Car insurance in Idaho

Posted on September 25, 2014

Here is some recent data pertaining to Idaho automobile insurance. This information will help drivers in Idaho keep their car insurance premiums to a minimum. Read on to find the Idaho car insurance plan that works for you.

Idaho Minimum Liability Coverage

The minimum required auto insurance coverage in the state of Idaho is 25/50/15. This means that Idaho drivers are expected to purchase at least $25,000 in coverage for personal injury, $50,000 in coverage against injury to others, and $15,000 worth of coverage for property damage. However, even these amounts are often insufficient funds to cover the actual cost of an accident. Experts actually recommend 100/300 insurance coverage for each owned vehicle anywhere in the United States, despite the minimum requirements being set much lower.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Idaho

In Idaho, first offenders caught driving uninsured vehicles face a fine of $75 and a suspended or restricted license for three to six months. Repeat offenders face fines of up to a thousand dollars and license suspension for more than six months. Getting caught driving with a suspended license results in mandatory jail time. Even if you don’t get caught, the cost of an auto accident can leave you financially ruined.

Auto Insurance Rates in Idaho

The average annual premium for auto insurance in Idaho was $935 in 2016. The national average car insurance premium at that time was $1,347 per year. Idaho was the fourth cheapest state to buy car insurance in 2016, and also had the fourth lowest rate of DUI deaths. Idaho also has low crime rates and a relatively small percentage of uninsured drivers. Only about eight percent of Idaho’s drivers are uninsured. According to analysts at Top50States.com, these factors could account for the lower-than-average annual premiums on auto insurance in Idaho.

Low Cost Car Insurance Programs in Idaho

The vast majority of car insurance carriers in most U.S. states offer discounts as incentives to drive safely. For instance, the Defensive Driving Course Discount is generally available to drivers 55 and older who have successfully completed a Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course approved by the Department of Public Safety. The Accident-Free Discount is available to licensed drivers who avoid an accident for three years. The Good Student Discount is offered to adult full time students with high grades. The Multiple Auto Discount is offered to owners of more than one vehicle. When comparing quotes for Idaho car insurance, remember to ask about and compare available discounts.

Obtaining Auto Insurance Quotes in Idaho

According to recent customer comparisons and satisfaction ratings, the five most highly regarded auto insurance providers in America are Auto Owners Insurance, The Hartford, State Farm, Geico and 21^st Century Insurance. Other carriers popular in Idaho are Allstate, Liberty Mutual and Travelers Insurance.

No matter what your circumstances, Idaho probably has an automobile insurance plan that suits your individual needs. Idaho agents are always on hand to provide competitive quotes on auto insurance. Call several local agents and compare online quotes to learn more.

Idaho Car Insurance

Idaho drivers are quite pleased with their Idaho car insurance policies.

Idaho is also known for having some of the nation’s lowest rates on auto insurance. In fact, Idaho has the 2^nd lowest average car insurance rates of all 50 states and Washington DC.

But don’t stop there. Read on to find out how drivers in the state of Idaho can lower their rates even further. This page contains relevant, detailed information about Idaho zip codes, Idaho car insurance premium rates, Idaho state laws, and various demographic details pertaining to the state of Idaho. Peruse Idaho poverty stats, Idaho unemployment rates, Idaho population counts by zip code, Idaho median incomes, and other factors that affect auto insurance rates in Idaho.

Compare your annual rates on car insurance against the statewide average annual premium rate for car insurance in the state of Idaho. See how Idaho compares to the national average in terms of average auto insurance rates. Take your research one step further by comparing average premium rates from the four cheapest and the four priciest zip codes in the state of Idaho.

Also included is a description of the types of car insurance Idaho drivers need, and the amounts of coverage required by Idaho state law. You can also review a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the state of Idaho, along with a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in America.

Most importantly, this post will show you how to score every possible discount on your personal Idaho car insurance policy.

Idaho Car Insurance Statistics

The population of the state of Idaho is about 1.7 million, according to a census bureau estimate from 2016. The median age of the residents of Idaho is about 35.8 years.

The unemployment rate in Idaho is 3.4 percent, a dip below the national average unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. Idaho’s poverty rate is roughly 15.1 percent, clearly higher than the national average poverty rate of 13.5 percent.

