Cheap Auto Insurance in Oregon (2024)

Oregon is a state of breathtaking natural features and stellar cultural hot spots. Whether you’re driving down the coast on U.S. Route 101 or trekking through green country to enjoy the features of the world-renowned outdoor playground in Bend, Oregon has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

Oregonians are proud of their culture — and rightfully so.

The Bend-Redmond metro area is the top-performing small metro area — not just in Oregon, but in the nation — for its plentiful and cheap recreational opportunities and its job growth in the tech sector.

It’s also becoming known for being a major source of expertise in drone technology. Portland, Oregon’s largest city, is considered one of the top cities in the nation in terms of quality of life.

Oregon has some of the best-quality cities in the country in regards to culture and possible available activities. So, whether you are visiting one of the wineries or enjoying some of the many outdoor activities in Bend, it’s smart to get the right car insurance for you so that you can have peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.

Let’s go over some information to help you be better informed about Oregon’s insurance rates, laws, and safety. Just make sure to have a designated driver when you’re visiting one of the state’s 300 wineries.

If you want to find insurance quotes in your area, just enter your ZIP code above.

Oregon Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

The average annual cost of operating a car in Oregon — which benefits from having no sales tax, some of the nation’s lowest licensing fees, smart planning, and lower than average insurance rates — is just $2,204.

That’s 31 percent less than the national average of $3,201.

How Much Auto Insurance Costs in Oregon

Discover how auto insurance rates vary across different cities in Oregon. Select your city from the list below to learn about insurance costs in your area.

What is Oregon’s car culture?

Oregon’s most popular car is the Subaru Outback whose motto is “Get Out. And Stay Out.” This helps highlight how important outdoorsy activities are to many of those who live in The Beaver State.

Oregon is one of only two states in the nation to still have full-service gas stations, and you certainly take it seriously. Although there are a few exceptions for rural areas, one quirky charm of Oregon for out-of-towners is the fact that you don’t have to pump your own gas.

It’s such a major part of Oregonian culture that some natives have never pumped gas for their own car.

Oregon is also known for its polite drivers.

Oregon is known for its extreme weather conditions, so driving in the state can be hazardous sometimes.  It’s important to be prepared for anything, and we are going to be going over some options to help you do just that.

How much coverage is required for Oregon minimum coverage?

So, exactly what do we mean by minimum insurance coverage requirements?

Oregon follows an at-fault system for car accidents.

Oregon follows a traditional fault-based system when it comes to who takes on the financial responsibility in an accident. If you already know what this means, then you also know why it is important for every driver to carry at least the minimum insurance coverage.

Essentially, this means that the person who is found at fault for causing the accident is responsible for all of the resulting damage. This includes vehicle damage, medical bills caused by injuries, lost wages from time away from their job, etc.

Liability insurance is the safeguard to keep you from owing thousands of dollars if you are found at fault in a car accident.

Clearly, you do not want to be found at fault for an automobile accident.

So, here’s the breakdown. minimum liability insurance requirements are as follows:

• $25,000 bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle
• $50,000 for total bodily injury or death liability in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle
• $20,000 for property damage per accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle

In addition, Oregon requires motorists to carry $15,000 in personal injury protection coverage per person, and it also requires $25,000 per person/ $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage.

One important thing to note is that liability insurance will only cover the damages of the other person if you are found at fault.

If your own vehicle gets damaged or if you have medical bills to pay related to the accident, you will need to buy additional coverage to cover your own losses.

What are forms of financial responsibility in Oregon?

What we mean by “a form of financial responsibility” is essentially just a different term for proof of insurance. Most companies will give you a physical card with your coverage information you can just keep in your car at all times. You can also elect to receive your cards electronically.

By law, you must carry proof of insurance coverage at all times in your car. Oregon also allows motorists to show electronic proof of insurance on any wireless device.

Here are the acceptable forms of proof of insurance:

• Valid liability insurance ID cards
• Copy of your current car’s insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (a temporary form of car insurance)
• Picture or screenshot of the proof of insurance on your smartphone
• Electronic insurance card

So, what will happen if you are pulled over and are unable to show your proof of insurance?

• You may be cited for “failure to carry proof.”
• You may potentially have to pay a fine between $130 and $1,000.
• Your license may be suspended for one year. If this happens, you will be required to buy a special SR-22 Certificate from your insurance company and keep it on file at the DMV for 3 years in order to get your license back.

If you have been caught driving without insurance, you may need to file an SR-22 form to prove you do have insurance. It’s a form of financial responsibility which guarantees that you will hold at least the minimum required car insurance for a full three years.

There are a few reasons why you would need to file an SR-22:

• You have a conviction of driving without insurance on your record
• You own a vehicle that was uninsured at the time of an accident
• You want to reinstate your driving privileges
• You are applying for a hardship or probationary permit

We will go over SR-22s later.

It is illegal to drive without insurance in Oregon, but it is also illegal to drive without having proof of insurance.

If you’re really not great at keeping track of these things, that’s okay. Just save your insurance card electronically or snap a photo of it so that you will have it on your phone if necessary.

How much percentage of income are premiums in Oregon?

Oregon has the 35th-most expensive premiums in the United States.

In 2014, Oregon’s annual average per capita income was $36,445. This is the average disposable income of Oregonians after paying taxes. So, why is this important for you to know?

In 2014, Oregonians paid on average $894.10 for full comprehensive car insurance. That means that they paid on average 2.45 percent of their take-home income for car insurance alone.

