Idaho · Car accident rules · Updated Oct 2026

Car accidents in Idaho: what to do and who pays

When to report a crash in Idaho, how insurance works, who pays when both drivers share the blame, minimum coverage, how to get the police report, deadlines to sue and where to get help, in plain English from official sources.

$1,500damage that requires a report
Fault (tort)insurance system
Modified (50% bar)comparative-fault rule
25/50/15minimum liability
3 years / 2 yearsto sue: property / injury

At the scene and reporting a crash in Idaho

Always stop and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in every state.

When to call the police
If anyone is hurt or killed, or damage to any one person's property is more than $1,500, you must tell the police right away by the fastest way you can. Inside a city, call the city police. Outside a city, call the county sheriff or the nearest Idaho State Police office. If the driver can't, a passenger who can must do it.
Damage amount
$1,500
Report to the state
No separate driver report is required by state law. The officer who investigates sends a written report to the Idaho Transportation Department within 24 hours after finishing the investigation.
Law
Idaho Code § 49-1305; § 49-1306
Official text
Read the official text

First 24 hours after a crash in Idaho

Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.

Safety first

Call for help

Exchange information

Photos and witnesses

Report the crash

  • Idaho: If anyone is hurt or killed, or damage to any one person's property is more than $1,500, you must tell the police right away by the fastest way you can. Inside a city, call the city police. Outside a city, call the county sheriff or the nearest Idaho State Police office. If the driver can't, a passenger who can must do it. Report to the state: No separate driver report is required by state law. The officer who investigates sends a written report to the Idaho Transportation Department within 24 hours after finishing the investigation.

Insurance and health

General safety and information steps, not legal advice.

Insurance system in Idaho

Idaho is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

System
Fault (tort)
PIP, benefits and when you can sue
No PIP is required. Idaho has no no-fault law. The driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage. Your own insurer pays your medical bills only if you bought medical payments coverage.
Law
Idaho Code § 49-1229; Idaho Department of Insurance, Auto Claims
Official text
Read the official text

Compare every state in the no-fault states table.

Who pays: comparative fault in Idaho

Rule
Modified (50% bar)
What it means
In Idaho, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were 50% or more at fault (as much as or more than the other side).
Law
Idaho Code § 6-801: your own fault doesn't bar recovery if it was not as great as the fault of the person you are claiming against; your money is reduced by your share.

Compare every state's rule in the comparative negligence table.

Who pays in Idaho: fault and payout explainer

If both drivers share the blame, your state's comparative-fault rule decides whether you can recover and how much. Enter your share of the fault and your total damages to see what the rule means. This is an illustration, not a prediction: insurers, juries and judges decide the percentages.

From 0 (not at all) to 100 (all your fault).

Repairs, rental, medical bills and other losses, before any reduction.

Modified comparative fault (50% bar)In Idaho, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were 50% or more at fault (as much as or more than the other side).

An illustration from our state data, not legal advice and not a prediction of any payout.

Minimum insurance in Idaho

Liability minimum
25/50/15
Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for injuries must be included in every policy at least at 25/50, unless you reject it in writing (or by electronic record). It usually matches your bodily injury limits (Idaho Code § 41-2502; Idaho Department of Insurance).
Official text
Read the official text

Numbers like 25/50/25 mean $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage. Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

Getting the police report in Idaho

Buy a copy online from the Idaho Transportation Department crash report search (https://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/HWY_CrashReports). A PDF of one report costs $7.00 plus Idaho.gov transaction fees. If you can't find your report, the page lets you send a request to the office.

You can also ask by mail with our free police report request letter.

Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Idaho

How fast insurers must act
State law bans insurers, intentionally or as a general business practice, from failing to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claims and similar unfair claim practices (Idaho Code § 41-1329). The statute sets no fixed number of days.

Put your claim in writing. Our free insurance claim letter lists your damages and asks for a written answer.

If the other driver has no insurance in Idaho

If the at-fault driver has no insurance, you can claim for your injuries under your own uninsured motorist coverage (included in every Idaho policy unless you rejected it in writing). Idaho's required UM/UIM coverage is for bodily injury; damage to your car is paid by your own collision coverage if you have it. Driving without insurance is an infraction with a $75 fine the first time; a second offense within 5 years is a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail (Idaho Code § 49-1229(5), § 49-1232(3)).

