Best Idaho Car Insurance (2024)

Idaho is attracting a lot of new residents, including a lot of Californians. Those who do live here and enjoy life in the state have plenty to explore. But whether you’re headed north towards the Panhandle and the Canadian border or heading to work in Boise, you need car insurance.

Car insurance is the law in Idaho, and you know you have to buy it, but shopping for it isn’t the most enjoyable task you can imagine.

Digging through company reviews, calling agents and representatives, trying to figure out what coverage you really need – it’s a headache. You have better things to do, so you want everything you need to know in one place.

That place is right here. We’ve gathered all the details on Idaho auto insurance in one place.

This comprehensive guide will break down all of the car insurance laws in Idaho, what coverage is optional, and look at the best car insurance companies by reputation, price, and a whole lot more.

Read on, and then let us help you compare Idaho car insurance rates so you can start saving today.

Idaho Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

Whether you are buying your first car insurance policy, are new to Idaho, or are simply ready to look for a better deal, car insurance can be confusing.

You know you need at least the legal minimum, but what else do you need? With so many options to choose from and so many companies after your business, it’s hard to even know where to start.

We’ll help you start at the beginning, with a concise explanation of the coverage musts and coverage maybes.

Below you’ll find everything you need to know about Idaho’s required coverage, options that you can choose from, and of course rates from several of the biggest companies in Idaho thanks to our data from Quadrant.

Idaho Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage

How much coverage do you absolutely need to have in Idaho to avoid a ticket? Here’s a look at what you need to carry and in what minimum amounts, according to the Idaho Department of Insurance.

As a fault state, Idaho requires you to have liability insurance that pays for injuries or property damage when you are at fault in an accident. Idaho’s minimum limits aren’t the highest, but not the lowest. Take a look at how the other states stack up courtesy of AAA.

You don’t actually have to carry Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage but if you choose not to carry it, you must reject it in writing.

If you do carry it, you must carry a minimum amount equal to your liability limits.

Idaho is one of the states that allow you to provide proof of insurance in an electronic format, says Allstate. That means you can use your phone to provide proof rather than searching for that little ID card.

Forms of Financial Responsibility

Most drivers satisfy Idaho’s financial responsibility laws with car insurance, but the state does offer a few additional options.

If you own more than 25 cars, you can self-insure, but since most of us don’t have a fleet (or anywhere to park it) this option doesn’t usually apply.

If you are able to provide an indemnity bond in the amount of $50,000, with $15,000 of that provided for property damage, you can bypass purchasing insurance. Idaho’s law allows up to five cars this way, with bonds of up to $120,000.

No matter which option you choose, remember that you must be able to provide proof of financial responsibility on request.

The cost of minimum insurance vary from state to state.

Premiums as a Percentage of Income

Of all the things you want to spend your disposable income (what you have left after taxes) on, car insurance isn’t likely anywhere near the top of the list. Fortunately, Idahoans don’t spend an inordinate amount on it.

The average percentage of income spent on car insurance in the state is well below the national average.

Idaho also spends less than its neighbors. Oregononions spend an average of 2.45 percent on car insurance, while in Montana that amount is 2.41 percent.

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Average Monthly Car Insurance Rates in ID (Liability, Collision, Comprehensive)

Core coverage refers to the three basic parts of a full coverage auto insurance policy. Those are liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. While only the first of those is required by law, drivers with a car loan will be required to carry the other two as well.

These three coverages make up the most commonly chosen car insurance coverages. Here’s a look at what they cost, on average, in Idaho, compared to the national average.

Additional Liability

On top of what’s required by state law, there are some other options that can be added to your Idaho insurance policy for extra coverage.

We’ve already mentioned Uninsured/Underinsured (UM/UIM) Motorist coverage, which Idaho drivers can choose to opt-out of carrying. Let’s look at why you should consider carrying it.

8.2 percent of drivers in Idaho don’t carry insurance.

The good news is, that’s really low. Idaho ranks 40th in the nation for uninsured drivers. That doesn’t mean you might not wind up in an accident with one of those drivers, or with an uninsured driver from another state.

And then there’s the issue of underinsured drivers, which is a bit more complex. There’s no set number for what makes a driver underinsured; it happens when the costs of an accident exceed the available coverage.

