Oklahoma Auto Insurance Quotes and
Coverage Guide
Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Insurance
Questions & AnswersQ: Is auto insurance mandatory?
A: Yes. And more than wind will come sweepin’ down
the plain if you don’t get it. Oklahoma has strict
laws about having valid auto liability insurance.
"Liability" means that as a driver, you are legally
and financially responsible for injury, death, or
property damages caused by you or your vehicle when
you go rocketing down the road singing “Oklahoma!”
at the top of your lungs and run smack into someone
peacefully minding their own business trying to find
something more interesting to look at than buffaloes
grazing in a field of oil pumps.
If you are in a collision, you must show your proof
of liability insurance to the other driver and to
the other people involved, no matter how justifiably
embarrassed you may be.
You should also write down the information from the
other driver's insurance card and the driver's
complete name, driver’s license number, and date of
birth for your own protection – in case he tries to
sic that buffalo on you in retaliation.
Q: Is Oklahoma a "tort" state?
A: Yes. Basically, this means there are no
restrictions on lawsuits. You can be sued out the wahzoo for pain and suffering and for out-of-pocket
expenses such as medical costs, if you slam into
someone while tooling around The Sooner State’s
prairies – and not only by the other driver, but the
other driver’s passengers as well.
Q: What type of insurance is required to purchase
and maintain an Oklahoma tag and registration?
A: Your car insurance coverage in Oklahoma must
provide a minimum of $10,000 for injury liability
for one person in an accident, $20,000 for all
injuries in an accident, and $10,000 for veering off
the highway and whacking that buffalo standing next
to the oil pump.
Q: What if I really do hit a cow or buffalo that’s
wandered into the road?
A: Unless you can prove the farmer negligent – like
not keeping his fences up or leaving a gate open –
his insurance will not pay for any damage to you or
your car because animals like these have a known
tendency to get tired of looking at oil pumps, too,
and sometimes escape from where they’re supposed to
be. Unless you have your own comprehensive
insurance, well, you’re just out of luck, unless you
go for roadkill.
Q: What if I fail to keep insurance on my vehicle
that I’ve registered in Oklahoma?
A: A conviction of failure to comply with the
Compulsory Insurance Law or failure to produce proof
of insurance to a law enforcement officer or
Department of Public Safety representative upon
request can result in:
-- A fine of up to $250, 30 days in jail, or both
-- Suspension of license and registration
-- Being put in jail with Muzak that only plays
Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones singing “Oklahoma!”
Q: Why did my insurance go up after my accident even
though no claim was paid?
A: There are many reasons rates could increase, some
of which may not be related to your accident:
-- a statewide rate increase from the company
-- a recent negative report on your credit history
-- buffalo across the state have signed a petition
against you
But if you were the at-fault party in the accident,
the company can legally apply a surcharge even
though no claim was paid. The logic is that your
insurer is rating a driver that has an at-fault
accident on your record that was not there
previously. A driver with an at-fault accident on
record (even a minor one) is considered a higher
risk than a driver with no accidents – especially
one who tries harder to avoid buffalo.
Q: Why does my credit history have anything to do
with my insurance rates?
A: Most insurance companies use credit scores when
setting premiums for their auto and homeowners
insurance lines. Statistically there is a
correlation between credit scores and the likelihood
a person will file a claim in the near future.
It may be easy to understand, though, using auto
insurance as an example. A person who is
conservative with spending, makes sure to pay bills
on time and does not let debt get out of control,
may be a generally cautious person – and generally
cautious people are less likely to have accidents
than others. Whether or not this is the actual
reason, it can be statistically proven that people
with more favorable credit scores are less likely
than most to file insurance claims. Or hit buffalo,
sing “Oklahoma!” or have unrealistic expectations of
Oklahoma scenery.
Q: I own several vehicles but do not operate some of
them. Do I need insurance for the inoperative ones?
A: Yes, if they are currently registered. The number
one reason for keeping your car insured is that
state law requires you to carry liability coverage
on any auto that you own or operate on state roads.
If your car is inoperable, you can get a special
decal from your tag agent exempting coverage. It is
called a “black tag” and indicates you cannot drive
the vehicle. Otherwise, sell them and buy yourself
some buffalo. Then you’ll only need to worry about
watching where you step.
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