Best car insurance in Idaho for 2024

Our 2024 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories. 

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto and home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.

When looking for cheap car insurance in Idaho, you may be tempted to carry just the state’s minimum required limits. Although this option may offer lower premiums, this coverage package could cost you in the long run if you are in an at-fault accident and the damage exceeds your liability limits. Many insurance professionals suggest that you carry higher limits than the state minimum if you can reasonably afford to do so. Knowing the minimum insurance requirements in Idaho could help provide a baseline from which to build your coverage package.

Along with carrying at least Idaho minimum coverage, you will likely have additional insurance requirements if you are financing or leasing your vehicle. In this instance, your lender will likely require you to carry comprehensive and collision coverage. They may also stipulate how high you can set your deductible (with the maximum usually being $500 or $1,000). If you’re leasing, you’ll probably have liability insurance requirements to meet, too.

Your lender technically owns your vehicle while you are making payments or leasing, making them an additional interest. In simpler terms, your lender is interested in your car's financial wellbeing, so they usually mandate specific insurance requirements above state minimums.

It’s easy to forget that car insurance is highly personalized. The best car insurance company for one person might not be the best for another. Before you begin shopping for a car insurance policy, reflect on your current insurance needs. Determine what coverage you’re looking for. Maybe you have teen drivers or have a few speeding tickets on your record. You might look for companies that offer teen driver discounts or write insurance policies for high-risk drivers. If you don’t drive often, a company that offers pay-per-mile insurance may appeal to you.

While you’re researching insurance providers, consider how they operate. If you want to make payments or file claims online, check to see if the company has a strong digital presence or mobile app. If working with insurance agents in person is important to you, find out if the company has local agents.

There is no single company that always has the cheapest car insurance in Idaho. A few companies, however, including American National, USAA and Geico, have a reputation for offering low rates in the state. Although average rates in Idaho are fairly low, your rate will vary depending on characteristics related to you and your circumstances. Your age, gender and where you live matters, along with your car's age, make and model. Your driving record, too, plays a big role in determining your rate, as drivers with clean driving records generally earn the cheapest car insurance rates. To find the best fit for your needs, consider asking for quotes from several insurers so you can see a range of potential prices and choose the one that works best for your wallet.

Getting car insurance starts with a quote. When requesting a quote, the more information you can provide, the more accurate your quoted premium generally is. Whether you’re speaking to an agent or using a company’s website or mobile app, you’ll usually need to provide the names and birthdates of the drivers you’d like listed and the year and the make and models for the vehicles you’d like covered. Providing the vehicle identification number (VIN) for each car helps improve the accuracy of your quote. You’ll also need to provide the address where the vehicles are kept and how you use them (whether you commute or only use them for errands, for example). The company may ask for your social security number and while this is typically optional, this information can also make your quote more accurate.

Yes, state law requires you to carry a minimum amount of coverage to drive legally on public roads in Idaho.  The average cost for this state-mandated minimum coverage is lower than national averages. Failure to carry at least this much coverage may lead to fines of up to $75. You could also face fines of up to $1,000, as well as license suspension and an SR-22 requirement, if you are charged with any moving violations, such as speeding or a DUI, while you are driving without insurance.