For an Idaho driver carrying the legal minimum, a serious accident with major injuries can quickly exceed the bodily injury coverage. And consider how easy it is to exceed $15,000 in property damage when the average cost of a new car is about $36,000, with even a compact car averaging a $20,000 price tag.

If your new car is totaled by a person carrying only the minimum, your uninsured motorist protection can help make up the difference.

There is a second type of additional liability coverage available to Idaho drivers. Medical Payments, or MedPay, provides extra coverage for medical bills incurred by you or your passengers regardless of who is at fault in the accident.

Now let’s look at how these coverages perform in Idaho, using loss ratios provided by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Loss ratios tell us how much companies are paying out in claims compared to the amount they take in as premiums.

You want to see loss ratios that are neither too high (indicating companies are paying out too much and may be at financial risk) or too low (indicating companies aren’t paying out as much as they should on claims).

Here’s a look at loss ratios for additional liability in Idaho compared to the national average.

Loss ratios for MedPay in Idaho are about average, but the ratio for UM/UIM is on the low side.

Add-ons, Endorsements, and Riders

There are a lot more options that can be added to an insurance policy. Not all drivers will need all of them, and not all insurance companies will offer all of them.

These add-ons round out your insurance policy and add additional protection based on your needs.

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Pay-As-You-Drive or Usage-Based Car Insurance

Usage-based insurance is a recent trend in the industry and uses tracking systems to record driving habits and calculate a discount for the driver. Most major insurance companies and plenty of small ones offer such a program, which is optional.

Pay-per-mile insurance is the newest form of pay-as-you-drive coverage. It’s available in a limited number of states, and currently, Idaho isn’t one of them.

Average Car Insurance Rates by Age & Gender in ID

Age and gender are both factors that affect car insurance rates in Idaho. As a general rule, younger drivers pay more for car insurance because they have less experience and are therefore a higher risk.

Gender also has an impact on rates because there are some statistical differences in risk. The highest risk group is young, male drivers, and the rates in Idaho bear that out.

As you can see, rates drop sharply from age 25 and beyond, and the gender difference levels out as well, in some cases even reversing.

Idaho Rates By Zip Code

Where you live in Idaho makes a difference to your rates as well. Search the table below to find your zip code and compare rates from different carriers.

The most expensive zip codes in the state are found in the northern end, right about where Idaho’s panhandle begins. Surprisingly, zip codes in the Boise area have the lowest rates.

Idaho Rates By City

As we noted above, the cheapest zip codes are in Boise, so it’s no surprise that the city is among the cheapest, as is Meridian.

Matching our zip code rates too are cities like Kamiah and Peirce, in Northern Idaho.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Idaho

Everyone wants the best car insurance for their money, but what does that really mean? What makes a car insurance company the best?

Most car insurance shoppers are looking for the best price, and that’s definitely a factor. But you’re paying that insurance premium in order to have the company take good care of you when there is a claim, right?

You want to find out which company offers great service and a great price too, but there is so much information out there, and it’s not easy to make sense of what it all means. There has to be an easier way to find the best company.

We have taken the effort out of finding the right car insurance company for your needs by gathering all the data you need right here.

We will go over the financial and customer satisfaction ratings for the biggest insurers in Idaho and compare them on rates gathered by Quadrant across several different scenarios to help you narrow down your choices.

The Largest Companies’ Financial Ratings

Most insurance shoppers don’t spend much time worrying about financial ratings. They’re important, however, to choosing the right insurance company. That’s because they tell you how financially stable your insurance company is.

In other words, it tells you which companies are going to be able to pay their claims, even in the event of a major catastrophe.

The gold standard in financial rating for insurance companies is AM Best. They rate companies on a letter-graded scale based on their stability and future outlook.

The ratings for the top companies in Idaho range from A (Excellent) to A+ and A++ (Superior). Those are all solid ratings, meaning you can count on any of these companies to be around for the long haul.

Companies With the Best Ratings

When it comes to insurance company ratings, J.D. Power has a lot of clout. They’re known for annual customer surveys of insurance and other companies, and rate car insurers by region.

PEMCO was the top-rated insurer in 2019 for the Northwest region, but it serves only Oregon and Washington. Of the biggest insurance companies in Idaho, American Family had the best rating, followed closely by State Farm, and Farmers, all of which ranked as above average.

Allstate’s rating was right at the average, and the rest of the companies ranked below average.

