Oklahoma Auto Insurance Law
Oklahoma is a "fault" car insurance state. This means that the driver who was at fault for the crash can be held accountable for all personal injury and property damage that happened in the crash. In such cases, the at-fault driver's insurance will cover the bulk to the damages. Injured victims of Oklahoma car crashes can seek compensation by filing a claim with their own insurer, by filing a claim with the at-fault driver's insurer, or by filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Understanding Oklahoma Auto Insurance Law
To protect your finances, it is crucial that you follow Oklahoma auto insurance law. How much coverage you get is up to you, but there are minimum car insurance coverage requirements. If you are a motorist in Oklahoma, your insurance policy should have the following minimum coverage:
- $25,000 for the injury or death of one person including yourself, your passenger or another driver, pedestrian or bicyclist.
- $50,000 for the injury or death of more than one person in a single crash.
- $25,000 for property damage.
It is not advisable to only purchase the minimum coverage allowed by law. If possible, purchasing additional coverage can prove useful if you are ever involved in a serious injury accident. Injuries that require hospitalization, surgery, time away from work, and physical therapy often cost much more than most people make in a year.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
It is also highly advisable to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Oklahoma law requires insurance providers to include UIM coverage with every policy, but it does not require all motorists to purchase this additional protection. You should make sure that you have such protection. If you are ever involved in an accident with a driver who has little to no coverage, you will be protected under this clause in your own auto insurance policy.
Uninsured motorist coverage can also help compensate you if a hit-and-run driver causes your injuries. Not all hit-and-run drivers get caught. You may have to rely on your own insurance policy in such cases. Uninsured motorist coverage pays you, resident members of your family and passengers of your vehicle for personal injuries caused by an uninsured motorist, an underinsured motorist, or a hit-and-run driver. But, it does not cover damages to your vehicle. If an uninsured motorist damages your car, repairs would be paid for under your collision coverage. If you carry liability insurance only, there would be no insurance coverage available to repair your car.
Protecting Your Rights
Making sure you are properly covered is a crucial step in protecting your best interests. Make sure you have adequate coverage and take the time to learn about your legal rights and options in case you are ever involved in a crash. An Oklahoma car accident attorney can review your case and help you pursue fair compensation for all your injuries, damages, and losses.
Call Attorney Ray Maples at (405) 883-4487 for a no-cost consultation and case evaluation.