Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin signed into law on Thursday a no pay, no play car insurance proposal that will limit the recovery rights of drivers who flout the states mandatory insurance law.
Under the new law, motorists who get into serious accidents while driving without coverage will only be able to recover economic damages for medical costs, property damage and loss of income. An uninsured motorists involved in a crash even if it was not his or her fault will not be able to successfully sue for pain and suffering.
The proposal was approved by 74 percent of state senators and 58 of state house members who voted on the measure.
Oklahoma is now the second state this year to sign such a bill into law. Kansas added a similar law to its books earlier this month.
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak threw his support behind the proposal last week, citing concerns about the high uninsured-motorist rate and lack of affordable auto insurance in the state.
Supporters of the legislation say no pay, no play laws help address both of these issues by providing a disincentive to drive uninsured and by helping to keep average claims size from ballooning, though the laws actual impact on those problems has been largely unquantified.
Opponents of this type of law says it has the potential to penalize individuals who dropped coverage due to economic hardships.
The law takes effect Nov. 1, 2011.
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