Companies With the Most Complaints in State

The Idaho Department of Transportation gathers complaints data for car insurance companies. Very few complaints were registered for the top ten companies. In fact, most of them had no complaints at all.

The complaint ratio tells us how many complaints the company had compared to its market share in the state. Although Safeco has the highest number of complaints, Geico’s ratio is actually higher because they have a smaller portion of the market share.

Cheapest Insurance Companies in Idaho

All other things being equal, here’s how the biggest companies in Idaho compare when it comes to rates. Because rates vary so much from person to person, the cheapest on this list might not be the cheapest for you. We’ll look at some different scenarios that can affect which company is the best choice in the upcoming sections.

State Farm is the cheapest option overall. USAA is a close second but is only available to military members and their families.

Commute Rates By Company

How your commute and annual mileage affects your rates depends on the company. Some companies don’t charge any more for a longer commute, while others increase rates by one to two hundred dollars a year.

Even with a longer commute, State Farm still comes out cheaper than the shorter commute at every other company.

Commute distance does not affect your rate nearly as much as some other factors.

Coverage Level Rates By Company

Your choice of coverage level is one of the biggest factors impacting your car insurance rates, and a lot of people choose lower levels in order to stick to a budget.

As you can see here, though, what you pay for coverage also depends on the company. Rather than choosing a low level of coverage at one company, you could get a high level of coverage elsewhere for the same or even less money.

Credit Score Rates By Company

Idaho car insurance companies use your credit score as one of the rating factors in setting your premium cost.

According to Experian, Idaho’s average credit score is an above-national-average 681.

If you have poor credit, you will pay more just about everywhere, but all company’s rates are certainly not equal. Those with poor credit will want to avoid Allstate, but can still get a great rate from State Farm.

If you have good credit, both State Farm and Liberty Mutual are good choices rate-wise.

Driving Record Rates By Company

Few things can cause insurance rates to rise more than a ding on your driving record. Tickets, accidents, and other violations can all have an impact.

A driver with a clean record will get every company’s best rate, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to save even if your record isn’t perfect.

A DUI is generally the biggest rate increase, but not at State Farm or Farmers; both charge a bigger increase for an accident. Travelers isn’t where you want to be after a DUI, with a massive hike in rates. (For more information, read our “Does State Farm cover medical bills resulting from the accident?“).

Largest Car Insurance Companies in Idaho

State Farm’s low rates and strong reputation make it no surprise that they are the biggest car insurance company in Idaho.

Total Number of Car Insurance Companies

A total of 832 property and casualty insurance companies are licensed in Idaho. That’s a big number, but it’s worth noting that being licensed in a state doesn’t mean they currently write car insurance there.

Of those companies, 10 are domestic. That means they are incorporated in Idaho.

The rest, 822, are foreign. That means they are incorporated in other states.

State Laws

Idaho’s state laws govern a lot of different aspects of driving. They cover not just how much insurance you need, but the insurance companies themselves and how claims are handled. They also cover driver and vehicle licensing and the rules of the road. That’s a lot of laws.

You need to know how Idaho law applies to you and how to keep in compliance, but with laws changing and all of the complex language in the statutes, it’s hard to keep up. You need a simple and focused guide to the laws that apply to you on Idaho’s roads.

That simple guide is right here; concise and clear coverage of the must-know rules.

We will cover insurance laws, driver and vehicle licensing including new and older drivers and the laws that keep us safer on the road.

Car Insurance Laws

In Idaho, all laws regarding insurance and motor vehicles are determined by the Idaho State Legislature. All of the insurance laws are found in Title 41 of the code, while motor vehicle laws are found in Title 49.

Idaho uses a file and use system, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means that insurance companies need to file their rates with the insurance commissioner before using them. Prior approval of rates isn’t required. (For more information, read our “Idaho car insurance laws“)

Windshield Coverage

CarWinshields.info data states that Idaho allows the use of aftermarket parts in windshield replacement. If you prefer OEM parts, you have the right to request them, but you may need to pay the difference out of pocket.

There is no law on the books requiring insurance companies to offer windshield-specific coverage, but some do. In most cases, it will be covered under your comprehensive insurance and be subject to that deductible (some companies waive deductibles for repair as opposed to replacement). (For more information, read our “Are Car Insurance premiums tax deductible?“).

