Cheapest car insurance in Idaho for 2024

When it comes to finding affordable auto insurance, Idaho drivers can expect average rates far below the national average. According to data from Quadrant Information Services, the average cost for minimum coverage in Idaho is just $359 per year, while full coverage averages $1,370 annually, 44 percent less than the national average. Comparing quotes and looking for relevant discounts will help you find the lowest rate for your circumstances.

Key takeaways

• Cheapest company for minimum coverage: American National
• Cheapest company for full coverage: USAA
• Cheapest company for drivers with prior incidents: American National and Geico
• Cheapest company for young drivers: Geico and Mutual of Enumclaw

In Idaho, it's mandatory for drivers to maintain a minimum amount of liability coverage to drive legally. While this basic coverage meets the state's requirements, many insurance experts advocate for additional coverage to financially protect against potential accidents. The average cost of liability-only auto insurance in Idaho is $359 per year.

Minimum coverage requirements for Idaho drivers

The state minimum coverage required to legally drive in Idaho is 25/50/15 liability insurance, which includes:

• Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person
• Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per accident
• Property damage liability: $15,000 per accident

Additionally, Idaho insurers must provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage unless the policyholder rejects the coverage in writing.

Signing up for the minimum coverage required will usually provide you with the cheapest car insurance in Idaho. However, the coverage types and limits may not be enough to protect you in case of a more serious accident. Liability insurance pays for damages to the other parties and not to yourself or your property.

Idaho is a rural state where wildlife and heavy snowfall are common hazards that could cause damage to your vehicle or cause an accident. With this in consideration, adding comprehensive and collision coverage could help pay for any necessary vehicle repairs or replacements, which would otherwise not be covered by minimum coverage car insurance. If you lease or finance your vehicle, you may also be required to purchase full coverage to protect your lender’s investment in your car.

Full coverage includes collision and comprehensive insurance, which provide coverage for your own vehicle in the event of an accident or other covered incident. The average cost of full coverage in Idaho is $1,370 per year, but the carriers below all offer average rates below this figure.

Your driving record affects your car insurance premium, so accidents, tickets and moving violations will typically increase the price you pay for coverage. Not all companies weigh these incidents equally when determining rates, so shopping around will help you see what company could offer the lowest rates for your circumstances. Across the board, American National offers low rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records, but Auto-Owners and State Farm also stand out as affordable options.

• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a ticket: American National
• Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: American National
• Cheapest car insurance for high-risk drivers: American National

Cheapest insurance companies for drivers in Idaho with a speeding ticket: American National

Car insurance companies see speeding tickets as an indicator of risky driving, so they usually charge higher rates for drivers with tickets on their records. Most carriers consider speeding tickets for three to five years when determining rates. The carriers below offer affordable average rates for drivers with a recent speeding ticket conviction. Drivers with speeding tickets may also benefit from enrolling in a telematics program. With carriers that offer them, these programs track your driving in real time and may earn you a discount if you demonstrate safe habits.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers in Idaho with an at-fault accident: American National

Accidents, particularly at-fault accidents, may indicate to insurers that you are more likely to cause another accident in the future. This is why drivers with at-fault accidents on their records pay higher average car insurance rates. If you've recently been in an accident, it may be a good time to compare quotes in case your rate increases at renewal.

Cheapest car insurance in Idaho for high-risk drivers: American National

Being labeled a high-risk driver can dramatically influence insurance premiums in Idaho. High-risk drivers may include those with multiple speeding tickets, accidents or a DUI on their record. Drivers with DUIs typically face some of the most severe rate hikes, and not all carriers will extend coverage to a driver with a DUI. High-risk drivers in Idaho might consider quotes from the following carriers with low average rates for this demographic.

In Idaho, your age will impact how much you pay for car insurance. Young drivers, particularly those in their teens and early twenties, often face steeper premiums. Younger drivers have less experience behind the wheel and are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. If you're a young driver or the parent of a young driver, you may want to explore car insurance quotes in Idaho from the following companies that offer competitive rates for young drivers.

• Cheapest car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Geico
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with a ticket: American National
• Cheapest car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: American National
• Cheapest car insurance for young drivers with a DUI: American National

Cheapest Idaho car insurance for insuring a teen driver: Geico

Parents with teen drivers may be shocked at what it costs to secure coverage for their young drivers. However, there may be ways to alleviate some of the financial burden. Some insurers offer discounts for teen drivers if they maintain good grades in school or take a defensive driving course. According to our study, the five cheapest companies in Idaho for insuring a teen driver are:

Cheapest Idaho car insurance for teens with a ticket: American National

Teens experience high average car insurance rates, and a ticket may make the cost of coverage even pricier. To analyze rates for teens with tickets, we looked at average rate data for 18-year-old drivers on their own auto insurance policies.

Cheapest Idaho car insurance for teens with an at-fault accident: American National

According to the CDC, teens are more likely than any other age group to be involved in accidents — largely because they have less driving experience. For teens that have accidents on their records, the following carriers offer the lowest average Idaho insurance rates. The following premiums are for an 18-year-old driver with a single at-fault accident on their record.

Cheapest Idaho car insurance for young drivers with a DUI:  American National 

Young drivers and drivers with DUIs independently face some of the highest average car insurance premiums, so young drivers with DUIs may see especially high rates. If you're a young driver with a DUI, you'll likely need to shop around to find coverage, but you may want to start with the following companies. To analyze young driver DUI rates, we looked at average rates for a 21-year-old driver with a single DUI conviction on their own policy.

One of the best ways to get the most affordable car insurance in Idaho is to take advantage of every possible discount. Almost all insurers offer at least a few discounts, and many are easy to earn. Here are some of the most common ones that many Idaho insurers offer to their policyholders:

• Good student: Young drivers can often earn a discount if they maintain a "B" average or above in their high school or college classes. In addition, a few insurers offer students a discount if their car is garaged at least 100 miles away from where they're attending school.
• Multi-policy: Bundling your car insurance with your homeowners or renters insurance is a great way to earn some savings on your premiums, and almost all insurers offer this discount.
• Safety devices: Most newer cars have safety features such as anti-lock brakes, blind-spot monitoring systems and airbags. These features could earn you some savings with some insurers since they are designed to help mitigate or prevent an accident. Anti-theft devices also may net you a lower premium.
• Low annual mileage: If you peacefully retired on a rural Idaho ranch or moved out there when your office job went fully remote, you could potentially benefit from a low-mileage discount. Driving less decreases your likelihood of filing an accident claim, so some insurance companies may award this with a discounted premium.
• Paid-in-full: If your financial situation enables you to pay for six months or one year of coverage upfront, you may be able to earn a discount.
• Safe driver: If you are accident-free and file no claims for a period that is usually three years, you may earn a safe driving discount. Some insurers also offer discounts if you take a defensive driving course or enroll in a telematics program to monitor your driving.
• Paperless documents: Agreeing to receive your insurance documents online rather than via postal mail can earn you an easy discount. You can also sometimes earn one for paying online via an EFT program.