Insurance Requirements
Drivers in Oregon are required by law to provide evidence of financial responsibility in the event of a collision. The most popular way of proving financial responsibility is to obtain a liability insurance policy. If you are insufficiently insured at the time of an accident, your driver’s license will be suspended. That’s right, they skip right past the detention and go directly to the suspension. These people mean business.
Your policy must—at a minimum—provide the following coverage:
- $25,000 for a single death or injury.
- $50,000 for death or injury to multiple persons.
- $20,000 for property damage.
- $15,000 for personal injury protection.
- $25,000 per person/ $50,000 per accident uninsured motorist coverage.
One thing to note, however, is that these are just the minimums. Some people prefer to have more substantial coverage, so be sure to talk to your insurance agent about the policy that is best for you, both financially and legally.
Before operating your vehicle, you should check with your insurance company to make sure you are properly insured. You must meet each of the following conditions:
- Your policy must provide coverage that equals or exceeds each of the amounts listed above. We recommend having a policy written that exceeds these values if you plan on driving into a lot of stuff.
- You CANNOT register your vehicle (see below) or buy license plates without first insuring the vehicle. If at any time your coverage lapses, the insurance company is required by law to notify the DMV, who will then contact you to obtain proof of coverage. If you are found to be driving without insurance, your plates and license will be suspended for three years, AND you’ll have to pay a fine. See, they think that not driving is better than driving uninsured, but little do they know… no, actually we agree.
- You MUST have your insurance card on you at all times while you are driving. If a police officer asks you for your card and you don’t have it, you can bet your sweet biscuits you’ll get a ticket.