Car Insurance Laws in Utah

Before you hit the road, brush up on Utah’s laws surrounding car insurance, starting with the most basic liability coverage: bodily injury per person.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

You’ll need coverage that meets these car insurance requirements in Utah.

• $25,000: Bodily injury liability per person
• $65,000: Bodily injury liability per accident
• $15,000: Property damage liability per accident
• $3,000: Personal injury protection per person¹

The law requires you to not only purchase auto insurance but also carry proof of it whenever you are driving.

Driving Without Insurance Penalties

Driving in Utah without insurance could result in a fine of up to $1,000. However, if you show proof of insurance before your sentencing, you can get your fine reduced to either $100 or $700, depending on which offense number it is.

Even though the following coverages are not part of minimum coverage, they could save you money if you: cause an accident; if your car is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by weather; or if someone hits you who has no, or insufficient, insurance.

• Collision coverage: Whether or not you caused the crash, collision insurance would pay to repair or replace your car if it’s totaled.
• Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive coverage pays to repair or replace your car if it’s affected by anything other than collisions, such as auto theft, vandalism, or inclement weather.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is liability insurance for your damages and bodily injuries. It applies if the at-fault driver hits your car and leaves, has no insurance, or doesn’t have limits high enough to cover your losses.

2020 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the last year for which they released such information, indicates the average annual cost of car insurance in Utah is $937. That’s 10 percent lower than the average car insurance rates across the U.S.²

How do insurance companies determine rates? According to the Utah Insurance Department, they can take into consideration the following factors:

• Credit score
• Driving record
• Gender
• Mailing address
• Marital status
• Vehicle make and model³

Utah no longer requires safety inspections when registering the majority of vehicles. Exceptions include the following:

• Salvage vehicles that you want to rebuild and title
• Street-legal, new ATVs
• Commercial vehicles that display or present to law enforcement
• Three-axle motorhomes

In addition, if you live in Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, or Weber Counties, you might be required to get emissions inspections, depending on your vehicle’s age and model year.⁴

In 2021, 33 people in Utah died in car accidents that involved distracted drivers. That means 4 percent of all people who died in car crashes that year were victims of distracted driving, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

In Utah, it’s illegal to use handheld wireless communication devices while operating moving vehicles on highways. This law is under primary enforcement, which means a police officer can pull you over for this violation alone. If convicted, you could face fines and even jail time.⁵

Now that you’ve learned about car insurance laws in Utah, you’re ready to start driving. But before you hit the road, check out our frequently asked questions below for even more helpful information.