Best car insurance in Utah for 2023

Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.

Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Utah requires drivers to carry minimum amounts of liability insurance. Utah is a no-fault state, so part of its minimum insurance requirements includes personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which pays for the injuries you sustain in a covered loss as well as lost wages resulting from those injuries, regardless of who caused the accident.

Besides personal injury protection, Utah’s minimum insurance requirements help pay for damages you cause to the other driver, their passengers, their vehicle and pedestrians. But what about damage to your vehicle? For added financial protection, consider a full coverage policy: your state’s legal minimum requirements, plus comprehensive and collision coverage. These coverages can help round out your policy and cover you for a wider variety of damages.

Utah’s state laws may not be the only thing that dictate how much insurance you need. If you’ve financed your vehicle, your financial lender will likely require you to increase your liability limits and carry a full coverage policy. Utah’s standard liability insurance limits are 25/65/15, but most lenders use a benchmark of 100/300/50 for their liability requirements. Gap insurance may be another insurance type required by a financial lender, which helps pay the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and the market cost to replace it if it is totaled from a covered loss.

Although it must meet certain requirements — whether they’re from the Utah Insurance Department, your financial lender or a combination of the two — car insurance is a highly customizable product. With enough research, or with the help of a licensed insurance agent, you can create a bespoke policy that works for your insurance needs and your wallet.

 For instance, if  you are a high-risk driver, your coverage needs will likely look different than those of a driver with a clean record. If you have a teen driver you need to add to your policy, you may want a carrier that offers a student discount.

Keeping a clean driving record clean is essential for keeping insurance payments low. If you are a safe and careful driver, you may be able to save significantly by enrolling in your insurer's telematics program. These programs typically involve downloading an app that monitors your driving in real time, and can often save you a double-digit discount. Ask your insurance agent about this and other discount opportunities; you may qualify for discounts you didn’t even know about.