Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Not Found in Idaho

     Purchasing auto insurance is a lot like eating at a cafeteria.  You pay only for the items you select, whether it be a salad or dessert or an entire meal.  We often think of purchasing auto insurance with “full coverage” which would simply be asking for everything on the menu.  Most of want to be sure we have basic coverage such as liability coverage to protect us against claims that could be made against us.  We also want to have uninsured motorist coverage to protect us against the harm done to us by drivers who have no insurance. 

No Protection for Property Damage Caused by Uninsured Motorist

Unfortunately, uninsured motorist coverage in Idaho only protects against bodily injury but affords no protection for property damage done by uninsured motorists.  Unless you have collision coverage with no deductible, you are likely to have some out of pocket expenses if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. 

Collision and Comprehensive Coverage Are Not Enough

The solution to this problem could be easily resolved through the legislature requiring insurance companies writing insurance in Idaho to require companies to offer uninsured motorist property damage coverage.  Those insureds with collision and comprehensive coverage would have no deductible to pay for property damage caused by an uninsured motorist.Those with no collision and comprehensive coverage would pay a deductible set by statute.  Until that happens, Idahoans will not be fully protected from uninsured motorists.