This is actually a higher percentage than the national average spent on car insurance. Across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the average price of full comprehensive car insurance was 2.29 percent of their take-home income.

However, it is important to take into account that the average disposable income across the U.S. in 2014 was higher, at $40,726.23, and the average insurance plan of full comprehensive insurance was also higher, at $943.80.

Hopefully, these estimates can give you a good idea of what you may have to pay in car insurance. Keep in mind these estimates were taken in 2014, so it’s a safe bet that car insurance rates have increased since then.

From 2012-2014, rates increased an average of 9.3 percent or $76.03.

Oregon’s rates are cheaper than neighboring Nevada, but its rates are higher than other bordering states Washington, Idaho, and California.

What are the core coverages in Oregon?

The following data from the below table is pulled directly from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

This data was published in 2015, so expect that these rates have increased slightly since then. This information is based upon the state minimum requirements.

While it’s good to have the basics, it’s smart to carry more coverage than the minimum required. If you get into an accident, it could make the difference between a low-stress phone call and thousands of dollars in debt.

Protect yourself as well as you can, and your wallet may thank you later for it. Do you want to learn more about extra coverage? Keep reading. We are going to go over your options in Oregon.

What additional liability is available in Oregon?

All car insurance companies in Oregon have what is called a “loss ratio.” This refers to the relationship of premiums taken in verses claims paid to customers.

To give you an example, a company that has a loss ratio of 70 shows that the company spent $70 in payments to the customers for every $100 in premium payments that the company earned.

The closer a loss ratio is to 100, the more claims are being paid.

However, if it is too close to 100 (or sometimes over), the company is paying out more than it is bringing in. If it is too low, not enough claims were getting paid. Generally, the safe spot for companies is in the 60-70 percent range.

As mentioned previously, Uninsured/Underinsured and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage options are required in the state of Oregon.

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage — the coverage that pays for your medical expenses after you’re in an accident
• Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage (UUM) — protects you if you are in an accident with a driver who is uninsured or underinsured. So if they are the one who caused the accident and are unable to pay for your accident costs, this coverage is what will cover your damages.

You can see in the below table that Oregon insurance companies are doing a pretty good job keeping premiums and payments balanced for Personal Injury Protection and Uninsured/ Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UUM), but there is definitely an imbalance with Medical Payments.

These are additional liability insurance coverage types that you can add on to an existing policy. But why would you? Basic insurance is already pretty expensive.

Well, it’s important because not every driver obeys the laws and carries car insurance. Despite the fact that it’s illegal, millions get away with it every day. It’s simply impossible to monitor every driver’s status all the time.

So, if you get hit by an uninsured driver, they may not have the funds to cover all the damages. They could end up going bankrupt trying to pay for all the damages.

What should you look for when shopping for an insurance provider? Just look at the table above.

Loss ratios above 100 percent may mean that too many fraudulent claims are getting paid out, and the company may be at risk of bankruptcy. On the other hand, if the loss ratio is under 50 percent, the company may not be paying all the claims it should be. This is an important factor to pay attention to.

What add-ons, endorsements, and riders are available in Oregon?

More insurance is always better insurance, so click on these links below if you are looking for even more coverage:

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Pay-As-You-Drive or Usage-Based Insurance

Take a look if you think these could apply to you and see if you’re interested. The choice is yours.

Does gender and age affect my car insurance in Oregon?

Did you know there are other factors that affect how much you pay for insurance? These include your gender, age, and whether you are married or single. The chart below should give you an idea of how this breaks down.

Based on our research, it looks like State Farm Mutual Auto may be the better option if you’re older and married. If you’re a 17-year-old male looking at your rates, you may want to avoid Allstate, which is almost twice as much as Geico.

If you’re young and see these high rates, try not to get too down about it. It may not seem fair, but they go down considerably across the board as you age.

At 25 years old, most insurance companies consider you to be an “experienced driver” and modify their rates accordingly. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you should keep a clean driving record, as this is the biggest factor for insurance rates as you get older.

Oregon was the first state in the nation to allow nonbinary as a gender. This will show as an X in the gender identifying field on a driver’s license. At this time, Oregon still allows insurance companies to determine insurance quotes based on gender identification.

This data is based upon actual purchased insurance in Oregon and includes rates for high-risk drivers as well as for drivers who choose to purchase additional insurance more than the state-required minimum.

What are the cheapest rates by ZIP code in Oregon?

Do you live in a large city like Portland, or do you live in a rural area with more privacy and fewer neighbors? Where you live in Oregon affects what your insurance rate is going to be.

It may not seem fair that these factors affect how much you pay, but insurance companies look at things like vehicle thefts, crime rates, and fraud rates in the community. In the end, you’re going to be paying toward that if the rate is high in your area.

Use the search bar below to see the rates for where you live. We’ve gone through by ZIP code and listed all of the provider’s costs next to the city and ZIP.

Hopefully, this will help you get a ballpark figure of what someone should be paying for car insurance in your neck of the woods.

The cheapest ZIP code in Oregon is 97850, with an average of $2,953.60 per year in premiums. 97236 is on the other side of that. At $4908.54, it is the most expensive ZIP code in the state. That’s almost two grand more than 97850.

Did you find what you were looking for? Let’s check by city now.

What are the cheapest rates by city in Oregon?

We’ve compiled the average data for the main cities in Oregon. Look below and see if your city is there, and you’ll be able to get an idea of what you should be paying for auto insurance.

Find your city using the search bar below to see the cheapest rates available there.

