Welcome to Oklahoma, often referred to as the “Sooner State.” When you hear Oklahoma, you often think of wide-open spaces, oil, and tornados, which is accurate, as all of these have a place in the Sooner State.

Oil is a major way of life and can even be found under the state capital building. Oklahoma City Oil Field has 13,770 productive acres. Oklahoma averages 52 tornados a year. It is not surprising it was the setting for the movie Twister (see below).

Just another reason you should ensure you have the right coverage. Start comparing with our free quote box above.

Oklahoma Car Insurance Coverage & Rates

Car insurance can be a confusing topic. How much do you need? Where can you find the best rates?

If you google car insurance, you get a plethora of options to chose from, and that can be very confusing. We are going to answer those questions and more as you read.

We make it so easy you can enter your zip code here and use our free comparison quote tool.

– Oklahoma’s Car Culture

Ouachitas, Arbuckles, Wichitas, and the Kiamichis are the four mountain ranges located in the Sooner State. It is no surprise Oklahoma is a state filled with pickup trucks and 4×4 off-roading vehicles.

Oklahoma prides itself on the famous roadway called Route 66, and they even have a museum honoring this monumental road.

– Oklahoma Minimum Coverage 

How much coverage do you need on your vehicle? Oklahoma has a minimum required amount, but remember this is the minimum amount.

These are the limits that will be paid out by your insurance company to the other party if you are found at fault. If you are in a serious accident with a luxury car, these limits may not be enough to cover the loss, and you would be responsible for the remaining balance.

These limits do not cover you in an accident where you are at fault. You can add additional coverages to your policy to cover you and your vehicle. We will take a more in-depth look at those coverages in another section.

It is always wise to talk to your insurance agent and see how much coverage would cost. We will be looking further into rates, and the rates for more coverage might be surprising.

We will also take a look at the penalties for driving without the minimum requirements. You must be able to show proof of your insurance, which you can do with a copy of your policy or ID card. In Oklahoma, you can also show electronic proof via your smartphone or other devices.

– Forms of Financial Responsibility 

All drivers must have an active insurance policy covering their registered vehicles. This prevents drivers from being on the road with no insurance, being unable to pay for an accident they caused.

– Premiums as a Percentage of Income 

Since you know you need insurance, the next question is usually how much will I be paying for it?

We took the average income and average rates for three years and found about 2.4 percent of your income should be allocated for insurance premiums.

You can use our free percentage tool to input your exact numbers.

CalculatorPro

– Core Coverages

We took a look at the average premiums for the below core coverages.

As we mentioned earlier, liability insurance will cover the other person if you are at fault. Comprehensive and collision work a little differently. They cover your vehicle whether you are at fault or not.

Full coverage, or combined coverage, is when you opt to have all three above coverages.

– Additional Liability 

There are also other liability coverages you can add to your policy.

Medical payments can be added to your policy to cover medical expenses for anyone in your vehicle at the time of the accident. This coverage will be paid out regardless of who is at fault.

Uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage is for accidents involving someone at fault with no or little insurance, to make sure you’re covered even if it’s not by them.

It is good to know you have coverage that your company will payout on in the event of a loss. We can look at a company’s loss ratio to determine how they payout and also how well they are doing financially.

Loss ratio is the ratio between earned premiums and paid claims. For instance, if a company writes $100,000 of premium and pays out $50,000 in claims, its loss ratio is 50 percent.

If a company’s loss ratio is 100 or higher, the company isn’t making much money and could be headed toward financial danger. If the company has a lower loss ratio, like 50 or below, they may not be very good about paying out claims.

– Add-Ons, Endorsements, & Riders

Many other added coverages can be endorsed on your policy. We have taken some of the most common added coverages and listed them below.

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Pay-As-You-Drive or Usage-Based Insurance 

– Demographic Rates

So, who pays more? Well from the table below we see young males pay the highest in insurance premiums, followed closely by young females.

Females, in all age brackets, tend to pay slightly less than males.

– Cheapest Rates by Zip Code

Where you live can also play a part in how much you pay. Below is a chart showing the cheapest and most expensive zip codes in Oklahoma.

– Cheapest Rates by City

We have also taken this information and separated it by cities in Oklahoma.

 Best Oklahoma Car Insurance Companies

Since you need to buy insurance, it’s best to do so from a reputable company.

