Updated July 2026
What Is Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance?
Full coverage car insurance is not a single policy type but a package combining three distinct coverages: liability (required by Idaho), collision (pays for your vehicle damage in accidents), and comprehensive (pays for non-collision damage like theft or hail). Liability covers injuries and property damage you cause to others, collision covers your car when you hit another vehicle or object, and comprehensive covers your car for nearly everything else. Each coverage has its own deductible and limit, and you can adjust them independently to control cost.
- You rear-end another car at a stoplight in Boise. The other driver has $8,000 in vehicle damage and $15,000 in medical bills. Your liability coverage pays the other driver's $23,000 in costs up to your policy limits. Your collision coverage pays to repair your own vehicle, minus your deductible. If you only carried Idaho's minimum liability and no collision, you would pay out of pocket to fix your car.
- A summer hailstorm in Idaho Falls causes $4,200 in dents and broken glass across your vehicle. Comprehensive coverage pays the repair cost minus your deductible. Liability and collision do not cover weather damage. Without comprehensive, you pay the full $4,200 yourself or drive a damaged vehicle.
- Your car is stolen from a parking lot in Meridian and never recovered. Comprehensive coverage pays the actual cash value of your vehicle minus your deductible. If your car was worth $18,000 and your deductible is $500, you receive $17,500. Liability-only policies provide nothing for theft.
Who Needs Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance?
Full coverage makes sense if your vehicle is worth more than $4,000, if you cannot afford to replace it out of pocket after a total loss, or if a lender requires it as a loan condition. Drivers in areas with high theft rates, frequent hail, or heavy traffic benefit most from the collision and comprehensive protections. If losing your car would prevent you from getting to work or meeting daily obligations, full coverage provides financial certainty.
Add up one year of full coverage premiums and your deductible. If that total is more than 50 percent of your vehicle's current value, you are likely overpaying for coverage. Check your car's actual cash value using Kelley Blue Book or a similar tool, then compare that to your annual cost. Keep full coverage if you cannot replace the vehicle without insurance money; drop it if you can absorb the loss and prefer to self-insure.
How Much Does Full Coverage Car Insurance Insurance Cost?
Full coverage in Idaho typically adds $95–$165 per month compared to liability-only policies, bringing total premiums to approximately $140–$220 per month or $1,680–$2,640 per year.
- Vehicle value and age — newer and more expensive vehicles cost more to insure because collision and comprehensive payouts are higher.
- Deductible selection — choosing a $1,000 deductible instead of $250 can reduce premiums by 20–30 percent.
- Driving history — at-fault accidents and speeding tickets increase collision coverage costs more than comprehensive.
- Location within Idaho — urban areas like Boise and Meridian have higher collision rates and theft risk, raising premiums compared to rural counties.
- Credit-based insurance score — Idaho allows insurers to use credit history in pricing, and lower scores increase full coverage costs significantly.
- Annual mileage — drivers logging over 15,000 miles per year pay more for collision coverage due to increased accident exposure.