Gresham has the most expensive average rate at $4,503.13. If you live there, you’ll end up paying 55 percent more than La Grande — the least expensive in the state at $2,904.97.

This makes sense, as La Grande is a small town of around 13,000 people, while Gresham is a suburb of Portland. With more crime comes higher premiums.

This should give you a general idea of the cheapest rates in your area.

Enter your ZIP code below to compare auto insurance rates.

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Best Oregon Car Insurance Companies

So, how do you choose the best car insurance company for you? There are hundreds out there, and the information can be overwhelming. We’ve included this section so you can get a basic breakdown to help introduce you to the best (and worst) companies.

Since Oregonians spend an average of 2.45 percent of their take-home income on automobile insurance, it’s important to know that your money is going to the best option out there.

Let’s go over the financial ratings, company complaints, A.M. Best ratings, and more important topics you should know about.

What are the financial ratings of the largest car insurance companies in Oregon?

Look at the table below, and you can see all of the top insurance providers in Oregon and what their individual A.M. Best Rating is.

AM Best Ratings show the financial strength of a company. If you look at the loss ratios, the numbers tell a story here. None of the top 10 companies have loss ratios above 100 percent or below 50 percent, which means they are balancing customer claim payouts and premiums well.

Take a minute to watch the video below and learn more about what an A.M. Rating is.

Now, let’s see which companies have the best J.D. Power Ratings.

Which car insurance companies have the best ratings in Oregon?

If you’re ever in an accident, it will probably be a pretty stressful situation. When you’re on the phone waiting for the insurance company to answer the phone, it makes things a little easier when the customer service is friendly and helpful. The last thing you want is to speak to someone who is being rude when you’re already having a bad day.

J.D. Power conducts a study every year that ranks car insurance companies based on customer satisfaction grades.

The 2019 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, now in its 20th year, examines customer satisfaction in five factors (in order of importance): interaction; policy offerings; price; billing process and policy information; and claims.

The study is based on responses from 42,759 auto insurance customers and was fielded from February through April 2019.

In the table below, the J.D. Power Circle Ratings are based on a five circle scale. Five circles mean they are among the best, four mean “better than most”, three mean “about average,” and two mean “the rest.” Take a look below to see how these companies rank.

*Note: USAA is an insurance provider that is only open to U.S. military personnel and their families. Therefore, it is not included in the rankings.

With the exception of USAA (which again, is only available to U.S. military personnel and their families), it looks like PEMCO Insurance is the top-rated in the Northwest Region.

Which car insurance companies have the most complaints in Oregon?

The data from the table below is pulled from the NAIC.

These numbers don’t necessarily mean that a company is bad. Every company has complaints, so this probably shouldn’t be your deciding factor.

It’s more important how the company follows through and handles these complaints. They have to be doing something right to make it into the top companies in a region.

What are the cheapest car insurance companies in Oregon?

It’s a good idea to shop around to find the right insurance provider and coverage levels. This can help save you hundreds of dollars when looking for the right one. One company will offer one rate, and another company may offer you a completely different (and lower) rate.

Check out the data below for some of the rates for the most popular insurance providers in Oregon.

You can see there’s a lot of variation. The average total for car insurance rates in Oregon is $3,397.12 per year.

If you’re looking for a cheap car insurance company, you may want to look into Statefarm. Remember that USAA is only available for members of military personnel and their families.

Does my commute affect my car insurance rate in Oregon?

You may not realize it, but the amount of driving you do in your day-to-day life can affect how much you pay for car insurance. Some companies charge more for longer commutes and more miles put on the vehicle.

If you have the kind of lifestyle where you are on the road all the time, pick out the best car insurance for you, and then you’ll only have to worry about which audiobook you want to listen to next.

Some companies — like Allstate and Nationwide —  have similar rates that don’t change if the length of commute is 10 miles or 25 miles. Other companies such as Travelers and Statefarm do charge more for drivers with long commutes. Something to think about.

Can coverage level change my car insurance rate with companies in Oregon?

Many companies will give you a break by having a higher amount of insurance coverage. In some cases, it’s only a few hundred dollars more annually, though it could save you thousands in the long run.

A few companies —such as Liberty Mutual and Progressive — can actually immediately save you money by choosing the higher insurance coverage level.

It can be tempting to get the lowest coverage simply because it costs less, but a higher level of coverage helps to protect you so much more and may save you money in the long run.

How does my credit history affect my car insurance rate with companies in Oregon?

Providers are a business and need to make money, so they want to make sure you are a good investment for them and will pay your bills.

Your credit history will affect your insurance rate.

Whether it’s fair or not, the lower your credit score is, the less they will be willing to believe you will pay them. If you want low insurance rates, you have to have a decent credit score. If you don’t, you’ll be paying high rates until you can improve it.

According to Experian, the nation’s average credit score is 675. That is the highest national average credit score since 2012, so consumer’s credit scores are on the rise.

Oregon’s average credit score is 688.

Here are the average annual rates based upon your credit score in Oregon:

• Good Credit (670+): $2,695.87
• Fair Credit (580-669): $3,210.06
• Poor Credit (300-579): $4,435.63

Consumer Reports did a study comparing driver credit and insurance rates. They found that a single adult driver with a clean record but poor credit paid on average $2,302 more annually than a driver with good credit.

How does my driving record change my rates with car insurance companies in Oregon?

All these factors are important, but the biggest factor to influence your car insurance rate is your driving record.

Not everyone is a good driver. If you have a bad driving record, your rates will reflect that and will be higher. This is because you become a higher risk for the insurance company, so they want to get more money upfront in case they have to pay out more claims later for a bad driver.

