What is liability car insurance?
Standard car insurance policies include liability insurance, which helps pay for medical expenses and repair costs when you’re responsible for a car accident that injures others or damages their property.
Liability insurance doesn’t cover your own injuries after an accident, and it won’t pay to repair or replace your car after a collision, theft, vandalism, or a natural disaster. Instead, liability coverage protects pedestrians, property owners, and other drivers and their passengers.
Ohio requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage. This helps ensure drivers can pay for injuries and property damage they may cause to others.
If you want to cover your own vehicle, full-coverage car insurance does that by including comprehensive and collision coverage.
Find Cheap Liability Car Insurance in Ohio
Liability policies average $64/mo.
Cheapest liability car insurance in Ohio
The average cost of car insurance in Ohio is $64 per month for liability-only coverage and $117 per month for full coverage.
Liability coverage is typically cheaper than full coverage, but the cost you’ll pay for either coverage depends on factors like your driving history, age, credit history, ZIP code, and more.
The companies in the following table offer the cheapest liability-only car insurance rates in Ohio, according to Insurify data.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| Mile Auto | $35 |
| State Farm | $36 |
| Progressive | $41 |
| Auto-Owners | $42 |
| Erie | $42 |
| Commonwealth Casualty | $46 |
| GEICO | $46 |
| USAA | $46 |
| Safeco | $48 |
| The General | $48 |
| Certainly | $50 |
| American Family | $51 |
| Trexis | $56 |
| Hugo | $57 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $58 |
| Trexis One | $61 |
| First Acceptance | $62 |
| Direct Auto | $66 |
| Elephant | $66 |
| GAINSCO | $66 |
| Clearcover | $70 |
| Bristol West | $71 |
| Dairyland | $74 |
| Root | $76 |
| Allstate | $79 |
| National General | $79 |
| Liberty Mutual | $81 |
| Travelers | $85 |
| Farmers | $88 |
| Insurify Car | $106 |
| State Auto | $122 |
Minimum liability car insurance requirements in Ohio
To meet Ohio’s minimum car insurance requirements, you’ll need:[1]
Bodily injury liability coverage: This type of coverage helps pay for the other person’s medical bills, up to your policy limits, if you cause an auto accident.
Property damage liability coverage: If you’re responsible for a car accident, this type of coverage pays for damage you cause to another person’s car or other type of property, such as a telephone pole.
Ohio’s minimum auto insurance coverage limits are:[2]
$25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
$50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability coverage per person
Is minimum liability coverage enough in Ohio?
Buying a minimum-coverage policy allows you to pay the cheapest rates while fulfilling your legal auto insurance requirements in Ohio. But for many Ohio residents, coverage that meets minimum requirements isn’t enough.
If a driver is at least 50% responsible for causing an accident, the state allows the other party to sue to recoup their costs.[3] Higher liability limits can help you pay for legal expenses in these situations.
You may need full-coverage insurance and/or higher liability coverage limits if:
You have an auto loan or lease.
You drive a new or expensive vehicle.
You have significant assets or a high net worth.
You rely on your car and can’t afford to replace it out of pocket.
You live in a high-population city, such as Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati.
You live in a high-crime area and park on the street.
Adding more coverage or raising your limits increases your costs, but comparing Ohio car insurance quotes can help you find the cheapest rate for your situation.
Penalties for driving without liability insurance in Ohio
In Ohio, drivers must show proof of coverage at traffic stops, vehicle inspections, and traffic court appearances.[4] Driving without auto insurance in Ohio has serious consequences, including:
First offense: The state will suspend your license until you meet reinstatement requirements, which include paying a $40 reinstatement fee and getting an SR-22 filing. The SR-22 must be on file for one year.
Second offense within one year: The state will suspend your license for one year, charge you a $300 reinstatement fee, and require an SR-22 filing for one year.
Third offense within one year: The state will suspend your license for two years, charge a $600 reinstatement fee, and require you to carry an SR-22 filing for one year.
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How to find cheap liability car insurance in Ohio
While it’s easy to find cheap car insurance in Ohio, you can lower your premiums even more by qualifying for discounts. Here are a few ideas:
Take steps to improve your credit. Ohio allows insurers to use credit-based insurance scores as a factor when pricing auto insurance policies. Paying your bills on time, reducing debt, and correcting errors on your credit reports may help improve your credit scores, which could lead to lower insurance rates.
Complete an approved defensive driving course. If you’re between the ages of 60 and 70, completing an approved accident-prevention course can qualify you for a premium discount required under Ohio law. You can renew the discount by retaking the course every three years.
Practice safe driving habits. About 5.5% of Ohio drivers have a speeding ticket on their records, according to Insurify data. If you get one of these violations, you’ll have points on your record for two years.[5] But if you can avoid traffic tickets, at-fault accidents, and charges for operating a vehicle while impaired (OVI), you can prevent big rate hikes for being a high-risk driver.
Compare quotes every six months. Auto insurance rates change frequently, and each insurer weighs risk differently. The company that was cheapest when you bought your policy may no longer offer the best rate. Shopping around before every renewal can help you find a lower premium.
Raise your deductibles. If you have collision and comprehensive coverage, consider choosing higher deductibles to help lower your premiums.
Ask about discounts. Insurers commonly offer car insurance discounts, but they vary with each company. Some common ways to save include enrolling in paperless billing, keeping a clean driving record, signing up for automatic payments, paying your premium in full, insuring multiple vehicles, and earning a good student discount.
Liability car insurance in Ohio FAQs
From Columbus to Toledo, Akron, and beyond, Ohio drivers must carry at least the state-minimum amount of auto insurance. Here are some answers to common questions about finding affordable car insurance in Ohio.
What company has the cheapest liability insurance in Ohio?
Mile Auto has the cheapest liability insurance in Ohio, at $35 per month. But the best car insurance in Ohio depends on your own needs. Comparing insurers can help you find an affordable policy with the coverage you need.
Does Ohio offer low-income car insurance?
No. Ohio doesn’t have state-sponsored car insurance designed for low-income families. If you’re on a tight budget, you can take steps like comparing multiple car insurance quotes, looking for discounts, using pay-per-mile coverage, and lowering your coverage limits if possible.
How does SR-22 insurance work in Ohio?
SR-22 insurance is a certificate your insurance company files with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) proving you carry at least the state’s minimum required liability insurance. Drivers typically must request an SR-22 after serious driving offenses or certain license suspensions, such as driving without insurance.
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "What is auto insurance?."
- Ohio Department of Insurance. "Automobile Insurance Guide."
- Ohio Department of Insurance. "Ohio's Comparative Negligence Law."
- Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. "You Will Loose Your License if You Drive Without Insurance."
- Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules. "Section 4510.036 | Records of bureau of motor vehicles - points assessed.."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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