Driving in Oregon without Car Insurance-Innocent Until Proven Guilty?

Driving in Oregon without Car Insurance-Innocent Until Proven Guilty?

Part of the beauty of living in a democracy is that you’re innocent until proven guilty by a trial of our peers-unless you’re caught driving the Oregon highways without car insurance. Then it’s every man for himself, and you can guarantee that the DMV is going to be watching you closely for years after the offense.

How Much Car Insurance Are You Required to Have?

You could walk into the first Oregon car insurance provider you could find, close your eyes and point to a car insurance policy, but why would you want to? That technique works great for picking a vacation spot (as long as you’re willing to accept the chances that you might wind up spending your summer with the eskimos!) but not so great for choosing your insurance coverage. You’ve got to make sure you have the insurance you need at a price you can afford, and unfortunately that usually means doing some homework.

George Orwell might have had it right when he was talking about Big Brother peeking over your shoulder. In this case, however, rather than micromanaging your life we’re talking about minimum insurance requirements laid out by the state. If you’re going to be driving in Oregon you’re going to be required to carry a minimum of:

· $25,000 per person bodily injury and property damage liability,

· $50,000 per crash for bodily injury to others,

· $10,000 per crash for anyone else’s personal property that decides to get involved,

· $15,000 in personal injury protection (to cover “reasonable and necessary medical, dental and other expenses one year after a crash”), and

· $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash in uninsured motorist coverage.

A Light Vehicle Trip Permit allows you to operate unregistered passenger vehicles under 10,000 lbs, light and special use trailers under 8,000.bs, low-speed vehicles, mopeds and motorcycles.

According to the Oregon Department of Insurance, proof of this coverage has to be provided every time you register a motor vehicle or you buy a light vehicle trip permit. When you register your car you’re also essentially signing on the dotted line to promise to continue to carry that minimum level of coverage for the duration of the time you’re out on the roads (either while the vehicle is in your name or until your trip permit runs out).

What Happens When You Get Busted?

Courtesy of the economic recession drivers from coast to coast are looking for ways to save money and minimize their monthly expenses. Some drivers do this by cutting back on the amount of time they spend on the road. Others are doing it by eating at home rather than going out. And some drivers have decided that their car insurance is an acceptable sacrifice on the altar of fiscal wellness.

They’re wrong.

Aside from the obvious fact that you never want to be involved in an accident without insurance coverage backing you up (the expenses from these accidents start at $2,000 for a fender bender and climb up from there) if you’re busted driving without insurance a judge can slap you with a fine, tow your vehicle and suspend your Driver’s License for a year or more. And guess who’s going to be responsible for paying the storage fees?

You’re also going to have to file proof of financial responsibility in the form of a SR-22 from your Oregon licensed car insurance provider proving that you have sufficient insurance coverage for at least three years after the accident. And you thought your parents looking over your shoulder was bad…

Car insurance for Oregon drivers isn’t optional in any way, shape or form, and closing your eyes and pointing to a policy isn’t going to cut it. Contact a registered Oregon car insurance provider today to find out how much insurance you need to hit the highways.

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