Idaho car insurance laws require drivers to carry liability insurance that meets the mandatory minimum requirements to legally drive in the state.
Of course, it’s highly recommended to purchase more than the minimum to protect yourself from out-of-pocket costs and shield your financial assets should you be involved in an accident.
Thankfully, we live in an era where finding excellent car insurance at affordable prices is effortless. Jerry
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comparison tool and broker app, will do all the heavy lifting for you. Read on to learn everything you need to know about Idaho car insurance laws. Then, we'll fill you in on how to lower your Idaho car insurance costs
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Idaho’s minimum car insurance requirements
As mentioned, you must carry liability insurance if you want to drive in Idaho. You’ll also need to meet the state’s minimum requirements, as follows:
Idaho Minimum Car Insurance Requirements |
|---|
$25,000 per person bodily injury |
$50,000 per accident bodily injury |
$15,000 per accident property damage |
Remember—these are minimums, and it's always a good idea to buy more insurance than required. Medical bills and property damage can rise quickly after an accident.
And if you are leasing or financing a car, you may be required by the lienholder to buy more than the state minimums. While they are protecting their investment, added insurance protects you and other drivers on the road, too.
Key Takeaway It is always a good idea to buy more insurance than your state requires for better protection for you, your passengers, and other drivers.
Proof of insurance laws in Idaho
If you’re driving in Idaho, you must carry proof of insurance
at all times. An Idaho State Trooper will be none too pleased if you’re pulled over and try to explain why you don't have it on you. Once you’ve failed to convince the trooper that your dog ate your insurance card (your dog maintains they have a much more refined palate than that, come on!), you’ll likely face penalties for driving without proof of insurance.
In Idaho, you’ll first get a warning if you can’t show proof of two consecutive months of being insured. You’ll then have 30 days to demonstrate proof of insurance. If you fail to do so, your registration
may be revoked—unless you qualify for an exemption. Key Takeaway You must show two consecutive months’ proof of insurance in Idaho or risk having your registration suspended.
Idaho and liability insurance
In Idaho, liability insurance
is mandatory for all drivers. If you’re in an at-fault accident, your liability coverage protects the other driver involved in the collision. This type of insurance covers any lost wages, property damage, or medical bills as a result of your at-fault actions.
The details of Idaho’s mandated car insurance minimums
Idaho’s mandated minimums are the least amount of insurance you’re required to carry. The minimums you carry are also the limits of what your insurer will pay out if you’re in an accident and file a claim.
So—the higher your minimums, the more your insurer pays out in a claim.
In Idaho, the minimum splits are 25/50/15. Here’s what this means if you carry Idaho’s state minimums.
Coverage for $25,000 of bodily injury liability
per person: This is the max amount your insurer will pay out for injuries suffered by one person in an accident that you’re responsible for. Coverage for $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident: That’s the total amount your insurer shells out for all injuries suffered in an accident you caused.
Coverage for $15,000 of property damage liability
per accident: This is the limit an insurer will spend to cover any property damage in an accident where you are at fault. RECOMMENDEDNo spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Do Idaho’s minimums provide enough coverage?
Idaho’s minimums are comparable to many other states, but that doesn’t mean they’re enough to protect you in case of an accident.
Buying more than a state’s minimum is always encouraged and can usually be done with only a small increase in your premiums. In reality, Idaho’s minimums won’t offer much protection if you’re found to be at fault in a serious collision.
For example, if you cause serious injuries to one person in an accident, medical bills can go up fast—$25,000 can be gone in an instant if the injured party needs significant or long-term medical care.
Likewise, if more than one person sustains serious injuries from an accident caused by you, $50,000 in liability insurance per accident may not go very far. In such a case, once your insurer hits this limit, any outstanding costs will be your responsibility.
In terms of property damage, carrying just $15,000 in liability may not help if the accident you cause results in serious damage to another driver’s car or property.
This amount doesn’t even cover the cost of a new car. If you total another person’s car, you’ll be on the hook for any remaining costs once you hit your limit.
Key Takeaway Idaho’s state insurance minimums are starting points. It is always a good idea to buy more insurance than required to protect yourself and your financial assets.
Penalties for going without minimums in Idaho
Driving without insurance in Idaho is against the law, and there are penalties beyond an initial warning if you’re caught without the required insurance or proof of insurance.
Once you’ve been warned, you have 30 days to acquire proof of insurance, as Idaho requires all drivers be able to show at least two consecutive months of being insured. If you can’t prove this, you risk your registration being suspended.
Reinstating a suspended registration
If your registration is suspended, you’ll need to provide the state proof of insurance that you were missing before and pay a $75 fine.
You may be forced to obtain SR-22 insurance
. If your registration has been revoked, this is a certificate filed by your insurer with the state to prove that you do indeed have the insurance mandated by law. If you violate Idaho’s car insurance laws again within five years of your first violation, you may face a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail.
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Optional car insurance add-ons in Idaho
So, by now you should know that liability insurance is required to drive in Idaho. But let’s look at the options most insurers provide to ensure you’ve got excellent protection as you motor through The Gem State.
| |
|---|
| Covers damages to your car from an accident with another vehicle or a fixed object |
| Protects your car if damaged by **non-collision** threats such as vandalism, theft, weather damage, or animal damage |
| Pays for your medical bills and any property damage you suffer as a result of an accident if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance |
Diminished value claims in Idaho
Drivers in Idaho can make diminished value claims
that will help them recover losses to the value of their vehicle after a claim. If you sell your car after an accident, you can make a diminished value claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance company. A car will lose some of its resale value after an accident—even after it is restored to the same condition that it was in before the accident.
Idaho is one of 15 states that allow drivers to make diminished value claims so you can recoup any lost value if you decide to sell your car after a claim.
Why follow Idaho’s car insurance laws?
It's illegal to drive in Idaho without liability coverage—that’s why!
Driving with robust insurance coverage in place protects you, your passengers, your car, and other drivers in case of collision. If anything, that’s peace of mind that anyone could use.
If you’re worried that buying excellent coverage is more than you can afford, think again.
Get great coverage in Idaho at a cheaper rate
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How long do I have to get insurance on a new car in Idaho?
In Idaho, you have a grace period of 2-30 days before you’ll need to add your new vehicle to your existing car insurance plan.
If you’re not currently insured, you’ll need to prove you have liability insurance before a dealer will let you drive the car off the lot.
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