Accident Settlement Calculator

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Idaho Car Accident Settlement Calculator

In Idaho, you generally have 2 years to file an injury lawsuit, you recover nothing at 50% fault or more, and drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 in injury liability. Enter your numbers below to see what a Idaho claim may be worth and what you would actually take home.

⏳ Coming July 1, 2027: The cap is adjusted every July 1 by the change in Idaho's average annual wage; the 2027 figure is published by the Idaho Industrial Commission. Upcoming changes

1

Your accident

How serious is the injury?
2

Your costs so far

That's all you need for a first estimate. Rough numbers are fine.

Optional: make the estimate more accurate fault, insurance, lawyer fee
3

Fault and future costs

4

Insurance

5

What comes out of it

Idaho rules in 30 seconds

If you were partly at faultYou get nothing if you are 50% or more at fault
Details & exceptions

Idaho uses modified comparative negligence: an injured person can recover only if their negligence is 'not as great as' the negligence of the person they are suing (so 49 percent or less), with damages reduced by their percentage of fault. At 50 percent or more, they recover nothing.

Compare fault rules in all states →
Deadline to file a lawsuit2 years from the accident
Details & exceptions

I.C. 5-219(4): 2 years for an action for injury to the person, or for the death of one caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another. I.C. 5-218(3): 3 years for an action for 'taking, detaining or injuring any goods or chattels' (vehicle and other personal property damage); 5-218(2) also gives 3 years for trespass upon real property. Claims against government entities (Idaho Tort Claims Act): a written notice of claim must be filed within 180 days from when the claim arose or reasonably should have been discovered, with the Secretary of State for claims against the State (I.C. 6-905) or with the clerk or secretary of the political subdivision (I.C. 6-906). Liability of a governmental entity and its employees is limited to $500,000 per occurrence unless the entity carries more insurance (I.C. 6-926). Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2024-01-01) because legislature.idaho.gov was unreachable.

Compare deadlines in all states →
Other driver's minimum insurance$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Details & exceptions

Property damage minimum: $15,000. I.C. 49-117(20) ('Proof of financial responsibility'): $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident, $50,000 for two or more persons in any one accident (subject to the one-person limit), and $15,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident. The Idaho Department of Insurance and Idaho Transportation Department pages (seen only in search results, sites unreachable) give the same figures. H0770 (2026 session) would have raised the property damage minimum to $25,000 effective July 1, 2026, but bill trackers show it introduced on 2026-02-25, referred to committee on 2026-02-26, and not advanced (BillTrack50 lists it as dead).

Compare minimums in all states →
Who pays your medical billsThe at-fault driver's insuranceSee all no-fault states →
Cap on pain and sufferingYes, in most cases
Details & exceptions

Greater of $538,425.04 or 0× economic damages, up to $538,425.04. I.C. 6-1603 caps noneconomic damages in any action for personal injury, including death, at $250,000, adjusted every July 1 since 2004 by the percentage change in the Idaho Industrial Commission's average annual wage (I.C. 72-409(2)). It applies to ordinary auto injury claims. The Industrial Commission's table of caps lists $538,425.04 effective July 1, 2026 (up from $509,013.28 effective July 1, 2025). That is the cap for claims on 2026-11-13. It will change again on July 1, 2027. The cap is the total for each claimant, no matter how many parties are responsible or how many actions are filed (6-1603(2)), and the jury is not told about it (6-1603(3)). It does not apply to claims arising from willful or reckless misconduct, or from an act the trier of fact finds beyond a reasonable doubt would be a felony under state or federal law (6-1603(4)), e.g. an at-fault driver guilty of felony DUI or vehicular manslaughter. The engine_cap models a flat cap only and cannot represent these conduct-based exceptions. There is no exception for catastrophic injury. Economic damages are not capped. Punitive damages are capped separately (I.C. 6-1604).

Uninsured motorist coverageOptional
Details & exceptions

I.C. 41-2502: no auto liability policy on a vehicle registered or principally garaged in Idaho may be issued unless it includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at least equal to the 49-117 bodily injury limits, but the named insured may reject either or both in writing (or by electronic record). A rejection applies to all insureds and carries over to renewals and replacement policies from the same insurer. Insurers must give a Director-approved explanatory statement about UM/UIM coverage. Because it can be rejected, it is recorded here as not required.

Worked example: a typical Idaho car accident claim

Another driver turned left into you at an intersection in Idaho: $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury that healed in a few months. The insurer says you were 20% at fault for speeding slightly, the other driver has a $100,000 policy, and your lawyer takes 33%.

  1. Economic damages$20,000Medical bills + expected future treatment + lost wages.
  2. Pain and suffering$20,000 – $40,000Multiplier method: economic damages × 2–3 for a moderate injury, minus the economic part itself.
  3. Total claim value$40,000 – $60,000Economic + pain and suffering.
  4. After your share of fault$32,000 – $48,000Idaho uses modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you recover nothing if you are 50% or more at fault; otherwise recovery is reduced by your 20%.
  5. Limited by available insurance$32,000 – $48,000At-fault policy limit $100,000 + your UM/UIM $0.
  6. Estimated take-home$20,440 – $31,160Minus attorney fee (33%), case costs and medical liens.

