Okla. Bills Tackle Uninsured Drivers

Two bills addressing uninsured drivers are making their way through the Oklahoma Legislature. House Bill 1351, which would require a system for instant verification by law en-forcement officers of a driver’s auto insurance, has passed the House. HB 1541, which would limit the amount an uninsured motorist can collect after being involved in an auto accident, has moved out of committee to the House.

HB 1351, Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, would require insurance policies to include the vehicle identification number of the vehicle or vehicles covered by a policy for use in a secure state database to be established by the Department of Public Safety. The database would be accessible to insurance carriers and law enforcement for instant coverage verification.

In a legislative update to members of the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma, Dan Ramsey, IIAO president and CEO, said while an effort to decrease the number of uninsured drivers is a “worthy goal,” his “primary concern … is that the duty to report not be transferred to insurance agents.”

He noted that 55 percent or fewer of IIAO’s nearly 400 member agencies have three or fewer employees. In addition, many IIAO members are not linked interactively with all of the companies they represent and would not have access to the necessary reporting information. He advised agents to discuss the bill with state lawmakers “and to explain the challenges that it will present if it is passed and signed into law.”

Under HB 1541, by Rep. Ron Peterson, R-Tulsa, an uninsured driver involved in an accident would be eligible to receive awards only for medical recovery, lost wages and property damages. No awards would be allowed for non-economic damages.

Topics Personal Auto Oklahoma