Cheap Car Insurance in Ohio

If you’re about to become a vehicle owner in the state of Ohio, one of the first things that you should do is familiarize yourself with the state’s insurance requirements.

As soon as you register a car in your name, it becomes your legal responsibility to keep up the tags and maintain insurance. You could find yourself in hot water with state officials if you let either lapse for even just a day.

The key to finding cheap car insurance in Ohio is to get informed. Once you understand how the industry works and what types of coverage are available, you’ll have the power when you shop the marketplace.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve provided a consumer guide to help navigate through the Ohio insurance market.

Looking for affordable auto insurance in Ohio? Start comparison shopping by comparing at least three to four policies. Enter your ZIP code above to find the best rates for you!

Auto Insurance Laws in Ohio

Every state enacts car insurance laws that residents must follow. Like most states, officials in Ohio have made car insurance mandatory for the sheer fact that driving an automobile is dangerous.

Many types of insurance in the United States are considered optional, but car insurance is not one of them.

– Why do you need insurance?

States don’t care if you purchase your own disability insurance or liability insurance, so why is it that officials care whether or not you insure your car?

What many people don’t understand is that the coverage that’s mandatory in Ohio strictly pays for third-party damages and not for your own bodywork. The coverage that pays for your hospital bills and bodywork is optional.

If you’re still not convinced that auto insurance is necessary, you need to picture what a world without auto insurance would look like.

Uninsured drivers in at-fault accidents would have to pay thousands of dollars to accident victims after a loss, meaning lost income or possibly even liquidating assets that you’ve worked hard to accrue.

It doesn’t get any better when it comes to natural disasters. You can’t control storms and where they hit. If your area is struck by a catastrophic storm and you choose not to carry physical damage insurance on your brand new car, you could be left paying your finance company for a car that’s totaled beyond repair.

Without insurance, your financial future is at risk anytime you’re exposed to an accident or loss.

– Ohio’s Mandatory Insurance Requirements

Ohio operates under a fault-based tort system.

In laymen’s terms, a fault-based tort system means that anyone negligent for damaging property or personal injury to another person must cover the expenses for car repairs and medical treatment.

Since fault dictates which party will pay, all drivers in Ohio must carry at least the following third-party liability limits:

• $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person (another driver, a passenger, a bicyclist, a pedestrian, etc.)
• $50,000 total for all bodily injury or death caused by a single car accident
• $25,000 for any damage to property owned by others arising out of a single accident

– Penalties for Failing to Carry Mandatory Insurance

Auto insurance premiums are low compared to the penalties that are assessed if you don’t comply with insurance laws.

Not all states impose suspensions or assess fines for failing to carry insurance, but judges in Ohio are strict because 13.5 percent of drivers in the state are uninsured.

Here’s what could happen if you drive uninsured or you let someone drive your car knowing it’s not covered:

• Suspension of your driver’s license for a mandatory period of 90 days for your first offense (up to one year if you’re a repeat offender)
• Suspension of your vehicle registration
• Impoundment of your vehicle
• Assessment of a $75 reinstatement fee to get your license back ($500 for repeat offenders)
• Requirement to file an SR-22 for three years to show proof of compliance with the financial responsibility laws

Additional Coverage Options in Ohio

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Having Ohio’s minimum requirements will satisfy the law but selecting the minimums could leave you vulnerable. To protect your income and all of your assets, it’s wise to choose a policy with higher third-party liability limits.

Many insurance agents recommend that all drivers carry $100,000/$300,000/$100,000.

Not only should you seriously consider raising your limits of liability, but you should also buy coverage that will help make life easier on you if you’re the victim in an accident. Do what you can to avoid being sued and think about how you’ll replace your car or pay for all of those expensive treatments if you don’t have the right insurance.

Here are other coverage options that you can add to most of Ohio’s policies:

• Comprehensive — Comprehensive coverage pays for the repair or replacement of your covered auto after it’s damaged by fire, theft, vandalism, falling objects, flood, or live animals
• Collision — This coverage pays for the repair or replacement of your covered auto after it’s damaged in a collision or rollover accident
• GAP — GAP insurance pays off your vehicle loan or lease if your car is totaled and you owe more than the vehicle is worth
• Rental Coverage — Rental insurance pays for a temporary substitute if your covered auto is disabled because of a covered loss
• Roadside Assistance — This coverage pays for towing, tire changes, or lockouts
• Custom Equipment — This coverage pays for the full replacement of custom equipment that’s scheduled on your policy
• OEM Endorsement — This coverage pays for OEM parts from the manufacturer instead of cheaper alternatives
• Minor Violation Forgiveness — This coverage will waive a surcharge for a moving violation if you had a clean record
• Accident Forgiveness — Accident forgiveness will waive a three-year surcharge for an at-fault accident if you had a clean record prior to the loss

Factors That Affect How Much You Pay

It’s not just the economy that influences your rates. Insurance companies look at operational expenses, but they also look at a long list of personal rating factors that could affect how risky of a driver you are.

Your age and your gender might be factors that are out of your control, but they do influence your rates. Some of the factors that affect your rates include:

• Driving history
• Credit history
• Type of car that you drive
• Zip code
• Vehicle usage
• Annual mileage

Discounts You Should Look for on Your Car Insurance

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Your base rate is how much you’re quoted to pay before any discounts are applied. Many drivers qualify for discounts for buying more products through the carrier or getting more training.

Some popular car insurance discounts to look for include:

• Experienced driver
• Good student
• Good driver
• Multi-car
• Multi-line
• Driver training
• Mature driver

Tips for Shopping Around For the Cheapest Rates

Before you search for the most affordable rates, you should focus on choosing the right carrier. It’s crucial that you concentrate on buying insurance from only financially stable insurers in Ohio.

After you’ve compared financial strength ratings, you can start to look over each company’s policy features to see which ones stand out.

Whenever you have a list of secure companies that you’d like to work with, you can start comparing rates.

Use an online rate comparison tool, enter your Ohio zip code, and then select the coverage limits and the coverage options that you’d like to carry on your personal insurance. When you find the right fit, you can start the application process.

Try our FREE online quote tool and start comparing auto insurance rates today! Enter your ZIP code below to begin!