§ 137.102 Restitution ordered to insurance carrier

Here's what this rule means in plain terms:

When a court orders someone to pay restitution to an insurance company, that money doesn't all go to the insurance company. Instead, half of what gets collected goes to the Oregon Department of Justice. That money is then used to fund services for crime victims.

This applies whether the restitution comes from a regular criminal case, a juvenile case, or a traffic-related case involving unpaid vehicle costs. It doesn't matter which of these paths the restitution order came from. As long as the money is being paid to an insurance carrier, the 50-50 split still applies once the money is actually collected.

This rule exists so that insurance companies aren't the only ones who benefit when a defendant pays back money for a crime. Even though the insurance company took the financial hit and is owed money, the state steps in to make sure victim services also get support from these payments. So if you're a defendant paying restitution to an insurer, half your payment is redirected to fund programs that help crime victims across Oregon.