High-Risk Insurance

High-risk insurance is also referred to as non-standard insurance and is for drivers that may not qualify for standard coverage.

Most people are classified as high-risk due to driving history; multiple tickets and accidents, major violations, and convictions for driving without insurance are all things that can result in being labeled as high-risk.

Insurance companies rate drivers based on the likelihood of a claim, and the more dings on your record, the higher your rates will go.

Drivers in this situation may need to file an SR-22. This is a filing done by the insurance company guaranteeing the driver has the required coverage. While any company can file an SR-22, many non-standard companies specialize in handling the filings.

Eventually, standard insurance companies will decide not to offer coverage to some drivers at any price. That’s when non-standard companies step in, but there are some situations where even a non-standard company can’t help.

When that happens, you can turn to the Idaho Automobile Insurance Plan. Part of the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans, this insurance pool requires all insurance companies to participate in spreading the risk and providing coverage to those drivers that have been unable to obtain insurance.

This is not a cheap insurance plan. High-risk insurance is always more expensive.

The ultimate goal of a high-risk insurance plan is to get a driver covered while they work on improving the issues that prevent them from qualifying for standard insurance.

Low-Cost Insurance

Idaho insurance rates are already pretty low, so the state doesn’t provide any sort of low-income assistance program.

Shopping around is always the best way to get a lower rate on your insurance.

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Idaho

Insurance fraud is a crime in Idaho, punishable by law.

All acts of fraud are charged as felonies in Idaho. That means they are accompanied by heavy penalties.

Penalties for insurance fraud in Idaho includes fines of up to $15,000 and up to 15 years in prison.

Fraud can constitute anything from lying on an insurance application to staging an accident in order to make a claim. There are many different types of fraud, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Even “soft” fraud can carry heavy penalties.

The Idaho Department of Insurance encourages suspected fraud to be reported ad operates a fraud bureau whose job it is to investigate.

The Departement of Insurance Fraud Reporting can be contacted by phone at 1-866-939-7226.

You can also report fraud online.

Statute of Limitations

In Idaho, the statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims is two years.

You have an extra year to file property damage claims; the statute there is three years.

Vehicle Licensing Laws

The Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005 and enforced by the Department of Homeland Security, requires everyone to have a form of identification that meets a higher level of security standards when boarding planes and entering federal facilities.

What that means to the average citizen is that as of October 1, 2020, a driver’s license that doesn’t meet the REAL ID requirements will no longer be an acceptable form of ID for boarding a domestic flight. You will need either a REAL ID or another acceptable document, such as a passport or military ID.

In Idaho, the Star Card is the new REAL ID that can be issued on request. In order to upgrade your license to the Star Card, you will need to present additional documentation when you renew your license.

According to the Idaho Department of Transportation, these are the requirements (click through for a full list):

• Proof of identity: birth certificate, passport, etc.
• Social Security Card or other acceptable document showing your SSN
• Proof of Idaho Residency: mortgage deed, rental agreement, utility bill, etc.

Penalties For Driving Without Insurance

It’s illegal to drive without insurance in Idaho, and you must present proof of insurance upon request to law enforcement. Idaho allows proof of insurance to be presented in both paper and electronic formats.

Idaho also has an electronic database for insurance, the Online Insurance Verification System (OIVS). Insurance companies report all new policy and cancellation information to this database, allowing law enforcement to verify coverage is in force.

You can avoid a conviction if you provide proof that you did have insurance in place at any time before or at your court date. If you fail to do so, you will face penalties:

• For a first offense, a license suspension until proof is provided and a $75 reinstatement fee
• For a second or subsequent offense within five years, the fine goes up to $1,000 and you could face jail time of up to six months.

Teen Driver Laws

Idaho uses a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program to help teens become safe drivers. This multi-stage program has requirements and restrictions along the way to help ease new drivers into the responsibilities of being behind the wheel and gain experience on the road.

Below you will see all of the stages and the requirements along the way.

Older Driver Renewal Procedures

After the age of 63, drivers in Idaho are required to renew their license every four years as opposed to every eight.

At age 70, drivers are required to provide proof of adequate vision at every renewal and renew in person every time.

New Residents

If you are new to Idaho you will need to transfer your license within 90 days at any Sherrif’s Office location where licenses are processed.

