State profile · UT · CMS + NAIC
Utah marketplace insurers denied 19.7% of claims (17th of 30 states); drivers average $1169/yr for auto cover, #21 nationally by cost.
The verdict
Marketplace insurers in Utah deny 19.7% of claims - near the 20% national average, the 17th-highest of 30 states, and drivers pay an average $1169 a year for auto cover, about the $1191 national average (the 21st-most-expensive of 51 states).
Molina Healthcare of Utah: 23.8% denied (30,751 of 129,448)
24 % of claims denied
BridgeSpan Health Company: 20.7% denied (1,752 of 8,456)
21 % of claims denied
SelectHealth, Inc.: 19.8% denied (1,707,856 of 8,646,012)
20 % of claims denied
University of Utah Health Insurance Plans: 19.7% denied (128,598 of 652,716)
20 % of claims denied
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah: 18.4% denied (77,339 of 421,327)
18 % of claims denied
What this shows These carriers deny the largest share of marketplace claims filed in Utah. Denial rates reflect plan design and network rules as much as carrier behaviour.
5 insurers reporting marketplace claims in Utah
| # | Insurer | Claims | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molina Healthcare of Utah D | 129,448 | |
| 2 | BridgeSpan Health Company B | 8,456 | |
| 3 | SelectHealth, Inc. C | 8,646,012 | |
| 4 | University of Utah Health Insurance Plans C | 652,716 | |
| 5 | Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah B | 421,327 |
Among carriers with enough reported claims to compare, Utah's highest marketplace denial rates in this dataset belong to Molina Healthcare of Utah (23.8%), BridgeSpan Health Company (20.7%), and SelectHealth, Inc. (19.8%). A high rate often reflects utilization-review intensity and network design, not just claim legitimacy -- check the carrier's own profile before drawing conclusions.
The reported-claims sample is highly concentrated: the 3 largest insurers account for 99% of the 9,857,959 claims represented here. That makes the statewide rate especially sensitive to the mix and experience of a few reporting carriers. Only insurers with at least 1,000 claims in the CMS filing are included, so this is a description of the available dataset rather than the full insurance market.
SelectHealth, Inc.: 1,467 of 5,422 reported appeals overturned
27 appeals overturned (%)
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah: 60 of 487 reported appeals overturned
12 appeals overturned (%)
University of Utah Health Insurance Plans: 155 of 482 reported appeals overturned
32 appeals overturned (%)
What this shows Across the 3 carriers with at least 100 reported appeals in Utah, 26.3% of reported appeals were overturned (1,682 of 6,391). This filing field describes reported outcomes, not the likelihood that an individual claim will change.
2019: $955 average expenditure
$955 avg expenditure
2020: $937 average expenditure
$937 avg expenditure
2021: $947 average expenditure
$947 avg expenditure
2022: $1024 average expenditure
$1,024 avg expenditure
2023: $1169 average expenditure
$1,169 avg expenditure
What this shows Utah drivers' average auto cost rose 22% between 2019 and 2023.
Year over year, Utah's average auto expenditure rose 14.1% from 2022 to 2023, part of a 22% increase (+$214) since 2019. See the full 5-year state-by-state comparison.
Utah auto rates in detail →Utah: $1169/yr average auto expenditure (this state)
$1,169 avg expenditure
Mississippi: $1200/yr average auto expenditure
$1,200 avg expenditure
Oregon: $1170/yr average auto expenditure
$1,170 avg expenditure
Missouri: $1155/yr average auto expenditure
$1,155 avg expenditure
Pennsylvania: $1155/yr average auto expenditure
$1,155 avg expenditure
Evidence map
The order below follows the evidence with the greatest bearing on this state record, while keeping the CMS claims filing, NAIC cost series, and state-rule context distinct.
Reporting-sample shape
The 3 largest reporting insurers represent 99% of the 9,857,959 claims in this page's CMS sample. That concentration means the statewide rate can be strongly affected by a few carriers and their plan mix.
Marketplace claims filing
Utah's reporting insurers denied 19.7% of submitted marketplace claims, ranking 17th among the 30 states with a comparable federal filing. This is a carrier-reported claims measure, not a consumer-complaint rate or a prediction of how an individual claim will be resolved.
Auto-cost position
Utah's 2023 average auto expenditure was $1169, 21st of 51 jurisdictions by cost and 1.8% below the national average. The figure reflects the coverage mix recorded by NAIC, not an individual driver's quote.
State insurance rules
Utah is one of 12 no-fault auto-insurance states: drivers file injury claims with their own insurer's Personal Injury Protection coverage regardless of who caused the accident, rather than suing the at-fault driver. Utah's insurance commissioner is an appointed office (in most states, by the governor), not an elected position -- one of 39 states structured this way.
Nearest expenditure peers. By average auto expenditure, Utah's closest peers in PlainInsurer's dataset are Oregon ($1170/yr) and Missouri ($1155/yr) -- both within a few dollars of Utah's own $1169/yr.
Border comparison. Utah borders Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Utah's auto costs run higher than 3 of them and lower than 3, by average auto expenditure -- geography is one of several factors (alongside regulation and risk pool) that shapes these differences, not a direct cause.
Rate regulation and guaranty-fund coverage are state-specific, so a state record can differ from an insurer's national average. Sources: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2026; NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; Insurance Information Institute; Ballotpedia.
State insurance-department directory links come from NAIC. PlainInsurer is not affiliated with NAIC or CMS.
Every figure on PlainInsurer comes directly from NAIC MCAS and CMS Transparency in Coverage data; no editor types in numbers. See our editorial standards or methodology, or report an error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Grades measure only the published complaint/denial data; we don't recommend any insurer or policy.