Ohio Car Insurance: A Quick Outline of Policies

As with most insurances car insurance policies vary from state to state. If you are new to Ohio or are unsure of its specific requirements and regulations it is wise to contact the Ohio Department of Insurance by calling 1-800-686-1526 or by visiting their website at http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

The only insurance that Ohio residents are absolutely required to have on their vehicles is liability. With repair costs and medical expenses totaling up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in today’s economy it is impossible for the average person to pay for the damages they may cause by being responsible for an auto accident. Liability insurance will help cover these costs. In OH the minimum liability levels are twelve thousand five hundred dollars for medical expenses incurred by a single driver, twenty five thousand dollars for the combined medical expenses of all the people in the vehicle and seven thousand five hundred dollars for any property damages caused by the accident. This is including (but not limited to) damages suffered by the vehicle of the other driver.

While it is not required it is strongly recommended that all drivers carry a comprehensive and collision coverage on their vehicle. The driver responsible for an accident is generally left holding the bag for the complete cost of any repairs needed to their vehicle; liability will provide no assistance with this. Collision coverage will pay for repairs up to the total value of the vehicle; beyonod that total the vehicle will be totaled and the driver awarded the full cash value of their car. Collision coverage my be required for any vehicle currently under lien.

Also not required but strongly encouraged is uninsured motorist insurance. Since OH is not a no fault state, any driver involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist will have to foot the bill for their own medical and repair expenses, then try to recover them from the other driver’s personal assets in a court of law. This is often expensive and time consuming. Uninsured motorist insurance allows for quick care to be received by both driver and vehicle and provides a means for those drivers involved in a hit and run to seek both as well.