Make sure to bring your old license (you will have to surrender it), proof of residency in Idaho, and proof of legal presence in the United States.

Residents from other states will need to pass a written knowledge test and a vision test. If you come from another country (except Germany and Kenya, with which Idaho has agreements), you will also need to pass a road test.

License Renewal Procedures

Drivers under 21 and over 63 will need to renew their license every four years, according to AAA’s digest of driving laws. Between those ages, drivers can select either a four or eight-year license cycle.

If you select the four-year license you can renew by mail every other year; the eight-year license requires in-person renewal every time. At every renewal in person, you will have to present proof of adequate vision.

Negligent Operator Treatment System

Idaho uses a points system to keep track of drivers’ violations. Points can accumulate over time and result in a suspension of your driving privileges.

The number of points assigned to each type of violation varies and increases with the seriousness of the violation. Some violations result in an automatic suspension of driving privileges, such as:

• DUI
• Fleeing a police officer
• Reckless driving
• Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death or before police arrive
• Motor vehicle use in a felony
• Failure to pay a judgment for damages in a previous accident
• Violation of license restrictions

Rules of the Road

This section deals with the rules that apply to all drivers on the roads of Idaho.

Fault Vs. No-Fault

Idaho is a fault state. That means your insurance company pays out for injuries and damages caused in an accident where you are found to be at fault.

It also means that you can be held personally responsible for excess damages that go beyond the limits of your policy, making it a good idea to carry higher limits for liability.

Idaho law also uses comparative negligence in determining how you can collect for damages. If you bear some of the fault in an accident, your compensation is reduced by that percentage. Here’s an example.

You are driving 10 mph over the speed limit when a car runs a red light in front of you and you hit the vehicle. The other driver bears most of the responsibility, but it’s determined that you bear some of the fault because you were speeding, breaking the law and reducing your ability to stop in time. It’s determined that you are 20 percent at fault.

Your damages come out to $10,000. Because the other person carries most of the fault, their insurance will pay you, but your damages will be reduced by 20 percent, to $8,000.

Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws

Idaho law requires seat belts to be worn by everyone over the age of seven in all seats, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Passengers under seven are governed by car seat laws; they are required to be secured in a proper car seat at all times.

There’s nothing in the law about rear seats, nor does the law outline age and weight restrictions on the type of car seat. There are some recommendations provided by the Idaho Transportation Departement, however.

• All children under 13 should be in the back seat
• Rear-facing car seats should be used up to age 2 or until the child outgrows the seat
• Top tether on forward-facing seats should be used until the child reaches 40 lbs
• Booster seats until should be used age 8 or at least 4’9″ in height

Idaho’s recommendations are a little behind the newest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommend rear-facing until age 4.

There are no laws regarding riding in the cargo area of a pickup truck in Idaho.

Keep Right and Move Over Laws

Under Idaho law vehicles are required to keep right if moving more slowly than the average speed of traffic. In general, drivers should keep right except to pass or to make a left turn.

You are also required to slow down below the posted speed limit to pass stopped emergency vehicles with lights flashing. You must also move over into a further lane if safe and possible to do so.

Speed Limits

Below are the speed limits on Idaho roads, but bear in mind that you always need to obey the posted speed. Watch for speed reductions in construction zones.

Ridesharing

To keep up with the popularity of services like Uber and Lyft, Idaho passed the Transportation Network Company Services Act. It outlines all the laws that apply to rideshare services and drivers.

You need insurance to drive for these companies, and personal insurance policies will not cover you. Both Lyft and Uber provide $1 million in liability to their drivers from the time a ride is accepted until the passenger leaves the car. (read our “Uber Eats Car Insurance: What to Know & How to Save” for more information).

During the time that the app is on but no ride has been accepted, neither personal insurance nor the company will cover you

To solve this, insurance companies offer rideshare endorsements. This provides coverage during this gap. Right now there are three companies offering this coverage in Idaho: Farmers, State Farm, and American Family.

Automation on the Road

There are no laws governing automated vehicles on the road, although the state has convened a committee to look at the issue.

Safety Laws

These last few laws may the most important. They are in place to make sure drivers are safe, responsible, and in control of the vehicle at all times.

DUI Laws

In Idaho, you can be charged with a DUI for a blood alcohol level (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. A BAC of over 2.0 is considered high and results in increased penalties.

