages can be reduced by a percentage related to your degree of fault.
What Is the Idaho Automobile Insurance Plan (ID AIP)?
Insurance companies are usually reluctant to take on the risk of drivers with a long history of convictions on their driving records. If you have been denied the insurance you need by an insurer in the mainstream market, you may benefit from the Idaho Automobile Insurance Plan.
The state has implemented this plan to ensure high-risk drivers are able to acquire the insurance cover they need to drive. All licensed auto insurance agents and brokers in Idaho are required to take part in the plan, and to take on a number of drivers in proportion to their share of the market.
Am I Eligible for the ID AIP?
To qualify for insurance through the Idaho Automobile Insurance Plan you must make a written statement showing you have applied for insurance within the past 60 days and had those applications rejected, or only been offered insurance at rates higher than those offered through the ID AIP. You will also need to possess a valid driver’s license and a legally registered vehicle.
Your ID AIP application may be rejected if you have failed to pay the car insurance premium you owe anytime within the past year, or skipped a safety inspection and had your insurance policy canceled within the past 12 months.
What Is an SR-22?
If you have been caught without proof of your insurance, or without any insurance at all, the court may order you to secure an SR-22 certificate from an insurance agent for a period of time. This certificate guarantees that you will have the required minimum insurance while it is valid.
You may also require an SR-22 certificate if you have been convicted of offenses such as:
- Driving with a suspended license;
- Driving under the influence of alcohol;
- Driving in a reckless or dangerous manner;
- Driving away from the scene of an accident; and
- Manslaughter in a vehicle.
What Factors Influence My Car Insurance Premium in Idaho?
Insurers in Idaho will take a number of criteria into consideration when calculating your car insurance premium. These factors include:
- The make, age, and safety rating of your vehicle;
- Your own age, gender, and marital status;
- How often, and how far, you drive;
- Where you live;
- Your credit history; and
- Your driving record.
What Should I Do If I Get into a Car Accident in Idaho?
Getting into a car crash can be scary, but it’s important to keep a level head and follow these steps:
- Stop and pull over to the side of the road. Idaho has a “Quick Clearance” law that requires those involved in a crash that doesn’t result in injury or death to move to the shoulder or median as soon as possible.
- Check to see if you, your passengers, and/or the other parties involved are hurt. If there are any injuries, try to assist in any way you can. Apply pressure to wounds, keep the victim warm, and call for an ambulance. Don’t move them unless they’re in immediate danger or you have the proper medical training. Idaho protects those who act in good faith from civil liability through its Good Samaritan Law.
- Call the police. Idaho law dictates that any crash resulting in injury, death, or damage of $1500 or more be reported.
- Exchange information with the other parties. Pertinent information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, witness information, and insurance policy details. Note that providing false information is a misdemeanor in Idaho.
- Call your insurance provider to report the crash.
What Traffic Laws Should I Know Before Driving in Idaho?
Reckless Driving Laws in Idaho
In Idaho, reckless driving is considered a misdemeanor and comes with significant penalties. You may be charged with reckless driving if you:
- Drive carelessly, without due caution, or at a speed that endangers other drivers; or
- Passing another car when a line in the lane indicates a restriction in sight distance.
The first time you are convicted of driving recklessly, you may be sentenced to up to six months in prison, as much as $1,000 in fines, and have your license suspended for 30 days. Repeat offenders face up to a year in jail, a maximum fine of $2,000, and a license suspension of anywhere between 90 days and a full year.
Drunk Driving Laws in Idaho
Under Idaho law, you will be charged with a DUI if:
- Your BAC is 0.02 percent or more if you are under 21;
- Your BAC is 0.04 percent or more while operating a commercial vehicle;
- Your BAC is 0.08 percent or more and you over 21; or
- You are under the influence of any other intoxicating substance.
DUI Penalties in Idaho
A DUI conviction can bring both criminal and civil sanctions. The court may slap you with huge fines and serious jail time, while the Department of Transportation can suspend your license and impose a range of other financial penalties.
First-time DUI offenders will have their license suspended for a minimum of 90 days and have to pay up $285 to have it reinstated. They will also face up to $1,000 in fines and a six-month prison term.
Those numbers skyrocket for second and subsequent offenses: you could have your license suspended for a full year, pay anything between $2,000 and $5,000 in fines, and be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail.
DUI penalties in Idaho are especially strict for drivers under 21 years old. Even if this is your first offense, you will be fined $1,000 by the court and see your license suspended for a year.
Can I Refuse a BAC Test in Idaho?
Idaho’s implied consent law requires you to have your breath, blood, or urine tested when you are arrested for a DUI. By the terms of this law, you will have to consent to these tests when asked by a traffic officer, or face up to $250 in fines and have your license suspended for a period of two years.
What Are Idaho’s Cell Phone Laws for Drivers?
The use of any cellular or electronic handheld device while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited in Idaho. Texting or talking on such devices pulls your attention from the road and could lead to you not seeing or noticing a hazard in time to stop. If you’re traveling at 55 mph, you will cover the length of an entire football field in the five seconds it takes to read or answer a text.
In Idaho, this infraction will result in a ticket and a fine. It will not lead to points on your license unless you were operating a commercial vehicle.
To eliminate temptation, keep your phone or device off or on silent. If you have to answer, pull off the road and come to a complete stop first. This could help save a life.
Car Accidents in Idaho: What Are the Statistics?
A total of 253 people died in car accidents in Idaho in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just under a third of those were in alcohol-related crashes.
Between 2003 and 2012, 712 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver in Idaho, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.