If you own or drive a vehicle in Oklahoma, here's what you need to know about the state's car insurance laws:
Oklahoma follows a fault-based insurance system. In "fault" states, the driver who is at fault for a car accident has to pay for the other's party's damages, including medical bills, car repairs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
At-fault drivers typically rely on liability insurance to pay for damages, which is why Oklahoma law requires car owners and drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance or show proof of financial responsibility.
Oklahoma law requires all vehicle owners and drivers to have some form of liability coverage. Drivers and owners have three ways to meet this obligation:
The minimum amounts of liability insurance required in Oklahoma are:
Liability coverage pays for injuries, property damage, and other losses you cause in a car accident, up to coverage limits. For example, if you rear-end another car at a stop sign, your liability coverage will pay for the injuries and damage you cause.
Your liability coverage will cover anyone named on the policy, most household members, and "permissive users." Permissive users are people who have permission to drive your car. Your liability insurance will also likely cover you if you get into an accident in a rental car.
(Okla. Stat. § 47-7-103 (2021).)
Most people in Oklahoma purchase car insurance in order to comply with the state's insurance laws, but you can choose to file proof of financial responsibility with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) instead.
You can either:
The DPS will give you a certificate of deposit as your proof of insurance and use your deposit to pay down a future judgment or claim against you for an accident you cause.
(Okla. Stat. §§ 47-7-330, 331 (2021).)
People who have more than 25 vehicles registered in their name in Oklahoma may qualify as a self-insurer if they can prove to DPS that they have and will continue to have the ability to pay for car accident-related injuries and property damage they cause.
(Okla. Stat. § 47-7-503 (2021).)
Your liability insurance doesn't cover your injuries or vehicle damage when you're at fault for an accident. But you can purchase additional coverage. Here are a few examples of optional insurance coverage in Oklahoma.
A type of car insurance that helps pay to replace or repair your vehicle if it's damaged in an accident with another vehicle or object. You can use collision coverage whether you're at fault for an accident or not. Collision coverage is optional in Oklahoma, but your car loan lender may require you to have it.
Oklahoma doesn't require car insurance policies to include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, but insurance companies are required to offer it to anyone purchasing a policy. This coverage protects you and your passengers if you're hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver, or if you're the victim of a hit-and-run driver.
(Okla. Stat. § 36-3636 (2021).)
Personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (MedPay) will cover medical bills for you and your passengers no matter who caused the accident. PIP is typically mandatory in no-fault states and optional in fault states.
In Oklahoma, you can get compensation for injuries, vehicle damage, and other car accident-related losses by:
Oklahoma requires vehicle owners and drivers to carry proof of insurance in their cars. If you're stopped for a traffic violation or involved in an accident, a law enforcement officer may write you a traffic citation if you can't provide proof of insurance.
Oklahoma's Insurance Commission maintains an insurance verification system (OKIVS) for Oklahoma citizens, vehicle owners, insurers, and government officials, including law enforcement officers.
If you get caught driving without insurance in Oklahoma, you can expect penalties, including:
As stiff as these penalties are, they pale in comparison to the financial hit you could take if you're in a car accident and you don't have car insurance.
(Okla. Stat. § 47-7-606 (2021).)
If you've been involved in a car accident in Oklahoma, talk to a lawyer. A lawyer can answer your questions and explain your legal options.
Learn more about how an attorney can help you with your car accident claim and how to find the right lawyer. When you're ready, you can connect with a lawyer directly from this page for free.