Researchers recently determined that the statewide average annual premium rate for a car insurance policy purchased in Idaho was about $941, much, much lower than the national average car insurance rate, which was around $1,355 at the time. As previously mentioned, Idaho is the 2^ndcheapest state, on average, to buy car insurance. Only Maine has Idaho beat for the nation’s lowest auto insurance rates.

A separate study group from the Insurance Research Council recently analyzed a sample of drivers in Idaho, and found out that only about 6.7 percent of Idaho drivers are operating uninsured vehicles. In fact, Idaho has the 6^th lowest rate of uninsured drivers of any state in America.

The Largest Idaho Car Insurance Companies

Choosing the right Idaho car insurance carrier can be daunting. Some drivers will go with the largest car insurance company. Other drivers may let people they know recommend a good carrier to them. This may save time, but doing your own personal research is the best way to save money on Idaho car insurance.

Yet, there are so many Idaho car insurance companies to choose from. How do we know which one to choose? To get you started on your research, here is a list that ranks the 10 largest car insurance companies in America, followed by a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the state of Idaho.

According to a recent study, the 10 largest auto insurance companies in America are 1) Allstate Insurance, 2) State Farm Insurance, 3) Geico, 4) Progressive Insurance, 5) Nationwide Group, 6) AAA, 7) Liberty Mutual Insurance, 8) 21^st Century Insurance, 9) GMAC, and 10) AIG, in that order. For the purpose of this list, car insurance companies are ranked in the order of the annual dollar amount of premiums written.

Shown below is another list of the ten largest car insurance companies in Idaho. These companies are also ranked by their total amount of direct annual written premiums. From these dollar amounts we can derive each company’s total market share in the state of Idaho.

Rank	Company	Premiums ($)	Market Share (%)
1	State Farm Insurance Group	$101,129	14.42
2	Farmers Insurance Group	$83,967	11.97
3	Farm Bureau of Idaho Group	$74,719	10.65
4	Allstate Insurance Group	$66,906	9.54
5	Liberty Mutual Insurance	$63,293	9.02
6	Progressive Insurance Group	$60,292	8.6
7	Berkshire Hathaway Insurance	$58,146	8.29
8	USAA Group	$33,226	4.74
9	American Family Insurance	$20,788	2.96
10	Sentry Insurance Group	$16,690	2.38

A quick look at the above list reveals that State Farm Insurance, Farmers Insurance, and Farm Bureau of Idaho are the most popular car insurance companies in Idaho, together holding well over a third of all auto insurance policies sold in the state. Not that the largest car insurance company is the best choice for you, necessarily. There is really no such thing as The One Best Idaho Car Insurance Company.

Cutting Costs on Idaho Car Insurance

The best way for Idaho drivers to reduce their already low rates on Idaho car insurance is to read customer reviews, compare online quotes, and scout out every car insurance discount they qualify for.

Reviewing consumer reports of car insurance companies will help you select the prime candidates for your policy. Make a list of all your favorite auto insurance companies, large and small. Then visit each company’s website to gather online quotes. You can even compare quotes between different zip codes within the state of Idaho for each car insurance company website you visit. Perhaps try your home zip code and your work zip code. Maybe even your school zip code. While you’re there, be sure to find out which discounts each company offers.

Some discounts are automatically calculated in to your online quote, such as a senior discount if you are over 65, or a discount for purchasing your policy online. However, other discounts may also apply. You can always call an agent to ask about specific discounts. If you really want to save money on car insurance, be extremely proactive about the discounts.

Auto insurance discounts for Idaho drivers may include Paid In Full discounts, occupational discounts, safety feature discounts, anti theft device discounts, vehicle type discounts, multiple policy discounts, and more. Most car insurance companies also have discounts for safe drivers, “good” drivers, low-mileage drivers, senior drivers, and student drivers who do well in school.

What Types Of Car Insurance Do Idaho Drivers Need?

Idaho state law requires all registered drivers to purchase coverage amounts of at least $25,000 for bodily injury to others, $50,000 in per-accident coverage, and $15,000 to cover the cost of property damage, for each vehicle owned. Unfortunately, state minimum coverage requirements are usually not enough to cover the cost of car repairs and/or medical bills related to auto accidents.

