It is law in Ohio that you must have insurance to drive any motor vehicle. A vehicle owner cannot allow anyone else to drive their motor vehicle without insurance. Yes, car insurance is a must in Ohio. All drivers in Ohio must have liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage in their insurance policies.
A car owner cannot allow another person to drive their vehicle unless they have insurance. You may be asked to show proof of insurance at traffic stops, at accident scenes, and at vehicle inspections. All car owners in Ohio must have a minimum amount of car insurance. This helps ensure that drivers have a basic amount of financial protection in the event of an accident, although it is possible to choose higher policy limits than those required by the state.
Bankrate covers the minimum car insurance requirements in Ohio and shares everything you need to know as an Ohio driver. If you can't drive your car because of a covered loss, this coverage helps pay for a car rental or other transportation expenses so you can get back on the road. While insuring your personal vehicle with the minimum amount of insurance required by state law is usually the most affordable option, it doesn't mean you're fully protected in the event of a car accident. Not having car insurance in many states can make you a high-risk driver when buying car insurance.
However, opting for exclusive liability coverage is not a recommended strategy for obtaining cheap insurance. Car accidents can be costly, and there is no guarantee that the minimum coverage insurance will cover the full cost of an accident. This requirement is often called SR-22 insurance, but it's not insurance, but rather a record that the auto insurance company files on your behalf with the state to verify that you have insurance coverage that meets Ohio's minimum liability insurance requirements. For example, a driver who wants to customize their car insurance policy with numerous optional coverages will want something very different from a driver who only wants basic coverage.
This means that the person who was at fault for the car accident is responsible for compensating all people who were injured as a result of the accident (although, in practice, the at-fault driver's insurance company would normally cover these damages, up to the limits of the policy). While no-fault states mean that the driver's insurance company pays their costs and expenses regardless of who caused the accident, an at-fault state (such as Ohio) means that the at-fault driver's insurance company pays those costs for everyone involved. In addition, all drivers caught driving without insurance must acquire an SR-22 certificate to demonstrate that they have adequate insurance from now on, which will normally be required for three to five years, depending on the violation. In some states, your vehicle can be towed and you won't be able to claim it until you present proof of insurance.
For the 15% of Ohioans who don't have insurance, the Ohio Department of Insurance estimates that even more drivers are underinsured, meaning they have enough insurance to remain legal, but not enough to pay for serious injuries and damages. All insurance products are governed by the terms of the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as coverage approval, premiums, fees, and charges) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the insurance insurer. Some car insurance qualifying factors, such as your driving history, can significantly affect your insurance costs.