We are going to look at the biggest insurance companies in Oklahoma. We will break down their rates and what factors they use to give rates to customers. We will also look at their financial information and customer service satisfaction.

Every company will try to sell themselves to customers. It is their job. We are going to take the guessing out of which ones would be a good fit and which ones you should avoid.

– The Largest Companies’ Financial Rating

AM Best is one of the largest financial rating companies available. They specialize in the insurance industry.

You can find the following information about the company on their website: “AM Best was founded in 1899 by Alfred M. Best with the mission to report on the financial stability of insurers and the insurance industry. It is the oldest and most widely recognized provider of ratings, financial data and news with an exclusive insurance industry focus.”

Ratings are issued on approximately 3,500 companies in more than 90 countries worldwide.

Best’s Credit Ratings are an essential tool to help the financial industry and consumers assess an insurer’s financial strength, creditworthiness, and ability to honor obligations to policyholders worldwide.

We have taken the top 10 largest insurance carriers in Oklahoma and listed their AM Best ratings below.

– Companies with Best Ratings

J.D. Power uses customer feedback to get accurate customer service ratings. This information not only helps consumers when buying and receiving services but also helps the business learn how to do better and raise customer satisfaction levels.

– Companies with Most Complaints in Oklahoma 

We have looked at the good financial scores and the excellent customer service, but now we have to also look at the bad. You can find complaints of Oklahoma insurers on the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner website.

– Cheapest Companies in Oklahoma

Where can you get the best rates? Well, we took some of the cheapest companies in Oklahoma and compared them against the state average.

State Farm and USAA were by far the cheapest when comparing their rates to the state averages.

– Commute Rates by Companies

If you have a long commute to work, it could increase your insurance premium. The more miles you are on the road, the more likely an insurance carrier can view you as a high risk.

As you can tell from the chart below, Oklahoma insurers do not weigh heavily, if at all, on your commute or miles per year.

– Coverage Level Rates by Companies

Often when you are looking at your budget, you tend to cut things you do not readily need. Insurance tends to be one of those areas that do not take precedence since it is not something you use daily. It may seem like a necessity, but consumers will cut the cost by buying minimum limits.

All you are required to buy is the minimal coverage, but the more you buy, the more protected you are.  We compared the rates for low, medium, and high coverage.

As you can see from the rates, State Farm has the lowest rates for all three levels of coverage.

– Credit History Rates by Companies

When you have a larger purchase to make, such as a car or home, your credit follows you. If you have better credit you can normally get a better interest rate. What else does your credit history affect? Your insurance rates.

Take a look at the Liberty Mutual rates above. A lower credit score can raise your rate by several thousand dollars. The average Oklahoma resident has a credit score of 656, which is a “near-prime” score.

– Driving Record Rates by Companies

Your driving record is the most obvious rating factor with your insurance premium.

Going from a clean record to a DUI conviction usually causes the biggest jump in premiums.

– Largest Car Insurance Companies in Oklahoma

Here is a list of the largest insurance companies in Oklahoma.

– Number of Insurers in Oklahoma

So how many insurers are available to Oklahoma drivers? The total number is 904. We divide insurers by foreign and domestic, “foreign” meaning the insurer was formed under out of state laws, “domestic” meaning insurers are formed under Oklahoma state law.

Think you are ready for a quote? You can enter your zip code below and use our comparison quote tool for free.

Oklahoma State Laws 

In this next section, we are going to focus on the state laws of Oklahoma.  Laws keep drivers safe on the roadways.

We are going to look at car insurance laws, like windshield and fraud, and then move to license laws. This is a great section for a new resident or for parents with teens wanting to get their license.

The rules of the road will wrap up this section with speeding laws, seatbelts, and more.

– Car Insurance Laws

Car insurance and laws are both difficult things to research and understand, and if you put them together you may want to avoid the topic altogether.

To help you through this, we are going to break down the laws and help you understand them.

– How State Laws for Insurance are Determined 

State laws shape insurance regulations. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners lists out laws and regulations for each state. You can visit their website here to take a look or keep reading as we will cover the laws below.

– Windshield Coverage

We all hate when we are following a truck and suddenly hear the crack of a rock hitting our windshield. Do you have coverage for a broken windshield?

Most companies have windshield coverage if you have comprehensive coverage added to your policy. If you do need to replace or repair your windshield, Oklahoma has no unique laws. Your insurer may want you to use only approved repair shops, and they can use aftermarket parts if stated in the estimate given.

– High-Risk Insurance

You could be considered a high-risk driver if you have been convicted of driving under the influence or have numerous violations on your license.

Oklahoma does not require SR-22 insurance filing, but if you currently have to file SR-22 you will still need to do so if you are a new resident to Oklahoma.

High-risk insurance may not cost you in regards to your filing, but if you have been convicted of a DUI or other violations, your insurance could be extremely high or you could have your license suspended — but more about that later.

– Low-Cost Insurance

Oklahoma does not currently have a program for low-income families to obtain insurance. California, Hawaii, and New Jersey are the only states that have government programs.

– Automobile Insurance Fraud in Oklahoma

The Insurance Information Institute says the following regarding fraud:

Insurance industry estimates generally put fraud at about 10 percent of the property/casualty insurance industry’s incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses each year, although the figure can fluctuate based on line of business, economic conditions and other factors.[1]. Using this measure, over the five-year period from 2013 to 2017, property/casualty fraud amounted to about $30 billion each year. Also, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that healthcare fraud, both private and public, is an estimated 3 – 10 percent of total healthcare expenditures.[2]

That is a lot of money going to fraudulent claims every year.

There are two types of fraud: soft and hard. Soft fraud is the lies people may tell regarding mileage or making claims more than what they are. Hard fraud is when someone deliberately fabricates a story.

Fraud is illegal, and if you suspect it’s occurring, you should report it. Oklahoma takes fraud seriously and has an anti-fraud department dedicated to these crimes. You can find the Oklahoma Department of Insurance contact information here.

– Statute of Limitations

Statute of limitations is the time you have to file a claim. It is always better to file a claim as soon as it happens, but a consumer has two years, for both physical injury and property damage, to file a claim in the state of Oklahoma.

– Vehicle Licensing Laws

You must maintain proper licensing, just like you must maintain insurance on your vehicle. We are going to break down the licensing laws of Oklahoma and find out what happens if you decide to drive without insurance.

– Real ID

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 to set standards in the issuance of licenses in all states to maintain safety. If your state complies with these standards, you will be allowed to enter federal buildings and commercial aircraft carriers with your state driver’s license.

Oklahoma has filed an extension with the federal government to allow Oklahoma residents to use their current license rather than the new Real ID license.

– Penalties for Driving Without Insurance 

Oklahoma does not tolerate drivers operating a vehicle without insurance. The following can happen if you are found driving without insurance:

• A $250 fine
• Possible jail time up to 30 days
• Seizure of car and tags
• A reinstatement fee of $125 to obtain a license once insurance has been proved

You have 10 days to obtain valid insurance once you have been found without insurance.

– Teen Driver Laws

The rite of passage for all teens is to get their driver’s license. Oklahoma has some laws to protect teens once they do.

To get your learner’s permit in Oklahoma, you must be 15 years and six months old. You must have your leaner’s permit for six months before being able to receive your license at 16 years of age.

At 16 years old you may take your driver’s test only after you have had 50 hours of supervised driving — 1o of those being at night. It does not stop there, though. Oklahoma also has the below restrictions for teen drivers.

– New Residents

Welcome to the Sooner State! If you have moved to Oklahoma and have a valid out-of-state license, you can have your license changed to an Oklahoma license without taking the written or driving test.

Once you take your vision test and have shown the approved proof of resident and identification, you can get your Oklahoma driver’s license.

– License Renewal Procedures

All license renewals in Oklahoma are the same, no matter your age. Every four years you must renew your driver’s license. You can not renew your license online or through mail at this time.

– Rules of the Road

All states have rules to keep drivers safe. We are going to look at Oklahoma’s rules regarding seat belts, speed limits, and more.

– Fault vs. No-Fault

Oklahoma is an at-fault state when it comes to accidents. This means that if you are in an accident, the party at fault will be held responsible for damages and injury.

– Seat Belt & Car Seat Laws 

Most states have seat-belt and car-seat-safety laws. Oklahoma laws are listed below.

Riding in the cargo area of a truck is allowed in Oklahoma.

– Keep Right & Move Over Laws 

Most drivers know the feeling of driving on the interstate behind a driver going below the speed limit. This is often a safety issue when drivers are trying to maneuver around slow drivers. All drivers going below the speed limit must stay to the right on Oklahoma roads.