You would take home about $25,800 ($20,440 – $31,160), after the 33% fee and $1,000 in case costs.

Typical figures (midpoint of a moderate injury multiplier), no medical liens. Run your own numbersor see the same crash in every state.

How much time do you have to file?

General personal injury deadline only. It can be shorter for claims against a city, county or state agency (often a written notice within months), and longer for minors. Check with a lawyer before relying on it.

Deadline traps in Idaho

The 2-year lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. These are the ones people miss:

Crash with a government vehicle or on a public road180 days

A written notice of claim must be filed within 180 days of the crash (or when it reasonably should have been discovered): with the Secretary of State for state claims, or with the clerk or secretary of the city, county or other local body.

Idaho Code 6-905, Filing claims against state or employeeIdaho Code 6-906, Filing claims against political subdivision or employee

If the injured person is a child

The 2-year clock pauses while the child is under 18, but for no more than 6 years. A child's government notice is due 180 days after turning 18 or 6 years after the crash, whichever is earlier.

Idaho Code 5-230, Disabilities (tolling, 6-year cap)Idaho Code 6-906A, Minors' claims against governmental entities

How fast a Idaho insurer must respond

Idaho sets no specific day counts. Under its Unfair Claim Settlement Practices law, insurers must act 'reasonably promptly' on claim communications and accept or deny coverage within a reasonable time after proof of loss.

Idaho Code 41-1329, Unfair claim settlement practices

If an insurer misses these deadlines, you can file a complaint with the state insurance department. Compare all states:insurance claim deadlines by state.

Next steps after a Idaho crash

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical car accident settlement in Idaho?
It depends on the bills, the injury and fault. Worked example: with $15,000 in medical bills, $5,000 in lost wages and a moderate injury, 20% of the fault, a Idaho claim against the other driver is worth about $40,000, and the injured person takes home about $25,800 after a 33% attorney fee and costs. At 51% fault, the same claim pays nothing in Idaho.
Is Idaho an at-fault or no-fault state for car accidents?
Idaho's car insurance system: At-fault (tort).
Is there a cap on pain and suffering in Idaho car accident cases?
Greater of $538,425.04 or 0× economic damages, up to $538,425.04. I.C. 6-1603 caps noneconomic damages in any action for personal injury, including death, at $250,000, adjusted every July 1 since 2004 by the percentage change in the Idaho Industrial Commission's average annual wage (I.C. 72-409(2)). It applies to ordinary auto injury claims. The Industrial Commission's table of caps lists $538,425.04 effective July 1, 2026 (up from $509,013.28 effective July 1, 2025). That is the cap for claims on 2026-11-13. It will change again on July 1, 2027. The cap is the total for each claimant, no matter how many parties are responsible or how many actions are filed (6-1603(2)), and the jury is not told about it (6-1603(3)). It does not apply to claims arising from willful or reckless misconduct, or from an act the trier of fact finds beyond a reasonable doubt would be a felony under state or federal law (6-1603(4)), e.g. an at-fault driver guilty of felony DUI or vehicular manslaughter. The engine_cap models a flat cap only and cannot represent these conduct-based exceptions. There is no exception for catastrophic injury. Economic damages are not capped. Punitive damages are capped separately (I.C. 6-1604).
What happens if I was partly at fault for an accident in Idaho?
Idaho follows modified comparative negligence with a 50% bar: you recover nothing if you are 50% or more at fault, and otherwise your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Idaho?
Generally 2 years for personal injury and 3 years for property damage. I.C. 5-219(4): 2 years for an action for injury to the person, or for the death of one caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another. I.C. 5-218(3): 3 years for an action for 'taking, detaining or injuring any goods or chattels' (vehicle and other personal property damage); 5-218(2) also gives 3 years for trespass upon real property. Claims against government entities (Idaho Tort Claims Act): a written notice of claim must be filed within 180 days from when the claim arose or reasonably should have been discovered, with the Secretary of State for claims against the State (I.C. 6-905) or with the clerk or secretary of the political subdivision (I.C. 6-906). Liability of a governmental entity and its employees is limited to $500,000 per occurrence unless the entity carries more insurance (I.C. 6-926). Statute text read from FindLaw mirrors (current as of 2024-01-01) because legislature.idaho.gov was unreachable.
What is the minimum car insurance in Idaho?
$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage. I.C. 49-117(20) ('Proof of financial responsibility'): $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident, $50,000 for two or more persons in any one accident (subject to the one-person limit), and $15,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident. The Idaho Department of Insurance and Idaho Transportation Department pages (seen only in search results, sites unreachable) give the same figures. H0770 (2026 session) would have raised the property damage minimum to $25,000 effective July 1, 2026, but bill trackers show it introduced on 2026-02-25, referred to committee on 2026-02-26, and not advanced (BillTrack50 lists it as dead).
What is the deadline to file a claim against the government in Idaho?
180 days. A written notice of claim must be filed within 180 days of the crash (or when it reasonably should have been discovered): with the Secretary of State for state claims, or with the clerk or secretary of the city, county or other local body.
How long does an insurance company have to respond to a claim in Idaho?
Idaho sets no specific day counts. Under its Unfair Claim Settlement Practices law, insurers must act 'reasonably promptly' on claim communications and accept or deny coverage within a reasonable time after proof of loss.

Related

Official sources