Oregon Car Insurance
People have long considered Oregon to be one of the most beautiful states on the planet. On the scenic Pacific Northwest coast, this state enjoys some of the more expensive insurance rates in the country, although there are always ways to get that down. But, before this happens, it's quite important for a person to actually understand the laws, and fortunately enough, it doesn't seem to be too tough for the person here. In fact, this is a state that really does do well in simplistic car insurance, and the mandatory legal limits here are actually a lot more reasonable than what a lot of people may have previously expected. And we'll lie out of a few things that you should think about, as well as the laws that you need to abide by to stay away from the assorted penalties in the state.
Oregon State Flag
Oregon Car Insurance Law
Oregon state law requires minimum Bodily Injury Liability limits of $25,000 per injured person up to a total of $50,000 per accident, and Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $20,000. The state also requires uninsured and underinsured motorist Bodily Injury of $25,000 per person up to a total of $50,000 limit. Also, this is a state that requires every person to carry Personal Injury Protection. The limit here is $15,000. It's what a lot of states have implemented in the past couple of years, and Oregon just implemented this new mandatory minimum in 2010, which brings it in with the litanies of other states that have done this in the past.
Also, it should be said that in the state of Oregon, a person must carry their insurance card at all times. Unfortunately, there is no exception to this rule, and a person has to be able to follow this to a T. In the event that you cannot present your valid identification card to an officer, you are destined to receive some penalties. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of people in the past who have dealt with some of these penalties in Oregon, and this may mean that you'll have to forfeit your license. And until proof is shown to the Secretary of State, you won't be able to renew, transfer, or replace your vehicle's license plate. There may be additional fines and fees associated with this venture, so it's best to stay away from it the best way that you can.
Also, it should be said that Oregon is a Tort state, as opposed to states that are exactly the opposite in the No-Fault states. This means that in the event of an accident, there will have to be someone who is at fault for the accident. The person who is found at fault is responsible for all of the damages that may be incurred, regardless of how minor or major. More often than not, the person who is found at-fault will have their insurance companies pay for the damage. And it's for this reason that a lot of insurance companies recommend that the driver consider higher coverage here than in a lot of states, as a lot of them at no-fault states. So, if you're in an accident, there will be one company that will have to pay whereas one will definitely not when it happens.
Consider This about Oregon Car Insurance
One of the things that you really have to consider here is the chance for you to get in trouble here. No one wants to go to jail because they didn't have auto insurance. In this state, there are thousands of people who do not have auto insurance. Unfortunately, this is generally the way that it goes in a lot of the states in the country. There's a story of a person who found that they were above the law, being what is generally considered a "habitual offender." This tag is generally applied to those people who keep doing the same thing expecting not to get caught, or if they do, just deal with the consequences. A lot of people generally do not consider something like this to be that big of a deal, as it's not necessarily a criminal offense.
While this is assuredly the case, this probably wasn't the best idea in their case. After being arrested 3 times after driving without insurance, they simply picked the wrong day to drive. But it wasn't just the insurance that they had a problem with, as this person really liked to drive and drive, too. We believe that you can kind of understand where we're going with this story. So, the man thought that he could drive on Oregon roads without car insurance, as well as being able to drink a good amount without having any real consequences - at least this time. They were dead wrong, and unfortunately, this something that they paid for dearly for.
When they were caught, this person stayed in jail until their court date, which the judge didn't really have a lot of sympathy for. It was only their first offense for DUI, but they also had shown great disrespect for the laws that were only put in place to help the person. Once they had their day in court, the judge was far from lenient. They said that their ruling would have been more favorable if they had shown some kind of regard for the law, but this definitely wasn't the case. Not only did the judge suspend their license for as long as they possibly could, they also saw fit to add additional jail time for the driving without insurance charge, as well as the full sentence possible for driving while intoxicated. Remember, it was only their first offense.
While we don't think that anyone will drive while impaired, it goes to show what happens when a person doesn't respect the law. It's always good to be lawful, as it's ultimately up to the judge when it comes to punishment. For a lot of people, it's just not worth it in the least.