With a high BAC, the lookback period for repeat offenders is cut in half, from 10 to five years. Here’s a look at the penalties for a DUI in Idaho.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

Several of Idaho’s neighbors have legalized marijuana, but it remains illegal in Idaho.

Still, there are no specific laws on the books regarding marijuana-impaired driving. That doesn’t make it legal – driving under the influence of any drug can result in a DUI, and law enforcement can use their judgment to determine impairment.

Distracted Driving Law

There is no statewide ban on handheld cell phone use in Idaho, but texting and driving is illegal.

There are a few cities that have their own bans, however. You can’t use a handheld cell phone while driving in:

• Idaho Falls
• Pocatello
• Ketchum
• Hailey
• Sandpoint

Driving in Idaho

There are always risks associated with owning and driving a car, but which ones should you really be worried about?

You probably hear a lot about car theft problems, heavy traffic areas, or dangerous roads, but how can you know how big those risks really are? You need a simple breakdown of the statistics so you don’t have to dig through them yourself.

This section is created to do just that. We’ll make sense of the state of driving in Idaho.

Read on for the details on car theft problems in Idaho, the dangers of driving including National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash statistics, and traffic in Idaho’s biggest cities.

Vehicle Theft in Idaho

Pickup trucks top the list of the most commonly stolen vehicles in Idaho, followed by two different Honda models.

Here are the top ten most stolen vehicles along with the model year that is the biggest target.

The FBI’s crime reporting system lists vehicle thefts by city. Search below to see what the numbers look like in your hometown.

Road Fatalities in Idaho

In 2017 a total of 244 lives were lost in traffic accidents. This next section will help us to understand what factors contributed to those crashes and which dangers on Idaho’s roads are the biggest concerns.

Fatal Crashes By Weather and Light Conditions

In most of the fatal crashes, weather conditions didn’t play a large role. A good number occurred in the dark, but the largest number were in daylight.

Fatalities By County

The table below shows the number of crashes in each county involving a fatality.

Traffic Fatalities: Rural Vs. Urban

Considerably more fatal crashes happened in urban areas than in rural areas.

Fatalities By Person Type

Of all fatal crashes, the vast majority involved vehicle occupants.

Fatalities By Crash Type

The largest number of accidents were single-vehicle, and the majority of fatal crashes involved a roadway departure.

Five-Year Trend For the Top Ten Counties

While the general trend has been to an increase in fatalities year over year, there are a few notable changes in the numbers. Twin Falls County cut their number in half between 2016 and 2017. In that same time period, Valley County went from no fatalities to nine.

Fatalities Involving Speeding By County

Search by county to see the number of fatalities that involved a speeding driver.

Fatalities Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver By County

How does your county stack up for DUI fatalities? Check the numbers out below.

Teen Drinking and Driving in Idaho

The inexperience of a teen driver combined with alcohol can be a fatal combination.

Unfortunately, Idaho is above average for both teen drinking and driving arrests per million people. The state also has a higher than average rate of fatal crashes involving drivers under 21, according to data from Responsibilty.org.

EMS Response Times

Below you will find the stats on average EMS response times in Idaho.

Transportation

Next, we’ll take a look at how people get around in Idaho, from car ownership to traffic. and commuting with data from Data USA.

Car Ownership

A little less than 40 percent of households in Idaho (in orange) own two cars, below the national average. Idaho is above average for households with three or more vehicles, however.

Commute Time in Idaho

Idahoans have a shorter average commute time than the rest of the nation at 19.8 minutes versus 25.5 minutes.

Commuter Transportation

Almost 80 percent of Idahoans drive alone to work, above the national average.

Traffic Congestion in Idaho

Idaho doesn’t have cities the size of those in many other states, but there are some places you’ll run into traffic.

According to TomTom, Boise (the largest city in Idaho) ranks at number 29 in the United States in terms of traffic congestion. Drivers spend an average of 20 percent more travel time on the road due to congested traffic.

Travel time in the morning peak hours increases by 22 percent but the evening peak has a bigger increase at 34 percent.

On the highway, you can expect a reduction in travel time of three percent due to traffic. On non-highways, that increase is 27 percent.

Traffic in Boise increase travel time by an average of 17 minutes per day for a total increase of 67 hours per year.

Ready to start shopping for car insurance? Let us help you compare rates right now.