Ohio Auto Insurance

Ohio drivers are required to cover auto insurance with them at all times  – except if they choose to show their financial responsibility in other ways, by way of a $30,000 surety bond, a $60,000 real estate equity bond, or a deposit with the state in the amount of $30,000. Suffice to say, most Ohio drivers choose to go the route of the auto insurance.

Minimum Ohio auto insurance

When you're buying auto insurance in Ohio, you'll need to keep a minimum amount of coverage to meet the legal requirement. Compared with many other states, the requirements here in Ohio are low:

• Bodily Injury and Death: $12,500 to cover one person in any one accident, and $25,000 to cover all injuries
• Property Damages: $7,500 

Ohio follows a legal system in case of accidents called a tort system, in which one of the drivers in the accident is found to be at fault for causing the accident ; that driver will be responsible for paying for all the damages. If you're at fault, your auto insurance will help you meet these obligations, but if you don't have enough insurance to cover the vehicle repairs, along with medical bills for both drivers and all the passengers, you could face heavy debt trying to cover the costs of the accident. This is why it's recommended to buy more than the required amount of coverage.

Penalties without Ohio auto insurance

If you are pulled over by a police officer or in an accident without insurance, you will face the immediate penalty of losing your driving privilege. Your license will be taken away for 90 days on your first offense, and for a year if it's your second offense. After that, you also face losing your license plates and registration.

There are financial penalties too – you'll have to pay reinstatement fees up to $500 and purchase a high-r isk auto insurance policy which is more expensive than the regular coverage; and you'll need to maintain high-risk auto insurance for up to eight years.