Move over laws are also important for safety purposes. When approaching any emergency vehicle with flashing lights or maintenance vehicles, drivers are to vacate the closest lane to that vehicle.

– Speed Limits 

Most speed limits are posted clearly on roads. Below is a chart listing most Oklahoma road speed limits.

Remember, speed limits are subject to change, especially in construction zones.

– Ridesharing 

Ridesharing has become a popular way to get a ride or make some extra cash on the side. Companies like Uber and Lyft have made ridesharing readily available to most drivers or riders.

If you want to become a driver for a ridesharing company, you must verify with your insurance company that you have coverage for ridesharing usage.

The following companies allow ridesharing use in Oklahoma:

• Allstate
• Farmers
• Geico
• Mercury
• State Farm
• USAA

– Safety Laws

Oklahoma has laws in place to help keep dangerous drivers off the road. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and distracted driving has become a danger on the road. We are going to take a look at the laws and penalties for this type of dangerous activity.

– DUI Laws 

If you are convicted of driving under the influence in Oklahoma, you will be charged with a misdemeanor for your first offense. If you are convicted again, you will have a felony on your record.

If convicted, you could have possible jail time, license suspensions, and fines, not to mention you could harm or kill yourself or others. The use of marijuana is also considered driving under the influence. Oklahoma has not legalized the use of marijuana.

– Distracted Driving Laws

You are unlikely to find an adult — or child — without a cell phone these days. Driving and cell phones are not a good mix. Texting while driving is banned in all of Oklahoma.

Driving in Oklahoma

We have covered a lot about Oklahoma insurance and driving laws. Now, we are going to take a look at the things we all want to avoid, theft and roadway fatalities.

– Vehicle Theft in Oklahoma

It is no surprise that the top four most-stolen vehicles are pickup trucks.

We gathered information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to find which cities have the most stolen vehicles. Where does your city rank on the list?

– Road Fatalities in Oklahoma

No matter how cautious of a driver you are, road fatalities still occur. In this next section, we have gathered information about when and where most fatalities in Oklahoma happen. We give you this information to help spread awareness and hopefully help prevent fatalities in the future.

– Most fatal highway in Oklahoma 

Route 69 runs north to south over 260 miles of Oklahoma roadway. This road is considered to be the most fatal highway with an average of 13 deaths a year.

– Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition & Light Condition

Many drivers think rain and dark bring accidents, but as you can see from the table above, that is not always the case. Most accidents in Oklahoma happen in lighted, normal conditions.

– Fatalities by County

Here is a list of fatalities by county. Larger cities like Tulsa and Oklahoma see higher rates of fatalities due to population size.

– Traffic Fatalities 

More roadway deaths happen in rural areas than urban.

– Fatalities by Person Type

Passenger car occupants have more fatalities than other vehicles or pedestrians.

– Fatalities by Crash Type

Below we have listed the different types of crashes, involving fatalities. Departure from roadways has the highest number of fatalities.

– Five-Year Trend For The Top 10 Counties 

– Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

– Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

Listed below are fatalities in the top 10 counties caused by drunk driving.

– Teen Drinking & Driving

– EMS Response Time 

In the unfortunate event of the need for emergency medical services, you want to know EMS can get you to a hospital quickly. Below is a chart showing times for both urban and rural areas.

– Transportation 

Lastly, we are going to look at car ownership and how much time the average Oklahoma driver spends in their cars.

The graphs below were gathered from Data USA. The national average is in gray and the average Oklahoma residents, orange.

– Car Ownership 

Like most Americans, most Oklahoma families have two cars.

– Commute Time

The average worker commutes a little over 20 minutes to get to work, which is a little under the national average of 25 minutes. 

– Commuter Transportation 

Most Oklahoma drivers prefer to drive to work alone.

– Traffic Congestion in Oklahoma 

We took a look at two of the biggest cities in Oklahoma — Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Tulsa drivers lose 33 hours in congestion and $456 per driver a year. It doesn’t get better for Oklahoma City drivers. They lose 51 hours and $716 per driver a year.

Whew! That was a lot of information. We hope you have learned a lot about Oklahoma car insurance and feel ready to conquer the task of obtaining the best auto insurance. Don’t forget, you can enter your zip code here and use our free comparison tool to start your rate searching.