Here are the annual average rates for car insurance based upon your driving record in Oregon:

• Clean Record: $2,737.97
• 1 Speeding Violation: $3,270.77
• 1 Accident: $3,720.45
• 1 DUI: $4,059.53

You’ll save a lot of money by being a safe driver and keeping a clean record.

Which car insurance companies are the largest in Oregon?

Take a look below to see the biggest car insurance providers in Oregon and their market shares.

State Farm has the biggest share in Oregon.

How many car insurance companies are available in Oregon?

Look below, and you can see that there are far more foreign insurers than domestic insurers in Oregon.

What does domestic and foreign insurers mean? Domestic means they were formed under the laws of the state of Oregon, whereas foreign here means that they were formed under the laws of the United States.

Oregon State Laws

Let’s talk about Oregon state laws. We’re going to be going over how laws are determined, as well as licensing laws, rules of the road, and safety laws. Let’s get into it.

What are the car insurance laws in Oregon?

You don’t need to know every Oregon state law. There’s so many to slog through, and some of it is outdated or not really relevant for your day-to-day.

However, we are going to be going through some that you should know. It won’t hurt to have a basic understanding of laws that determine rates, can help you avoid tickets and fines, and will help you stay safe while driving along the beautiful coastline or city streets in Oregon.

How State Laws for Insurance are Determined

Before we get into Oregon auto insurance laws, let’s talk about how auto insurance laws are formed.

According to the NAIC, domestic car insurance rate filing laws are formed using a system called file and use. 

When creating rate filing laws, Oregon uses the file and use system.

If you wish to find out more about how laws are created in Oregon, check out Oregon.gov.

Windshield Coverage

We’ve all been there — driving somewhere, minding our own business — when something flies into the road or a rock flies out of seemingly nowhere and hits the windshield. If that debris cracks the windshield, it can be a day-ruiner.

That’s where it’s a good thing to have windshield coverage for your car.

In Oregon, there is no specific law regarding windshield replacement. Some individual insurance providers may offer it with comprehensive coverage.

By law, insurers may use “aftermarket crash parts” if it is at least the same quality with respect to function, fit, finish, and resistance to corrosion. The customer has the right to choose the replacement vendor.

High-Risk Insurance

It’s possible you may need to get high-risk SR-22 insurance at some point. This can be a requirement if you have been involved in any situation that would make you be a “high-risk” driver.

Being convicted of, or even just being involved in, any of these can lead to a driver needing to obtain SR-22 insurance in order to continue driving.

• A DUI or DWI
• Getting caught while driving with you license either revoked or restricted
• Repeated traffic offenses racked up over a short period of time
• Causing an accident while driving without car insurance
• You are found at-fault for an accident but are unable to pay for the damages
• Driving on a suspended license
• Unpaid child support

While applying for and paying for the SR-22 itself is not expensive, you can expect your car insurance rates to go up by at least 50 percent, and it varies based on what caused you to require an SR-22.

Insurance companies have the right to refuse the sale of high-risk insurance to anyone.

Low-Cost Insurance

Unfortunately, Oregon is not a state that has a government-funded system to help support low-income families pay for car insurance. But don’t get discouraged over that. There’s plenty of discounts that insurance companies offer that you can take advantage of.

Check with your car insurance provider to see if you might qualify for any of these discounts:

• Good driver discount
• Student discount
• Bundling (with other policies) discount
• Teacher discount
• Military personnel discount
• Low mileage discount

California, New Jersey, and Hawaii are the only states in the U.S. that provide insurance aid to low-income families right now.

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Oregon

So what’s insurance fraud mean?  Car insurance fraud is a significant program in the United States, with an estimated $30 billion stolen every year.

People who commit insurance fraud include:

• Organized criminals who conduct theft of large sums through fraudulent business activities
• Professionals who inflate service costs or charge for services not rendered
• Ordinary people who want to cover their deductible or view filing a claim as an opportunity to make a little extra money

The IIHS says insurance fraud can be “hard” or “soft.” Hard fraud occurs when someone deliberately fabricates claims or fakes an accident.

Soft insurance fraud, or opportunistic fraud, occurs when people pad legitimate claims, for example, or, in the case of business owners, list fewer employees or misrepresent the work they do to pay lower premiums for worker’s compensation.

According to an Insurance Research Council (IRC) study, fraud accounted for between 15 percent and 17 percent of total claims payments for auto insurance bodily injury in 2012.

The study estimated that somewhere between $5.6 billion and $7.7 billion was fraudulently added to paid claims for auto insurance bodily injury payments, compared to a range of $4.3 billion to $5.8 billion in 2002.

If you commit insurance fraud in Oregon, you will likely be facing heavy penalties and possibly even jailtime. It’s important to only report the legitimate claims and not add anything “extra.”

If you or someone you know needs to contact someone about Oregon insurance fraud, we have put the information below.

350 Winter St. NE
Room 410
PO Box 14480
Salem, OR 97309

888-877-4894 (toll-free in Oregon)

The best way to stay out of insurance fraud trouble is to just never pad your claims or lie about it, to begin with.

Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations law protects car insurance companies from claimants who try to file a claim many years after an accident has occurred.

The statute of limitations law also protects a driver by giving him or her plenty of time to file a claim with their respectful insurance company.

In the state of Oregon:

• A person has just two years from the day of their accident to file a personal injury claim.
• They will have a total of six years from the day of the original accident to file a property damage claim.

