Car Insurance in Oregon

Oregon Car Insurance

In Oregon, you are legally required to carry several types of car insurance coverage: liability, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist coverage.

You cannot register your car without carrying the required insurance, and if you’re caught driving without current insurance coverage, you’ll face harsh consequences.

Car Insurance Requirements

Oregon requires all drivers to hold ALL of the following types of insurance:

• Bodily injury liability.
• Property damage liability.
• Personal injury protection.
• Uninsured motorist.

New Residents

If you’re new to Oregon, you have 30 days from the time you become a resident to title and register your vehicle. You must have proof of Oregon car insurance to do so.

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance helps cover costs incurred by injuries to another person or by property damage in an accident that you cause.

In Oregon, you’ll need to have at least the following minimums of liability insurance:

• $25,000 for bodily injury, per person.
• $50,000 for total bodily injury to others, per accident.
• $20,000 for property damage, per accident.

Personal Injury Protection

Your car insurance policy must include personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. PIP helps pay for medical expenses incurred up to 1 year after an accident.

Your policy must include a minimum $15,000 of PIP coverage per person.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you in the event that you are involved in a crash with a driver who does not have current auto insurance or whose insurance is too low to adequately cover your costs.

The minimum requirements for uninsured motorist coverage are equal to that of the liability insurance minimums:

• $25,000 per person.
• $50,000 per crash.

Optional Insurance Coverage

You might find that if you get into an accident, the mandatory insurance coverage types aren’t enough to adequately cover your costs.

When you speak with your Oregon car insurance agent about designing your policy, make sure to ask about the following optional additions:

• Comprehensive – Helps cover non-collision-related expenses, such as those related to theft, fire damage, or vandalism.
• Collision – Pays costs incurred by damage to your vehicle in an accident with another car or an object.
• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) – Helps make up the difference between the actual cash value of your vehicle and the amount you may owe.
• Rental reimbursement – Helps you pay for transportation when your car is being repaired after an accident.
• Uninsured motorist property damage – Covers costs of damage to your property from an uninsured or underinsured driver.

Assigned Risk Pools

If you have a less-than-stellar driving record, or you’ve been in multiple accidents, insurance companies might deem you a “high-risk” driver.

If you are unable to find insurance through the standard market, you can ask any insurance agent for help getting a policy through the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans (WAAIP).

It is important to remember that car insurance policies obtained through the WAAIP will typically be much more expensive, so it’s best to shop around as much as possible for car insurance quotes before you turn to this assigned risk pool.

For questions, call (800) 227-4659.

Proof of Insurance

As a driver in Oregon, you must be able to show proof that you have met the basic minimum car insurance requirements. You will need to show this proof during certain vehicle-related transactions, such as registering your vehicle.

Valid proof of car insurance includes:

• A current insurance card.
• A current liability insurance binder or policy.
• A signed letter from an insurance agent or company official (on company letterhead).
• A DMV certificate of self-insurance that names the vehicle owner.

DMV Insurance Verification

The Oregon DMV will verify the insurance status of drivers in the state every month by requesting that a random selection of drivers provide:

• The name of their insurance company.
• Their policy number.

The DMV takes and verifies this information with the insurance company identified by the driver.

If the DMV selects you to provide this information and you don’t respond, your license will be suspended.

If you respond with false information, you’ll be required to hold an SR-22 for 3 years (see “OR Insurance Violations” below).

OR Insurance Violations

Driving without insurance in Oregon can be costly. If you’re found to be operating a vehicle without the required minimum car insurance, you face the following penalties:

• Fines.
• Driver’s license suspension.
• Towing of your vehicle.
  • You’ll be responsible for any towing fines/storage fees.

If you are involved in an accident while uninsured, you’ll face license suspension for 1 year. Once you’ve reinstated your license, you’ll be required to file an SR-22 for 3 years (see below).

SR-22 Proof of Responsibility

If you’ve been driving without insurance and you’re found to be guilty of doing so by a judge, you can be ordered to file an SR-22 with the DMV for 3 years.

An SR-22 acts as proof of financial responsibility, meaning a guarantee that you’ll hold at least the minimum required car insurance for a full 3 years.

If you do not file an SR-22 when ordered, your license will be suspended.

Car Insurance Policy Cancellation

Oregon car insurance companies have the right to cancel a driver’s policy if they deem that driver poses too high of a risk. Policies are often cancelled for the following reasons:

• Frequent claims.
• Poor driving record.
• Bad credit history.
• Nonpayment of premium.

If your Oregon insurance policy gets cancelled because you haven’t paid your premium, your insurance company is only required to give you 10 days advance notice.

However, if your policy is cancelled for any other reason, the insurance provider must give you notice at least 30 days before the cancellation date. The notice of cancellation must explain the reason for your policy’s cancellation.

Concerns About Your Policy

If you have any questions about your car insurance policy or issues that you need help handling, you can file a complaint form through the Oregon Insurance Division:

• Online:
  • English online form.
  • Spanish online form.
• By mail or fax. Download and complete one of the following forms and mail or fax it to the address on the form:
  • Consumer Complaint (English) (Form 440-3600).
  • Consumer Complaint (Spanish) (Form 440-3600-s).

It is important to note that the Oregon Insurance Divisioncannot act as an attorney. They can, however, help determine whether your insurance company is following the law when doing business with you.

Determination of Your Car Insurance Rates

Many factors go into the calculation of your auto insurance rates. These include, but are not limited to:

• Your:
  • Age.
  • Sex.
  • Marital status.
  • Address.
• Your driving record.
• How many drivers will be on your policy.
• Your credit score.
• Your work history.
• 
  

Note that each insurance company weighs certain factors differently, so you’ll likely get a different rate estimate from each one. For this reason, it’s best to thoroughly shop around and compare car insurance quotes before settling on a provider.

Also remember, the very best way to get low-cost insurance in Oregon is to maintain a good driving record by following traffic laws and driving safely.

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Most Stolen Cars Oregon

Owning a car that is heavily targeted for theft could mean higher car insurance rates.

The following is a list of Oregon's most stolen cars in 2013, according to www.nicb.org:

1. Honda Accord.
2. Honda Civic.
3. Toyota Camry.
4. Ford Pickup (Full Size).
5. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size).
6. Subaru Legacy.
7. Acura Integra.
8. Toyota Corolla.
9. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee.
10. Dodge Pickup (Full Size).