Idaho Auto Insurance

Idaho requires a liability insurance policy made up of Bodily Injury Liability and Property Damage. Those who operate a car in Idaho are required to have the following:

• At least $25,000 to cover one person’s injuries
• At least $50,000 for total injuries per accident
• At least $15,000 for property damaged in an accident.

Idaho is known to insurance agents as one of the least expensive states to purchase insurance. Despite this reputation, many Idaho motorists opt for higher coverage, because these minimum requirements are often not enough to reimburse the costs of at-fault accidents.

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) reimburses the damages you or your dependents cause to another driver and/or passengers in an accident. It pays for medical expenses and wages the other party loses while recuperating from the accident. Moreover, BIL protects you against lawsuits the other party may file against you, as this type of coverage enables the insurance company to act as your legal representation in court.

Property Damage Liability

Property Damage Liability (PDL) is often paired with BIL because it pays for the damage you cause to the other party’s vehicle and additional property. Again, purchasing only the minimum amount of $15,000 may be insufficient to reimburse all damages. If so, you may have to pay for the remaining amount out of pocket. You would be wise to get higher coverage of both PDL and BIL.

Other Recommended Types of Coverage

Keep in mind that BIL and PDL pay for injuries and damages suffered by the other party. If you want to purchase coverage for yourself and your passengers, you need to buy Personal Injury Protection (PIP). This type of coverage is also known as Medical Payments coverage. Either way, it typically covers medical expenses, lost wages, child-care expenses, and other provisions while you or your dependents recuperate from an accident.

Likewise, Collision Coverage and Comprehensive Coverage reimburse your vehicular damages. Collision Coverage finances repairs to your car after a car-collision accident, and Comprehensive Coverage finances repairs if your car is damaged from a storm, vandalism, and from collision with a stationary object (such as a telephone pole). Though Idaho does not mandate these types of coverage, most of its motorists obtain them to protect themselves and their loved ones from all-too-common accidents.

You would also be well-advised to purchase Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage. This coverage pays for your injuries and damages if you are the victim of an uninsured motorist. It protects you from having to pay for those damages out-of-pocket, which could easily drain your finances.

Idaho’s Penalties for Forgoing Insurance

If you are a new resident to Idaho, you will be required to register your vehicle. During your registration, you will have to sign a certificate that acts as proof that your vehicle is or will be insured in accordance with Idaho insurance laws. This is not the same as showing proof of insurance, though the Idaho DMV may ask you to do so. If so, you can go to your insurance provider, who will give you a certificate proving you have purchased the state-required liability insurance.

However, if you neglect to purchase liability insurance, you will face Idaho’s no-insurance laws, which require you to provide proof of financial responsibility for one year. If you violate the insurance laws a second time, you will provide proof of financial responsibility for three years. If you are such a repeat offender, you may face suspension of your driver’s license or revocation of your vehicle registration. You can entirely avoid these severe penalties if you make basic liability coverage a priority.

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