This is a decent amount of time, so it’s a good idea to submit your claims as soon as you are able within this time frame. When you can, just get it out of the way and get the money you need to help you.

Oregon-Specific Laws

There are a few unique or out of the ordinary laws in Oregon concerning drivers.

Oregon statue ORS 811.265 states that you are required to stop at a yellow light just as you would at a red light.

Now, most drivers in America would see the light turn yellow and likely speed up to make it through the light before it turns red. Well, in Oregon, that is illegal. You could possibly even get a ticket for driving through the intersection on a yellow light.

The exception stipulated in this law is that you are allowed to drive through the yellow light IF you are unable to stop your vehicle safely.

But if you see it, have time to stop, and just don’t — you may be stopped and get ticketed. It’s better safe than sorry for this one, so make sure to stop whenever you see a yellow light in Oregon. Just stop.

In Portland, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. of the following morning, no vehicles may pass along or across a traffic congestion thoroughfare more than two times.

Speedracing — or any kind of endurance racing — is prohibited and illegal in Oregon.

It is illegal for a person to commit the offense of improperly disposing of human waste if the person is operating or riding in a motor vehicle. If the person throws, puts or otherwise leaves a container of urine or other human waste on or beside the highway, that is an illegal act.

What are the vehicle licensing laws in Oregon?

Car insurance is a necessity for any driver — and driving without it can really hurt your wallet and your peace of mind. We will be explaining vehicle licensing laws in these next sections.

Let’s talk about REAL ID, penalties for driving without insurance, teen driving laws, license renewal procedures and more.

REAL ID

You’ve probably heard of REAL ID by now, and you probably know it’s something you are expected to get. But what is REAL ID? Watch the video below to get a quick synopsis.

The purpose of having the REAL ID is that you will need one in the future to access federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

Oregon is one of only four states and U.S. territories that has anextension for REAL ID enforcement, allowing Federal agencies to accept driver’s licenses and identification cards from Oregon at Federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and federally regulated commercial aircraft until August 7, 2020. Just be sure to get it by then.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

Driving without insurance is against the law. That’s obvious by now, right? Well, let’s go over what might happen if you to drive uninsured and why it’s a very bad idea.

Some of the penalties you could face for driving without at least the minimum required insurance are:

• A fine of $130-$1,000 (with $260 as the presumptive fine)
• If in an accident, at least one-year license suspension
• Proof of financial responsibility required for three years

While we are talking about this topic, let’s review the acceptable forms of insurance that you can provide if needed:

• Valid liability insurance ID cards
• Copy of your current car’s insurance policy
• Valid insurance binder (a temporary form of car insurance)
• Picture or screenshot of the proof of insurance on your smartphone
• Electronic insurance card

If you aren’t able to provide any of these forms of insurance to a police officer when pulled over, you may be responsible for the consequences listed above.

Stick your insurance ID cards in your glove box and forget about it. If you’re really not good at carrying around ID cards, take a picture on your smartphone and save it where you can quickly access it if you are asked.

Teen Driver Laws in Oregon

Teenagers can start taking driver’s education when they turn 15 years old. In Oregon, drivers education classes are required for all new drivers between the ages of 16 and 18.

Take a look at the table below to get an idea of the requirements in Oregon for teen driver laws.

Once a teen turns 16 and has held an Oregon driver’s permit for at least six months, they can make an appointment to take their driver’s license test. They also must:

• Provide proof of school enrollment, exemption, or completion
• Turn in a completed driver license application, which must be signed by your parent or guardian. If you are a minor who is married or emancipated, you do not have to do this step.
• Present proof of these: full legal name, your legal U.S. presence, identity, date of birth, and your address
• Social Security number
• Pass a safe driving practices knowledge test. This test can be taken 30 days prior to your 16th birthday.
• Pass a driving test and vision screening test

See below for age restrictions.

The night and passenger restrictions are no longer applicable to you after you turn 18.

During the first six months after getting a provisional driver’s license:

• You cannot drive with any passenger under the age of 20 who is not an immediate family member.
• You cannot drive between the hours of 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless you are driving to or from work, school, or accompanied by a licensed driver over the age of 25.

During the second six months after getting your provisional driver’s license:

• You cannot drive with more than three passengers under the age of 20 unless they are immediate family members.
• You cannot drive between the hours of 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless you are driving to or from work, school, or accompanied by a licensed driver over the age of 25.

What if you’re an older driver?

Older Driver License Renewal Procedures

No matter what age you are, regulations in Oregon require that you renew your driver’s license every eight years.

If you are 50 or older, the state requires a vision test that you must pass every eight years when you go to renew your license.

Oregon does NOT allow mail or online renewals for driver’s licenses.

You must go to the DMV in order to get your new license every time.

New Residents

If you are planning to move to Oregon soon or if you are a new resident, there are a few things you should know.

Oregon requires new residents to register their vehicle and obtain a title within 30 days of moving to the state. You must have proof of insurance within Oregon to do so.

In order to keep some accountability of its residents, the Oregon DMV picks a random sampling of drivers in the state every month to verify their insurance status. They require that these random drivers provide the name of their insurance company and their policy number.

If you are chosen and do not respond to this request, your license will be suspended. If you provide false information, you’ll be required to hold an SR-22 for three years.

Oregon’s minimum liability insurance requirements are that you must have are as follows:

• $25,000 bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle
• $50,000 for total bodily injury or death liability in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle
• $20,000 for property damage per accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle
• $15,000 in personal injury protection coverage per person
• $25,000 per person/ $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage

You must also obtain an Oregon driver’s license within 30 days of becoming a resident.

