Utah Auto Insurance Basics

Car insurance is considered one of the most important types of insurance Utah residents will ever have. It helps to protect drivers against any unexpected risk resulting from a motor vehicle accident by covering the losses that occur as a result. Motor vehicle accidents typically occur at the most unexpected time, so it's a good idea to obtain coverage well before it's actually needed.

Types of Auto Insurance Offered in Utah

Bodily Injury Liability - This type of coverage offers an essential layer of protection for any injuries that the insured causes as a result of a motor vehicle accident. This coverage extends to both the drivers and passengers of the other vehicle as well as any injured pedestrians. This is a critical part of any Utah car insurance policy.

Property Damage Liability - This coverage is required by the state of Utah, but it is also essential to any driver. Just as the name states, this type of coverage provides protection in the event that the insured damages someone's property as a result of a motor vehicle accident. This property will typically include telephone poles, homes or business, fences, or any other private or public property.

Personal Injury Protection - This coverage option is not typically state mandated coverage, however, Utah is the exception. This coverage assists the insured with paying for loss services, wages, medical expenses, or funeral expenses. It will generally cover the person named on the policy as well as anyone related by blood, or legally adopted children, and any other passengers within the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Uninsured and Under-insured Motorist Coverage - This coverage is pretty self explanatory and covers just what it says. This helps to protect against any property or physical damage sustained as a result of a motor vehicle accident in which the person who is at fault either doesn't have insurance at all or enough insurance to cover the damages.

Collision – This coverage option protects the insured against any repairs or replacement to the vehicle in the event of a motor vehicle accident. Before payment is made for this type of claim, the insured must first meet the deductible which can range from $250 to more than $1000. Generally, the higher the deductible the lower the annual premium.

Comprehensive – Helps to pay for damages incurred as a result of damage to the insured's vehicle. These incidents include fire, natural disasters, and vandalism. In addition to these events, comprehensive coverage also covers against auto theft.

Utah Auto Insurance Laws

In order for any driver to legally operate a motor vehicle in the state of Utah, that vehicle must have automobile insurance. It's not only the law but an excellent way to protect a vehicle as well as the passengers inside. The state has set a minimum amount of coverage that each driver must legally carry. However, in most instances it's a good idea to not only meet these coverage minimums but also to exceed them. In most instances the cost of repair, injuries, and property damage that may occur as the result of a motor vehicle accident will typically greatly exceed these minimums.

Utah Coverage Scale:

* $25,000/$65,000 - bodily injury liability (per person/per incident)

* $15,000 – property damage liability

* $3,000 – personal injury protection

Uninsured motorist bodily injury, under-insured motorist bodily injury, collision, and comprehensive coverage are all optional coverage components.

To receive Utah auto insurance quotes, here is a brief listing of insurance companies licensed in the state:

* Allstate Insurance Company

* Geico Insurance Company

* Travelers Insurance Company

* Progressive Insurance Company

* Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

When deciding on auto insurance it's important to obtain several Utah car insurance quotes to get cheap car insurance. Utah residents have the opportunity to obtain as many quotes as they'd like in order to do so.

Utah as a No-Fault State

Utah is also considered a no-fault state. This means that in the event of a motor vehicle accident, the parties injured must first turn to their own insurance companies for payment of any damages or injuries as a result of the accident, known as a first-party claim. Each driver is required by the state to carry at least $3,000 in personal injury protection coverage (PIP), for each passenger injured in the vehicle. Once this amount has been exhausted, only then can the injured parties receive benefits from their insurance company or any other party involved in the accident. This can be done in the form of a lawsuit. Since the state has these laws into place, the number of people able to file a lawsuit as the result of an accident is relatively low. However, if an individual has suffered a serious injury, the requirement to to exhaust the PIP benefits first is eliminated.

In Utah these benefits are considered serious enough to meet the injury threshold:

* Permanent disfigurement

* Permanent impairment

* Permanent disability

* Dismemberment

Utah Automobile Insurance Rates

The average insured driver in the state of Utah will pay an annual premium of $1,800 each year, which is only slightly higher than the national annual average of $1,752. Insurance companies consider several factors when determining Utah auto insurance ratings which impact the rates. There not just limited to the driver and driving history either. Insurance companies also consider the state's seat belt use, vehicle theft statistics, and roads and road conditions.

Seat belt use – Nearly 86% of all Utah residents wear their seat belts while in a motor vehicle. This number is slightly higher than the national average and up more than 65% over the last 25 years.

Vehicle theft – According to statistics the state of Utah has a range of 51.82 auto thefts to 344.07 auto thefts per 100,000 people throughout the state. Salt Lake City tops the list at 344.07. The most commonly stolen car in the state is the 1996 Honda Accord.

Roads and road conditions – Road conditions in the state can go from good to bad in a single day. As a result, road conditions can change as well. Changes in weather can be attributed to increased motor vehicle accidents which help insurance companies determine their rates for a particular area. On the positive, since the state is densely populated, roads stay in good condition wear wise, which is something insurance companies also pay particular attention to.

Utah cheap car insurance is possible if you first understand what goes into Utah car insurance ratings which determine premium amounts.

For more information on insurance rules and regulations for the state of Utah, contact the state Department of Insurance here. (http://www.insurance.utah.gov/)