2016 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 47. Motor Vehicles
§47-169. Filing of certificates of insurance coverage as condition precedent to certificate or permit - Actions by injured party - Failure to maintain coverage.

A. No certificate shall be issued by the Corporation Commission to any motor carrier of household goods until after such motor carrier shall have filed with the Commission a liability insurance policy or bond covering public liability and property damage, issued by some insurance or bonding company or insurance carrier authorized as set forth below, and which has complied with all of the requirements of the Commission, which bond or policy shall be approved by the Commission, and shall be in such sum and amount as fixed by a proper order of the Commission; and such liability and property damage insurance policy or bond shall bind the obligor thereunder to make compensation for injuries to, or death of, persons, and loss or damage to property, resulting from the operation of any such motor carrier for which such carrier is legally liable. After judgment against the carrier for any damage, the injured party may maintain an action upon the policy or bond to recover the same, and shall be a proper party to maintain such action.

B. Every motor carrier of household goods shall file with the Commission a cargo insurance policy or bond covering any goods or property being transported, issued by some insurance or bonding company or insurance carrier authorized as set forth below, and which has complied with all of the requirements of the Commission, which bond or policy shall be approved by the Commission, and shall be in a sum and amount as fixed by Commission rule. The cargo insurance must be filed with the Commission prior to a certificate being issued by the Commission.

C. No carrier, whose principal place of business is in Oklahoma, shall conduct any operations in this state unless the operations are covered by a valid primary bond or insurance policy issued by an insurer authorized or approved by the Oklahoma Insurance Department. No carrier whose principal place of business is not in Oklahoma shall conduct any operations in this state unless the operations are covered by a valid bond or insurance policy issued by an insurer licensed or approved by the insurance regulatory authority of the state of their principal place of business or the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

D. Each motor carrier shall maintain on file, in full force, all insurance required by the laws of the State of Oklahoma and the rules of the Commission during such motor carrier's operation and that the failure for any cause to maintain such coverage in full force and effect shall immediately, without any notice from the Commission, suspend such carrier's rights to operate until proper insurance is provided. Any carrier suspended for failure to maintain proper insurance shall have a reasonable time, not exceeding sixty (60) days, within which to provide proper insurance and to have the carrier's authority reactivated, upon showing:

1. No operation during the period in which the carrier did not have insurance; and

2. Furnishing of proper insurance coverage.

E. Any carrier who fails to reactivate the carrier's certificate within sixty (60) days after such suspension, as above provided, shall have the certificate canceled, by operation of law, without any notice from the Commission. No certificate so canceled shall be reinstated or otherwise made operative except that the Commission may reinstate the authority of a motor carrier upon proper showing that the motor carrier was actually covered by proper insurance during the suspension or cancellation period, and that failure to file with the Commission was not due to the motor carrier's fault. Any carrier desiring to file for reinstatement of the carrier's certificate shall do so within ninety (90) days of its cancellation by law.

F. The Commission shall, in its discretion, permit the filing of certificates of insurance coverage on such form as may be prescribed by the Commission, in lieu of copies of insurance policies or bonds, with the proviso that if the certificates are authorized, the insurance company or carrier so filing it, upon request of the Commission, shall, at any time, furnish an authenticated copy of the policy which the certificate represents, and further provided that thirty (30) days prior to effective cancellation or termination of the policy of insurance for any cause, the insurer shall so notify the Commission in writing of the facts or as deemed necessary by the Commission.

Added by Laws 1929, c. 253, p. 358, § 10. Amended by Laws 1933, c. 156, p. 360, § 4, emerg. eff. April 12, 1933; Laws 1937, p. 444, § 16; Laws 1965, c. 183, § 4, emerg. eff. June 3, 1965; Laws 1968, c. 190, § 9, eff. Sept. 30, 1968; Laws 1970, c. 80, § 1, emerg. eff. March 23, 1970; Laws 1995, c. 143, § 21, eff. Nov. 1, 1995; Laws 2009, c. 183, § 7, eff. Nov. 1, 2009.