License Renewal Procedures

As stated above, Oregon licenses have to be renewed every eight years. The DMV is required to provide reasonable notice of the upcoming expiration by mail. However, if you have failed to notify the DMV of a change of address, it’s not their fault. Make sure to keep your information up-to-date with the DMV in case they need to contact you.

If your license has been suspended or revoked, they are also not required to notify you. If the license was for a limited-term for less than one year, then it’s the same deal. They aren’t required to notify you.

Oregon allows the nonbinary designation of “X” for gender on driver’s licenses.

If you do allow your license to lapse (and hopefully are not driving during that time), it’s important that you apply for the renewal of an expired license within one year of expiration, or you will have to apply for a brand new license. Hopefully, you will not need to worry about that.

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS)

Negligent driving — which is a “lesser offense” of reckless driving — is defined as driving a vehicle “in a careless or imprudent manner that endangers any property or the life or person of any individual.”

The only difference between reckless and negligent driving is the severity, and the line separating the two is often unclear.

Essentially, reckless driving is operating a vehicle in a way that is obviously dangerous, but negligent driving may be lesser instances of bad driving.

The penalties for reckless driving are more severe than those for negligent driving. Both are misdemeanors.

Reckless driving can get you:

• 90 days — first offense
• One year — second offense within five years
• Three years — third offense within five years

Negligent or careless driving has consequences, as well:

• Negligent driving can be a class B traffic violation that carries a fine of $130 to $1,000 without an accident.
• If a driver causes an accident while driving carelessly, they are guilty of a class A violation and could get a fine of $220 to $2,000.
• If this accident causes death or serious injury to another person, that carries with it $200 to $2,000 in fines, 100 to 200 hours of community service, and the requirement that you must complete a traffic safety course.

Let’s go over the rules of the road.

What are the rules of the road in Oregon?

What do we mean by rules of the road?

Well, we are going to be going over several things, including seat belt and car seat laws, move over laws, speed limits, and ride-sharing laws, as well as automation laws that are fairly new.

Fault vs. No-Fault

Oregon follows an at-fault system for car accidents.

This means that any driver who is found at-fault in an accident is then responsible for all medical bills and property damages of all vehicles involved in the accident.

This is why it is so important to have more than the state-mandated minimum coverage. If you are involved in an accident with only liability, your own property and medical bills will be coming out of your pocket.

Seat Belt and Car Seat laws

Oregon has had a mandatory seat belt law since 1990, and it’s important to buckle up when you get in a vehicle. It’s just safe, and you might be facing a fine if you are caught not wearing a seat belt.

That “Baby on Board” sticker is only going to help so much, so keep your kids buckled up and in the proper restraints to help ensure their safety.

Here is an informative video on how to pick the correct car seat for your child.

Have you ever wondered if it’s illegal to ride in the cargo area of a pickup truck in the state of Oregon?

According to AAA, riding in the cargo area of a pickup truck is not permitted for persons under the age of 18 unless secured by passenger restraint. Some other exceptions apply.

Who is not covered:

• People 18 and older
• Minors secured with a safety belt or harness
• Parades
• Minors seated on the floor of the open bed of a motor vehicle in which all available passenger seats are occupied by minors, the tailgate is securely closed and the minor is being transported either in the course and scope of employment or between a hunting camp and hunting site or between hunting sites during hunting season and the minor has a hunting license

Now you know.

Keep Right and Move Over Laws

You may have heard of “keep right or move over” laws.

In Oregon, you must keep right if you are driving slower than the average speed of traffic around you.

Oregon law ORS 811.315 states that a person must move to the right to allow traffic to pass. This does not apply if you are passing a vehicle or preparing to turn left into an intersection, private road, or driveway.

You are also required to move over for emergency and service vehicles, such as these:

• Law Enforcement Vehicles
• Ambulances
• Fire Trucks
• Utility Service Trucks
• Roadside Assistance Vehicles
• Tow Vehicles

If you are driving toward a stationary vehicle that has hazard lights on while you are traveling in the same direction, you are required to move over to the closest lane.

If conditions or traffic make it not safe or impossible for you to do so, you must reduce your speed to at least 5 mph under the posted speed limit.

Speed Limits

The information below is brought to you by the IIHS.

Are you aware of Oregon’s maximum speed limits? These are the maximum speed limits. Pay attention to posted signs, as speed limits will vary on different roadways.

Take a look at this video to see a simulation of what a head-on car crash looks like going 100 mph. This was done in a controlled environment by professionals, so do not try this at home.

Always observe posted speed limits.

Ridesharing

What is ridesharing?
Ridesharing refers to taxi services like Uber or Lyft. If you are an employee or a driver for companies like these, you’ll need to apply for ridesharing insurance.

If you need ridesharing insurance, try calling these providers listed below.

• State Farm
• USAA (only available to military personnel)

Some insurance companies may refuse to insure you if you work as a driver for a ridesharing company.

Automation on the Road

Technology keeps progressing faster and faster, and automated vehicles are evolving and getting better and better. Could this eventually be the answer to preventing accidents caused by distracted driving?

Oregon does not currently have any laws regarding vehicle automation, but it does allow testing on its roads.

What are the safety laws in Oregon?

There’s nothing more important for your driving experience than safety. While causing an accident because of an error in judgment may be bad, it is still forgivable. Causing one because of checking your phone or being under the influence is not.

Here we are going to go over some of the laws designed to keep you safe. We will be going over DUI, marijuana, and distracted driving laws.

