Insurance laws by state: Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona
The four states we're licensed in set different rules for car insurance minimums, injury coverage, how fault works after a crash, how much notice an insurer must give before dropping a home policy, and what protections come with a life insurance policy. This page puts them side by side, with every rule linked to the statute or state regulator it comes from.
Checked against primary sources on 2026-09-22. This is general education, not legal advice. Laws change, and what a specific policy pays is subject to its terms, exclusions, and any applicable endorsements.
Auto insurance
| Rule | Idaho | Oregon | Washington | Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liability minimums | 25/50/15Idaho requires minimum auto liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage.Idaho Code 49-117 | 25/50/20Oregon requires minimum auto liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $20,000 for property damage.ORS 806.070 | 25/50/10Washington requires minimum auto liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage; a 2025 amendment to RCW 46.30.020 did not change these dollar figures.RCW 46.29.090 | 25/50/15Arizona has required minimum auto liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage, since July 1, 2020.ARS 28-4009 |
| PIP (medical payments) | Not requiredNo Idaho statute requires personal injury protection coverage on an auto policy; Idaho is a fault-based tort state without a PIP mandate.Idaho Code Title 41, ch. 25 (no PIP mandate found) | Required, $15k/2 yrsOregon requires personal injury protection coverage with at least $15,000 in medical benefits payable within two years of the accident.ORS 742.524 | Must be offeredWashington insurers must offer PIP as optional coverage on every new or renewed auto policy (minimums: $10,000 medical, $2,000 funeral, $10,000 income loss at $200/week, $5,000 loss of services), and the insured may reject it in writing.RCW 48.22.085; RCW 48.22.095 | Not requiredArizona law does not require PIP, and no statute was found requiring insurers to include or offer it; medical payments coverage, where purchased, is optional.ARS 20-259, 20-259.01 (no PIP mandate found) |
| UM/UIM | Included unless rejected in writingIdaho auto liability policies must include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage at the state minimum limits unless the named insured rejects either coverage in writing or by electronic record.Idaho Code 41-2502 | Required, floor 25/50Oregon requires UM/UIM coverage equal to the policy's bodily injury limits unless the insured elects lower coverage in writing, subject to a floor of $25,000/$50,000.ORS 742.502 | Included unless rejectedWashington auto policies include underinsured motorist coverage automatically unless the named insured rejects it in writing.RCW 48.22.030 | Must be offered in writingArizona insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage by written notice on a director-approved form, up to the policy's bodily injury limits; the coverage is optional, and the declarations page records the named insured's decision to buy or reject it.ARS 20-259.01 |
| Fault rule | Modified comparative (barred at 50%)A claimant recovers only if their negligence was not as great as that of the party they are suing, so a claimant found 50% at fault recovers nothing; otherwise damages are reduced by the claimant's share of fault.Idaho Code 6-801 | Modified comparative (barred over 50%)A claimant recovers if their fault is not greater than the combined fault of the defendants and others the jury must compare, so a claimant found 50% at fault can still recover; damages are reduced by the claimant's percentage of fault.ORS 31.600 | Pure comparative faultWashington lets a claimant recover damages reduced by their own percentage of fault, even if that percentage exceeds the defendant's.RCW 4.22.005 | Pure comparative faultArizona reduces a claimant's damages by their own percentage of fault without barring recovery, except that a claimant who intentionally, willfully or wantonly caused the injury gets no benefit of comparative negligence.ARS 12-2505 |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | $75 (1st); up to $1,000/6moA first offense of driving without insurance is an infraction punishable by a $75 fine; a second or later offense within five years is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.Idaho Code 49-1229(5); 49-1232(3) | Class B violation, $265 presumptiveDriving uninsured in Oregon is a Class B traffic violation, which carries a presumptive fine of $265 (plus any surcharge) and a maximum fine of $1,000, and a person convicted must file and maintain proof of financial responsibility with DMV for three years.ORS 806.010; ORS 153.019; ORS 153.018 | $550+ fineWashington treats failure to provide proof of required insurance as a traffic infraction, and the Dept. of Licensing states that driving without it can bring a fine of $550 or more.WA Dept. of Licensing; RCW 46.30.020 | $500-$1,000 min. + suspensionA first violation carries a minimum $500 civil penalty and a 3-month license suspension or restriction; a second within 36 months a minimum $750 and 6-month suspension of license, registration and plates; a third or more a minimum $1,000 and 1-year suspension, plus proof of financial responsibility on reinstatement.ARS 28-4135 |
Homeowners insurance
| Rule | Idaho | Oregon | Washington | Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancellation notice | 30 days (10 nonpayment)Idaho's standard fire policy statute requires 30 days' written notice of cancellation, or 10 days' notice when cancelling for nonpayment of premium; House Bill 562 (2026) raises the standard notice to 60 days, with the reason stated, effective January 1, 2027.Idaho Code 41-2401(1)(j); HB 562 (2026 Sess. Laws ch. 201) | 10 days (nonpay/fraud); 30 otherOnce a homeowner policy has been in effect 60 days (or on any renewal), Oregon allows cancellation only for listed reasons, with at least 10 days' notice for nonpayment or fraud and 30 days' notice for the other permitted reasons.ORS 746.687(1), (3), (6) | 60 days (10 nonpayment)For policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, Washington requires at least 60 days' written notice of cancellation, or 10 days' notice for nonpayment of premium, stating the actual reason for cancellation.RCW 48.18.290 | Cause-based after 60 daysNo statutory day count for mid-term cancellation notice was found; once a policy has been in effect 60 days (or on renewal) it may be cancelled only on listed grounds such as nonpayment, fraud, or a substantial change in risk. Check the policy's own notice provision.ARS 20-1652 |
