I moved to Ohio for a job. I’m wondering if there would be changes to my auto insurance now that I am here. (I’m from South Carolina). Care to enlighten me?

Godfrey

Akron, OH

Hello there, Godfrey. Of course, there will be differences in how auto insurance is done in South Carolina and Ohio. Let us start with where you hail from to get a better perspective on things.

South Carolina is one of the states where liability auto insurance is not considered as a requirement. As a refresher, liability auto insurance covers damages sustained in a motor vehicle accident caused by the driver of the policy holder. This may include the bystanders, passengers and drivers of other cars involved in the accident. There is also coverage for property damage (usually the other car). Now, if you read up about this liability insurance on the internet, you would usually see numbers like 15/30/10. These just represent the limits that the auto insurance will cover. That set of number is read as $15,000 per head per accident with a limit of $30,000 for injured people involved. The 10 is $10,000 maximum property damage that the auto insurance company will shoulder. In South Carolina, underinsured/ uninsured motorist auto insurance coverage is a requirement. This type of coverage simply protects the policy holder from damage sustained from other motorists who don’t carry auto insurance.

Now, since you moved to Akron, Ohio, auto insurance will definitely change. In Ohio, the state will require you to carry 12.5/25/7.5 liability insurance on you. But the opposite is true for underinsured/ uninsured motorist auto insurance coverage.

Now, depending on how much your paycheck will allow, it is usually recommended that you get higher limits. Better be prepared than to get caught in a tricky situation like sustaining more damage than what your auto insurance company will shoulder.

What is the difference between liability coverage and collision coverage? I called an insurance office in Akron Ohio OH but the agent’s explanation didn’t make sense to me. Please explain it clearly.

June

Akron OH

How unfortunate, June! Rest assured that most insurance companies in Akron Ohio OH are reliable and professional, and would be happy to assist you when you make queries such as this one. Having said this, let me thank you for trusting me to answer your questions.

Yes, sometimes liability and collision coverage may seem similar but they are not. Liability coverage pays for the damages resulting to a collision where you are liable. It will pay for the damages to the car you have hit and for the medical expenses of the passengers of the damaged car. Collision coverage, on the other hand, protects your car from possible damages brought about by collision. Liability coverage has three limits – bodily injury per person, bodily injury total, and property damages. It can happen that sometimes, your car was hit by a reckless driver whose liability coverage limits can not fully pay for the damages made to your car. This is the time when you will make use of your collision coverage.

Liability coverage is the minimum required when you register your car. It will always be the cheapest available auto insurance around Akron Ohio OH. To compare prices, simply get online quotes by entering your zip code on this page. What is critical is for you to evaluate if you will be comfortable with just the minimum auto insurance.

I hope that I have explained it well enough, June; please feel free to contact me again if you have any other questions.

Tags: auto insurance, collision insurance coverage

I borrowed my boyfriend’s car and just ran out of luck. I crashed his Chevy down the road in Akron, Ohio. How will that position us with her car insurance policy?

Arnie

Akron, OH

So who will foot the bill now? If you’re not sure of any or all of these questions, then you’re like the vast majority of car insurance policyholders who would have this as a scary thought.

Most people frequently let others borrow our cars without considering the insurance ramifications. Lucky you, for I can give you some answers right now, which you might want to tell you aunt and friends.
If you borrowed your boyfriend’s car with permission, your boyfriend is taking on what is known in insurance-speak as “vicarious liability”. This means that your boyfriend will be responsible for both property damage and bodily injury, and his insurance will have to cover the damages. You are off scott-free, although you might get a cold shoulder or never get to drive your boyfriend’s car ever again.

The “insured” does not have to own the auto involved in an accident in order for liability coverage to apply, and the “insured” is defined not only as the named “insured” and his or spouse, but also any child (including foster child) or anyone related to the named “insured” by blood, marriage or adoption who is a resident of the named “insured’s” household in Akron, Ohio. It is very important to understand just who and what is covered by your car insurance in Akron, Ohio.

I got involved in a car accident in Akron Ohio and they did not included the other person’s insurance carrier on the police report. How will I find out if the other person is insured? I live in Akron, Ohio.

George

Akron, OH

In a majority of the states including Ohio you will have to get this information from the law enforcement.

It is the law enforcement’s responsibility to include this kind of information on the accident report. If there is no accident report, then you should speak with the law enforcement to file a police report regarding the accident in Akron, Ohio. If you have a police report, you will need to contact the law enforcement that wrote up the report.

You can contact your insurance carrier and they can help you in this matter.

If you cannot locate the other party, then you will have to file the claim under your insurance policy if of course you have coverage that will cover the car insurance claim.