DUI Laws

From 2009-2018, there were an estimated 1,176 driving fatalities involving drunk driving in Oregon. Let’s go over the laws and consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol.

In Oregon, drunk driving is classified as Driving Under the Influence (DUI). The penalties for DUI are:

We’ve compiled a table to show the consequences of drinking and driving. Hopefully, this will discourage drivers from taking the wheel after having a few.

There are serious consequences for serious offenses.

After the fourth offense, you will have a felony on your record.

In 2017, 137 people died from alcohol-related driving fatalities, and 13,273 were arrested for driving under the influence.

Please don’t drink and drive. When you drink and drive, you aren’t just risking your own life. You are risking the lives of anyone in the car with you and anyone who is sharing the road with you. It’s dangerous.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

There are not currently any specific laws in Oregon about having or taking marijuana while driving. Marijuana has been decriminalized in Oregon since 1973, and it was the first state to do so.

Medical marijuana was legalized in 1998, and it has been legalized for recreational use since 2014. Oregon has been one of the first states to make each of these changes in the United States.

Marijuana is fully legal in the state of Oregon.

Driving under anything less than a completely sober state of mind can be dangerous and lead to slower reaction times, which could cause you to get into an accident.

This does NOT necessarily mean that if you drive under the influence of marijuana, you won’t get pulled over. You could still be charged with driving under the influence, especially if your driving is considered reckless or dangerous.

Just be aware that marijuana is not fully legal in Washington or Nevada, both of which border Oregon. So, keep that in mind if you’re going to be driving across state borders.

Distracted Driving Laws

According to AAA, all drivers are prohibited from text messaging while driving, regardless of age.

You may not use or hold a mobile device while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway. This includes temporary stops caused by traffic, traffic control devices such as stop lights, or other momentary delays.

These laws are in place for good reason. Between 2010-2014, there were 1,419 crashes that involved the use of a cell phone. Of these, 15 crashes resulted in fatalities, and 1,175 people were injured.

Driving Safely in Oregon

Insurance rates are affected by more than an individual’s history and demographics. There are also state-specific factors that go into this. Let’s get into these and talk about vehicle theft, road fatalities, EMS response time, and more.

How many vehicle thefts occur in Oregon?

The chart below shows the most stolen vehicles in the state of Oregon. The year shown is just for the most popular model year stolen. The number of thefts listed as stolen for that make and model includes all year models.

Is your vehicle one of the top stolen vehicles in Oregon?

It looks like Honda Accords are the most stolen vehicle in the state of Oregon. This next chart shows the most popular stolen vehicles in Oregon — categorized by city — in 2017. This information comes from data compiled by the FBI.

Hubbard was the only city with no vehicle thefts in Oregon in 2017.

Road Fatalities in Oregon

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regularly publishes data about crashes, fatalities, and causes for these accidents. Let’s take a look at these sobering numbers.

How many road fatalities occur in Oregon?

Every year, over 30,000 people are killed in road crashes in the United States.

To determine the most dangerous highway in Oregon, the Fatal Crash Rate was calculated based on the annual number of road fatalities and fatal crashes according to the NHTSA. This was adjusted for the average daily traffic counts that were provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

Most Fatal Highway in Oregon

The portion of US Route 101 that passes through Oregon is the most dangerous highway of the state and has seen around 125 crashes and 140 fatalities until now.

Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition and Light Condition

Weather and light conditions certainly play a factor in the prevalence of motor vehicle crashes. You can see the difference below.

Oregon has a lot of rainy weather, so it makes sense that it’s the second-highest-rated weather type for fatalities. Regardless of weather conditions, just make sure that you are aware of the road and those around you.

Try to take extra precautions when it’s rainy out to help keep yourself and others safe.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County

The following table shows fatalities by county in Oregon.

These are the totals for Lane County and Multnomah County over this reported five-year period:

• Multnomah County — 232
• Lane County — 228

Lane County and Multnomah County were consistently in the top three counties for fatalities for each year from 2014-2018.

Traffic Fatalities

It’s generally true that more traffic fatalities happen in rural areas versus in rural areas because there are fewer EMS service locations in less populated areas than in a city, so response times are slower. This holds true for Oregon as well.

From 2009 to 2018, there were 2,546 vehicle-related deaths in rural areas and 1,374 deaths in urban areas in Oregon. On average, that’s 254.6 in rural areas and 137.4 in urban areas.

There were 85.3 percent more car crash-related deaths in rural areas than in urban areas over the 10 year period of 2009 to 2018.

In life-threatening situations, minutes can make the difference between life and death.

Fatalities by Person Type

Below are the statistics for fatalities by driver, motorcyclist, or pedestrian.

More people were killed in passenger car crashes each year than any other vehicle or person type. From 2014-2017, the percentage of passenger car crashes of the total occupant vehicle deaths was 50-53 percent, so it was consistently a little over half of passenger vehicle deaths.

In 2018, that number dipped to 42.73 percent, but there were more van and truck-related car accident deaths.

Pedestrian and motorcyclist deaths have increased every year between 2014 and 2018.

Fatalities by Crash Type

Here’s a breakdown of what type of crashes cause fatalities.

From 2014 to 2018, there has been a 41.74 percent increase in total fatalities for all crashes.

Five-Year Trend For the Top 10 Counties

The chart below shows the five-year fatality trend for the largest counties in Oregon.

Overall, Multnomah County, Lane County, and Clackamas County have the most fatalities. These three counties are within the top four most populous counties in the state, so that’s not a big surprise.

Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

Speed limits are posted because it isn’t safe to travel any faster on that respective road. Here are some numbers that show the dangers and tragedies that result from speeding drivers in Oregon.

Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

Don’t drink and drive.

Between 2014 and 2018, there were 704 deaths in Oregon that were caused by an alcohol-impaired driver.

The legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit is 0.08, so all of the deaths in the chart above were caused by someone who drank enough to become impaired and chose to get into a vehicle and drive.

On average, Oregon has 140 fatalities a year from alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths.

Over this recorded five-year period, the leaders in alcohol-related car crash fatalities were Multnomah County, Lane County, and Clackamas County.

• Multnomah County had the most alcohol-related fatalities with a total of 77 deaths over five years
• Lane County had a total of 68 alcohol-related fatalities over five years
• Clackamas County had a total of 66 alcohol-related fatalities over five years

Again, these are the three most populous counties in the state of Oregon, but these numbers are grim.

Teen Drinking and Driving

Underage drinking has become a real problem in the United States, and Oregon is certainly not immune.

In 2016, 108 underage drivers were arrested for driving under the influence. That’s higher than the national average of 102.82. The average per one million people is even worse.

Oregon’s underage DUI arrest rate per one million people is 124.32. The national average is only 94.84. That means Oregon’s average underage DUI arrest rate per one million population is 31 percent higher than the national average.

According to Responsibility.org, in 26 states and D.C., under 21 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100k population were at or below the national average of 1.2 deaths per 100,000 population.

Oregon is ranked 16th in the nation for DUI arrests for people under the age of 18.

Oregon has 1.5 deaths per 100,000 population for under-21 alcohol-related deaths, so Oregon is unfortunately above the national average here.

EMS Response Time

If you have ever stood on the side of the road waiting on emergency services to arrive, you know that minutes can seem like hours. Who do you call in an emergency like this?

That would be Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Sometimes, time is so critical that minutes can be the difference between life and death.

Luckily for the citizens of Oregon, rural and urban areas are both under an hour from the time the EMS arrives to the time they get you to the hospital.

• In rural areas, the average time from the crash to arriving at a hospital was 58.34 minutes.
• In urban areas, the average amount of time between the crash and arriving at a hospital was 37.50 minutes.

This is precious time that could mean the difference between life and death.

What is transportation like in Oregon?

Insurance companies often base their rates on national and state averages. The information they use includes car ownership, commute time and how people travel to work every day.

Let’s take a closer look at these numbers.

Car Ownership

In car ownership, Oregon follows the national trend of owning two cars.

The largest share of Oregonian households own two vehicles, and that is followed by those households who own three cars.

Commute Time

Employees in Oregon have a shorter commute of 22.6 minutes compared to the national average of 25.5 minutes. In addition,2.16 percent of the members of the Oregon workforce have what is referred to as a “super commute” in excess of 90 minutes, driving that average number up some.

In comparison to its neighboring geographies, Oregon has a shorter commute time than California, Washington, and Nevada.

But Oregon does have a longer commute than nearby Idaho.

Commuter Transportation

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Oregon was Drove Alone at 71 percent, followed by those who Carpooled (10.3 percent) and those who Worked from Home (6.35 percent).

The least popular ways to commute were either by taxi or motorcycle.

Traffic Congestion in Oregon

Portland, Oregon, is the 70th-most congested city in the world. In fact, it’s the 10th-most congested city in the United States.

There’s a lot of time lost in traffic in Portland. More people means more time spent sitting behind a line of cars or crawling at a snail’s pace toward your destination.

This video from 2013 discusses the problem of traffic congestion in Portland, Oregon:

During peak hours in the morning rush, expect to spend an average of 11 more minutes in your car on the commute to work. So, leave early if you need to. On the way home, it’s longer at about 17 minutes extra.

• At Peak traffic time, the average speed in Portland is 21.15 mph.
• In Off-Peak hours, the average speed in Portland is  35.31 mph.
• In Free Flow hours, the average speed in Portland is 42.44 mph.

In 2018, Portland’s best traffic day was Christmas Day. On December 25th, the lowest average congestion was at just 1 percent.

On the other hand, Portland’s worst traffic day was April 5th, when congestion rose to 45 percent.  Normally, the city sits around 24 percent for its congestion level.

The congestion level on highways averages 25 percent, but non-highways are not much different at an average of 24 percent congestion level.

For this next part, there are a few terms you need to be familiar with.

• Traffic Index: a composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, CO₂ consumption estimation in traffic and overall ineffective traffic system
• Time Index: the average one-way time needed to transport (in minutes)
• Time Exp. Index: an estimation of driver dissatisfaction due to long commute times
• Inefficiency Index:  an estimation of inefficiencies in the traffic. High inefficiencies are usually caused by the fact that people drive a car instead of using public transport or long commute times
• CO₂ Emission Index: CO₂ consumption due to traffic time. The measurement unit is grams for the return trip.

Portland’s travel index is 148.52, which is somewhere in the middle for the most congested cities in North America.

The most congested is Detroit, MI, which has a traffic index of 243.45. The least congested of the 57 tracked North American cities is Regina, Canada, which has a traffic index of 91.66.

And there you have it. If you’ve made it this far, you now know more than ever about car insurance. We hope that this guide was useful to you and helps you have the tools needed to choose the best insurance coverage for you. Stay safe on the roads.

If you’re ready to start shopping for your own policy, then click this link and start using our free tool by entering your ZIP code in the box below.