Read what to do if you are hit by an uninsured driver.

Deadlines to sue in Idaho

Property damage (your car)
3 years
Injury
2 years
Notes, including claims against a government
Before suing a city, county or other local government, you must file a written claim with its clerk or secretary within 180 days (Idaho Code § 6-906). For a claim against the State of Idaho, file with the Secretary of State within 180 days (Idaho Code § 6-905).
Law
Idaho Code § 5-218(3) (injury to goods or chattels, 3 years); § 5-219(4) (personal injury, 2 years)

The deadline is the statute of limitations. Insurance claims and talks with an adjuster don't stop it. Compare every state in the deadlines table.

Deadline to sue in Idaho

Every state limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a car crash. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of claim and the date of the crash to see the usual deadline and the last day to file. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

The day the crash happened.

Idaho: 3 years for property damageEnter the date of the crash to see the last day to file a lawsuit.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Exceptions can shorten or extend a deadline, and an insurance claim does not stop the clock. Check with a lawyer early.

Small claims for property damage in Idaho

Small claims limit
$15,000 since July 1, 2026 (it was $5,000 before). Small claims can't award money for pain and suffering.

Idaho small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Small claims court can be a way to recover the cost of repairs from the driver who caused the crash. Read how to use small claims for car damage.

Insurance complaints in Idaho

If an insurer delays, underpays or denies a claim without a good reason, you can file a complaint with the state insurance regulator:

Free help in Idaho

Good to know in Idaho

  • Property damage minimum is only $15,000, lower than many states (Idaho Code § 49-117(20)).
  • Officers' crash reports are not privileged or confidential under state law (Idaho Code § 49-1306(2)).
  • Police might not come to a crash on private property, such as a parking lot, unless someone is hurt (Idaho Department of Insurance).

Changes in 2024–2026

Small claims limit rose from $5,000 to $15,000 on July 1, 2026. We found no 2024-2026 change to crash reporting, fault rules or minimum limits.

Free letters

Insurance claim letter

Ask the other driver's insurer to pay your damages, in writing.

Police report request letter

Ask the police agency for a copy of the crash report by mail.

Questions about car accidents in Idaho

When do you have to report a car accident in Idaho?

If anyone is hurt or killed, or damage to any one person's property is more than $1,500, you must tell the police right away by the fastest way you can. Inside a city, call the city police. Outside a city, call the county sheriff or the nearest Idaho State Police office. If the driver can't, a passenger who can must do it. No separate driver report is required by state law. The officer who investigates sends a written report to the Idaho Transportation Department within 24 hours after finishing the investigation.

Is Idaho a no-fault state?

No. Idaho is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

Can I get money if I was partly at fault in Idaho?

In Idaho, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were 50% or more at fault (as much as or more than the other side).

What is the minimum car insurance in Idaho?

25/50/15 Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for injuries must be included in every policy at least at 25/50, unless you reject it in writing (or by electronic record).

How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Idaho?

3 years for property damage and 2 years for injury (Idaho Code § 5-218(3) (injury to goods or chattels, 3 years); § 5-219(4) (personal injury, 2 years)).

How do I get a police report in Idaho?

Buy a copy online from the Idaho Transportation Department crash report search (https://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/HWY_CrashReports). A PDF of one report costs $7.00 plus Idaho.gov transaction fees. If you can't find your report, the page lets you send a request to the office.

What if the other driver has no insurance in Idaho?

If the at-fault driver has no insurance, you can claim for your injuries under your own uninsured motorist coverage (included in every Idaho policy unless you rejected it in writing). Idaho's required UM/UIM coverage is for bodily injury; damage to your car is paid by your own collision coverage if you have it. Driving without insurance is an infraction with a $75 fine the first time; a second offense within 5 years is a misdemeanor with up to a $1,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail (Idaho Code § 49-1229(5), § 49-1232(3)).

Where can I complain about a car insurance company in Idaho?

Idaho Department of Insurance, Consumer Affairs: https://doi.idaho.gov/consumers/file-a-complaint/ · 1-800-721-3272 or (208) 334-4250

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

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