That’s why insurance experts in Idaho (and every other state) recommend coverage amounts of $100,000 for personal injury protection, $300,000 against bodily injury to others, and no less than $50,000 to pay the cost of property damage.

For first rate protection, Idaho car owners can also get comprehensive and collision coverage. This insurances are typically sold together, and will cover the cost of many types of incidents that cause vehicle damage, such as collisions, animal strikes, wildfires, floods, winter weather, falling trees, flying objects, vandalism, and car theft, among other things.

Dubious Idaho State Laws

Under Idaho state law, employers are NOT required to give breaks to their employees, even for meals.
In Coeur d’Aline, if a police officer suspects that two people in a car are having sex, the police officer must honk his horn or flash his lights, then wait three minutes before approaching the vehicle. (In other words, getting it on overrides legal matters in Idaho.)
In Eagle, it is illegal to camp out on sidewalks. (Those tent dwellers in Eagle would feel right at home in San Francisco.)

Best And Worst Zip Codes For Idaho Car Insurance

Idaho auto insurance rates will vary between zip codes due to the different population densities, unemployment rates, poverty rates, median income levels, crime stats, and the percentage of uninsured drivers on the roads, to name a few determining factors.

Here is a list of the four most expensive neighborhoods in the state of Idaho to buy car insurance. Annual premium rates in these areas can range from about $715 to around $1,780.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83536 (Kamiah)	19	9.90%	23.30%

Kamiah is located in Idaho County, along the shores of the Clearwater River, at the southeastern edge of (and actually on) the Nez Perce Reservation. This zip code is home to roughly 4,250 people. The unemployment rate here is almost three times the state average of 3.4 percent. The poverty rate in this neighborhood is also quite far above the 15.1 percent state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83539 (Kooskia)	0	12.80%	17.3

Also in Idaho County, this neighborhood is located just south of Kamiah, and is home to just over 2,000 people. The median resident age in this zip code is 53.3 years, more than 17 years above the state average. The population density is unknown, but the unemployment and poverty rates are far above the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83546 (Pierce)	18	8.20%	12.00%

This Clearwater County zip code is located just about 20 miles northeast of Kamiah, and is home to fewer than 800 people. The unemployment rate is relatively high, but the poverty rate is well below the state average of 15.1 percent.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83530 (Grangeville)	16	1.90%	12.60%

Grangeville is located about 20 miles southwest of Kooskia. This neighborhood is home to roughly 6,000 people. The unemployment and poverty rate are well below the state average, and the population density is light. One guess as to why rates are higher around here may be its nearness to lower income neighborhoods.

Now compare the Idaho zip codes listed above and the Idaho neighborhoods shown below. This is a list of the four cheapest zip codes (on average) in the state of Idaho to buy car insurance. Annual premium rates in these areas can range from around $625 to about $1,475. Most other American states are jealous of these low rates.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83706 (Boise City)	4,256	6.90%	18.40%

This Ada County neighborhood is home to nearly 32,000 people. The unemployment and poverty rates are slightly above the state averages. Yet, this zip code is actually the 5^th cheapest zip code in the whole United States to buy car insurance.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83725 (Boise City)	0	0%	0%

This zip code is situated along the Boise River, and is home to Boise State University. There is no demographic info for this neighborhood. However, this zip code as one of the four cheapest zip codes in which to buy Idaho car insurance.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83646 (Meridian)	1,979	5.40%	8.00%

This Ada County neighborhood is home to roughly 55,000 people. The unemployment rate is a little bit above the state average here, but the poverty rate is just over half the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
83712 (Boise City)	346	4.60%	4.80%

This neighborhood is home to roughly 8,000 people. The unemployment rate is above state average, but only slightly above the national average. The poverty rate is less than one third of the 15.1 percent state average.

All in all, the state of Idaho is home to 319 zip codes covering 44 counties that enclose 265 cities, from American Falls to Winchester and everywhere in between. There is a smaller difference in annual premium rates between zip codes in Idaho than in other states. Still, who doesn’t want to save $150 or more a year on Idaho car insurance?

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