| Nonrenewal notice | None set; 60 days from 1/1/2027Current Idaho law sets no nonrenewal notice period for fire policies; House Bill 562 (2026) requires 60 days' written notice of nonrenewal with the reason stated, effective January 1, 2027, and keeps coverage in force until 60 days after a late notice.Idaho Code 41-2401(1)(k) as amended by HB 562 (2026), eff. 1/1/2027 | 30 daysAn Oregon insurer must mail or deliver notice of renewal or nonrenewal of a homeowner policy at least 30 days before the policy period ends, unless the policy is in lapse status.ORS 746.687(4) | 60 daysFor policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2025, Washington requires at least 60 days' written notice before nonrenewal of a policy.RCW 48.18.2901 | 30 days before policy endArizona insurers must send notice of intent not to renew at least 30 days before the end of the policy period, or the policy renews automatically at current rates.ARS 20-1654 |
| FAIR Plan (insurer of last resort) | None foundNo Idaho FAIR Plan was found: Idaho is not listed in the PIPSO directory of state FAIR and residual property plans, and no Idaho statute or Dept. of Insurance page establishing one was located.PIPSO member directory (Idaho not listed) | Yes, $600k/$1M limitsOregon has a FAIR Plan; since May 2023 its maximum limits without additional underwriting approval are $600,000 for dwelling and farm coverage and $1,000,000 for commercial buildings.Oregon DFR; Oregon FAIR Plan Association | YesWashington's FAIR Plan is established by insurance commissioner rule to make essential property insurance available where it cannot be obtained through the normal insurance market.WAC 284-19-020 | None foundNo Arizona FAIR Plan was found: Arizona is not listed in the PIPSO directory of state FAIR and residual property plans, and no Arizona statute or Dept. of Insurance and Financial Institutions page establishing one was located.PIPSO member directory (Arizona not listed) |
Life insurance
| Rule | Idaho | Oregon | Washington | Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free look | 20 daysIdaho requires a 20-day free look period during which a life insurance policy may be returned for a full premium refund.Idaho Code 41-1935 | 10 days (filing standard); 30 if replacingNo Oregon statute setting a free-look period for new life policies was found, but the state's life form-filing standards require a right-to-examine provision of at least 10 days, and a policy that replaces existing coverage must allow 30 days to return it for a full refund.OAR 836-080-0029(1)(d); DFR form 440-2456F; OAR 836-051-0015 | 10 daysA Washington life insurance policyholder may return the policy within 10 days of receiving it for a full refund of premium paid.RCW 48.23.380 | 10-day refund option (by rule)Arizona regulation lets an insurer either include an unconditional refund provision of at least 10 days or deliver the Buyer's Guide and Policy Summary before accepting the initial premium; no Arizona statute setting a free-look period for life policies was found.AAC R20-6-209(C)(1) |
| Grace period | 30 days (after year 1)Idaho requires a 30-day grace period for premiums due after the first policy year, during which the policy stays in force.Idaho Code 41-1904 | 30 daysOregon requires a life insurance grace period of 30 days (or one month of not less than 30 days) for premiums after the first, during which the policy stays in force and the insurer may charge interest of up to 6% a year.ORS 743.165 | 30 days (1 month)Washington requires a grace period of one month, but not less than 30 days, for any premium after the first; for individual policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, insurers must also send a lapse notice at least 30 days before coverage ends, with some exceptions.RCW 48.23.030 | 30 daysArizona requires a 30-day (or one-month) grace period for late life insurance premium payments, during which the policy stays in force.ARS 20-1203 |
| Incontestability period | 2 yearsAn Idaho life insurance policy becomes incontestable, except for nonpayment of premiums, after it has been in force during the insured's lifetime for two years from its date of issue.Idaho Code 41-1905 | 2 yearsAn Oregon life insurance policy must be incontestable, except for nonpayment of premiums, after it has been in force for two years from its date of issue during the insured's lifetime.ORS 743.168 | 2 yearsA Washington life insurance policy becomes incontestable after being in force during the insured's lifetime for two years from its date of issue.RCW 48.23.050 | 2 yearsAn Arizona life insurance policy becomes incontestable, except for nonpayment, after being in force during the insured's lifetime for two years from issue.ARS 20-1204 |
| Life guaranty association limits | $300k death / $100k CVThe Idaho Life & Health Guaranty Association caps its obligation at $300,000 in life insurance death benefits per individual, of which no more than $100,000 may be cash value.Idaho Life & Health Guaranty Association | $300k death / $100k CVThe Oregon Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association caps its obligation at $300,000 in life insurance death benefits per individual, of which no more than $100,000 may be net cash surrender or withdrawal value.ORS 734.810(11)(b) | $500k death / $500k CVWashington's guaranty association caps life insurance protection at $500,000 in death benefits per life, of which no more than $500,000 may be net cash surrender or withdrawal value.RCW 48.32A.025(3) | $300k death / $100k CVThe Arizona Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Fund caps coverage at $300,000 in life insurance death benefits per individual, of which no more than $100,000 may be net cash surrender or withdrawal value.ARS 20-682(E)-(F) |
Go deeper by state
Auto requirement guides: Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Arizona. Homeowners guides: Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Arizona.
For Treasure Valley flood, storm and wildfire figures, see our Treasure Valley insurance risk data.
Let's talk about your coverage
Free, no-obligation quote. We'll call you back within one business day.
(208) 880-5598
Get a free quote
Licensed in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona