Insurance in Oregon, from the agency that has been in Salem since 2006
Oregon is home. This is where the office is, where most of our work is, and where we have been doing this for twenty years. What follows is not a sales page. It is what we would tell a neighbor about how coverage works here, what the state requires, and what is worth asking about.
How working with us works when you are in Oregon
Our office is at 1495 Commercial St NE in Salem, and it has been since 2006. You are welcome to come in. Most of our clients, even the ones a few blocks away, end up doing most things by phone, email and e-signature because it is faster, but the door is open and sometimes a real conversation across a desk is the right way to work through something.
Quotes, applications, policy changes, ID cards, certificates and payments all move without paperwork in the mail. When a claim happens you call us first, and we get it moving with the carrier and stay on it.
We are also licensed in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Arizona. If you are moving to or from any of those, your coverage can move with you and you keep the people who already know your file.
What Oregon requires, and why it is a floor
Bodily injury liability
$25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident
Property damage liability
$20,000 per accident
Also required
Personal Injury Protection $15,000, uninsured motorist bodily injury $25,000 / $50,000
Minimum limits verified August 2026. These are the statutory minimums Oregon requires, not what we recommend you carry. Minimums change from time to time, so ask us to confirm before relying on them.
Oregon requires more than most of its neighbors: PIP and uninsured motorist are mandatory here, not optional. That is a real advantage for anyone hit by an underinsured driver. It also means the state minimum policy is a little more complete than in Idaho or Arizona, which sometimes leads people to assume it is enough. It usually is not. Here is how to work out the number that actually fits.
Things worth asking about in Oregon
Not a list of things to buy. A list of things to ask about, so nothing surprises you later.
Earthquake. The Cascadia fault is the reason this comes up. Earthquake damage is generally not covered by a standard home policy. Coverage exists as a separate policy or endorsement, and it is a personal decision, but it should be a decision rather than an oversight.
Wildfire. Depending on where the property sits, wildfire exposure can affect availability, price and what the policy expects of you around the home. Increasingly relevant east of the Cascades and in the foothills, and worth knowing before you buy.
Rebuild cost versus market value. Oregon housing prices moved a long way in a few years, and so did construction costs. If your dwelling limit was set a while ago, it may no longer rebuild the house.
Anything you use for work. Trucks, tools, equipment and vehicles used commercially often fall outside a personal policy. If some of what you own earns money, tell us so it gets covered by the right policy.
Start with understanding, not a quote
Most people would rather understand their insurance than be sold more of it. That is what these are for. Read whichever one matches the question you actually have.
What insurance actually does
The three jobs a policy is doing, and why most people buy one well and underbuy the other two.
How much liability coverage do you actually need
The number that matters most, and a ten minute way to work yours out.
How to keep insurance affordable without making it thin
What really moves the price, where the deductible is real money, and what never to cut.
Designing coverage around your actual life
What “enough” looks like at different points in life, and how a review with us actually goes.
This page is general information, not legal or financial advice. Coverage terms, availability and pricing vary by carrier and policy. State minimum requirements were verified in August 2026. Corey Benson Insurance Agency is licensed in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Arizona.
