Blog – Vernfonk Insurance

If you’re an Oregon driver and a parent, sometimes you feel more like a bus driver or a private chauffeur than the head of your family. Your kids (and all of their friends, of course) must be dropped off at school, picked up from soccer practice, and transported to multiple locations across town just about every day of the week. Or so it seems. 

Naturally, you make sure all of your underage passengers are wearing their seat belts, and you drive carefully. But you know that accidents can still happen. And do. Finding the right affordable car insurance coverage in Oregon that will protect your loved ones (and your bottom line) should be at the top of your list. 

Here are some of the insurance options we think you should investigate to get the most out of your policy and to keep your family safe. 

First, let’s look at minimum requirements: 

Like motorists in most American states, every Oregon driver must be insured. The state’s minimum coverage requirements are the following: 

• Bodily injury liability — Up to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident for bodily injury to others when you’re responsible for a crash
• Property damage liability — Up to $20,000 per crash for damage to the property of others when you’re responsible

• Personal injury protection (PIP) up to $15,000 per person for injury to yourself and others in your vehicle
• Uninsured motorists bodily injury — Up to $25,000 per person or $50,000 per incident for bodily injury to yourself or others in your vehicle caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist

As you can see, this minimum car insurance requirement doesn’t cover the damage or loss of your own vehicle. How will you get to work and your kids to school and band practice and their soccer games and multiple other commitments if you don’t have dependable transportation? That’s where Collision and Comprehensive coverage come in. 

Collision and Comprehensive

Oregon families can continue to get their kids to and from where they have to go even after bad things happen to their cars. Collision and comprehensive coverage offer the following protections: 

Collision — Submit this claim when your vehicle is damaged or totaled in an accident with another vehicle. It also pays for damage resulting from a single-vehicle accident, such as a rollover or when your car hits an inanimate object like a building or a tree. You also receive benefits for damages to your vehicle caused by a hit-and-run event. 

Comprehensive — It’s not only the typical car accident that can knock you out of your role as the family transporter. Your car might also be lost, damaged, or destroyed in various ways other than collision. Comprehensive coverage pays for such incidents as car theft, vandalism, flood, fire, or when you hit a deer or other animal. 

While your state’s minimum requirements mostly pay for the damage of other vehicles, collision and comprehensive coverage are how you can get your own vehicle fixed or replaced quickly so you can continue to meet your family’s transportation responsibilities. Your kids won’t have to miss a single homeroom attendance call. 

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage

As mentioned earlier, uninsured motorist bodily injury protection is a part of the mandatory minimum coverage required in Oregon. It will pay up to coverage limits for injuries sustained by you or anyone in your vehicle for an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. 

What it doesn’t pay for is the damage to your personal vehicle in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist. Fortunately, you can buy additional coverage that will pay out if the car is damaged due to the actions of such a motorist. 

The possible advantage of using this rather than your collision benefit is that your uninsured motorist property damage coverage might kick in at a lower deductible level. This means that it could cost you less money out of your own pocket before getting a settlement from your insurer. 

This is a good coverage option to have to get your vehicle back in service quickly when it’s taken a hit so you can continue taking your kids (and friends) where they need to go. 

Roadside Assistance

This benefit delivers critical services to you where and when you need them most. Whether your car runs out of gas, gets a flat tire, or goes through a mechanical malfunction of any kind, you could be stranded on the side of the road with a backseat full of noisy kids. 

With roadside assistance, you only need to place a phone call for help. Assistance might arrive in the form of a tow truck operator who can deliver a few gallons of gas, inflate your tire or tow your vehicle to the nearest repair facility. Roadside assistance can also deliver the services of a locksmith in case your keys get locked in the car. 

Do you have teenage drivers? You certainly don’t want to imagine them with a stranded vehicle far from assistance at two in the morning. Even if you have a newer vehicle, your teen might rupture a tire, hit a deer, or spend their last few bucks on keeping the night going rather than getting a little fuel for a thirsty tank. Roadside assistance means you have a helping hand 24/7 with just a phone call. 

It’s hard to imagine a more welcome benefit for families of all ages. You’ll certainly sleep (a little) better the next time your teen has the car out at night. 

Talk to Us

Your life is, well, different as a parent in Oregon. It’s better, of course, but it contains a whole lot more responsibilities. We know that all families need an auto insurance policy that’s tailored to fit the unique needs of the entire brood. Whatever your needs, we’ve got a policy for you. 

Simply call us at (877) 455-8276 or get a quick online quote. We’ll answer all of your questions and explain every possible car insurance coverage option you’ll want as an Oregon driver with a family to safeguard.