What's New in Oregon
We try to stay in touch with the latest insurance related developments happening in Oregon. What happens in Salem can affect all of us from the price of gasoline to how much it will cost to drive on our freeways. Insurance related laws and orders are considered and passed constantly that will affect how much you or your insurance company will pay and the limit you will receive after an accident. The companies are constantly inventing ways to adjust how they charge based on the analysis of data they collect on you, your car and all drivers. We just want you to be informed so you can make the right decision.

We call it auto insurance because the car is the focus of what we cover, right? Maybe when the first person bought an automobile insurance policy. Now we see cars as just hunks of metal and plastic that have value. Cars usually have a fixed cost and can easily be replaced or repaired with like kind and quality. Over time, auto insurance policies evolved to insure the passengers for medical bills if injured in an accident. Now, more than ever, the focus is on the human, not on the car’s value so much. Insurance companies rank cars on safety and the number of potential injuries (they count the seats in the car, no joke). If the car ranks higher for safety, the price of insurance is lower.

So, the big question is, how much does it cost for a human to receive medical care in a hospital? The price of auto insurance ties directly to the mushrooming cost of medical care. Hospitals are understaffed and overworked. Pharmaceutical supplies are short and in high demand. Qualified administrative staffing in clinics and hospitals also suffers. All this translates to a higher medical bill the auto insurance company must pay after a car crash.

The parts required to repair a damaged automobile are scarce and take months to ship. The shortage of new and used cars has driven the cost of repair and replacement up. The bottom line is that insurance companies must respond by raising prices if they are to remain profitable. Now is the time to drive as safely as you can. Take care of the most important thing you have, and it’s not your car—it’s your health and that of your passengers. Slow down; it’s not worth the months’ delay getting our vehicle repaired and the horrendous cost of medical bills that may exceed the limit you have in your policy.