- Utah auto insurance laws are set by the state.Utah state contour with Capital City against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
As of 2010, Utah auto insurance laws are established by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles and include several requirements for any driver operating a motor vehicle in the state. Residents and non-residents of the state must carry proof of auto insurance while operating a vehicle and must present that proof when requested by a law enforcement officer. Auto insurance policies must provide particular coverage and set amounts of coverage as established by state law. - To comply with state auto insurance law, all drivers and vehicles in Utah must carry a current, no-fault auto insurance policy during each car registration year. Non-residents who own or drive a vehicle in the state for a period of 90 days during the preceding 365 days must also maintain a current, no-fault auto insurance policy. Specifically, Utah car insurance laws require drivers to maintain polices that provide liability coverage covering a minimum of $25,000 per person and $65,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 per accident for property damage.
- Utah auto insurance laws also require insurance policies to provide a minimum of $3,000 of personal injury protection. This coverage provides a wide variety of protection for the driver of the vehicle and includes coverage for medical costs, loss of essential services provided by injured driver (childcare, housekeeping, medical care, etc.), lost wages and funeral expenses. This coverage is most often associated with no-fault insurance policies.
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is another of Utah's mandatory auto insurance laws that must be provided by an auto insurance policy. This facet of an auto insurance policy will pay an insured driver and other passengers who are injured as the result of an accident up to the amount of coverage purchased in the policy. To collect on this coverage, the at-fault driver must be uninsured, underinsured or the accident was a hit-and-run.
- Though not required by Utah's auto insurance laws, comprehensive and collision coverage is usually a type of coverage that is required by lenders. Collision insurance covers damages done to a driver's vehicle caused by an object, a rollover or another vehicle. Comprehensive coverage protects a car owner from damages caused by vandalism, wind, flood, hail, theft, glass and fire. Commonly, owners of older cars are encouraged to waive comprehensive and collision coverage to keep insurance premiums to a minimum.
Drivers in Utah are also encouraged, if possible, to purchase auto insurance coverage exceeding the state-required minimum amounts.
