WalletHub, Financial Company
@WalletHub
No, Oregon is not a no-fault state for auto insurance. Oregon is an “at-fault” or “tort” state, which means the person who is at fault for a car accident is responsible for paying for other people’s injuries and property damage resulting from the accident. Additionally, unlike in no-fault states, drivers in Oregon can file lawsuits to seek compensation for even basic medical expenses after an accident.
One similarity Oregon has with most no-fault states, however, is that Oregon drivers are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance to pay for their own medical expenses after a car accident, regardless of fault.
Key Things to Know About Insurance in Oregon
- When an accident occurs, the insurance company for each driver who was involved will assign an adjuster to determine who was at fault. To collect payment for their losses, victims must file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
- Depending on how long fault takes to be determined, drivers can file a claim with their own insurance company if they have coverage applicable to their own expenses, such as collision and comprehensive Their insurer can then recoup the cost from the at-fault driver’s insurer if the policyholder is not determined to be at fault.
- Oregon uses a modified comparative (51%) negligence system, meaning drivers can't collect any damages from the other parties if they were 51% or more at fault. If they were less than 51% at fault, drivers can collect damages minus the percentage that they were at fault. So if they were 30% at fault, they can recover 70% of what they spent on damages after the crash.
- Being an “at-fault” / “tort” state helps keep Oregon’s insurance costs relatively low, compared to no-fault states.
- Oregon requires all drivers to carry liability insurance, a type of insurance that pays for others’ expenses after you cause an accident, such as damage to others’ vehicles and their medical expenses. Oregon also requires modified comparative (51%).
In addition to Oregon’s minimum coverage requirements, you may want to purchase types of coverage that will pay for your own expenses after an accident. For example, collision and comprehensive insurance will cover damage to your vehicle, regardless of fault.
To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guides to no-fault insurance and the cheapest car insurance in Oregon.
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read full answerWhat states are PIP states?
The 12 states that require PIP insurance, also known as personal injury protection, are Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, and Utah. Eleven of these states are “no-fault” states.
In addition, Pennsylvania law requires drivers to purchase $5,000 in medical benefits, but does not mention PIP specifically. PIP coverage is also available, but optional, in seven additional states, plus the District of Columbia.
PIP States
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