Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance

There are lots of reasons you need auto insurance.  Some of those reasons include:

• Protecting yourself from liability (being sued) for pain, suffering and injuries to others.
• Property Damage to your own property and the property of others
• It is the law, in the state of Ohio, to carry at least 25/50,000 in liability coverage

There are many different ways to cover your automobile and protect yourself from liability with an Ohio automobile insurance policy.  And, there are different types of coverage involved in a car insurance policy.  There is also a misconception of the widely used term “full coverage”, because, literally, there is no such thing as full coverage.  For example, if you are in an accident that is deemed your fault and you have what is called a “Split Limit” policy in the amount of 25,000/50,000/25,000 and the person you hit medical bills total $60,000, you are not fully covered and would have to come out of pocket to cover the injured persons medical bills.  Why, you ask?  Because a policy limit of 25/50/25 means you have maximum of $25,000 of liability (bodily injury) coverage per person, with a maximum of $50,000 per accident.

Also, if your property damage liability limit is set at a maximum of $50,000 and you hit someone with a vehicle valued at $60,000 and you have to replace their vehicle, you also would need to come up with an additional $10,000 to cover their vehicle – if you were deemed at fault.

There is more of a breakdown on the different types of policy limits, combined single limit “CSL” or single limit, you can have with an ohio automobile insurance policy and which is better on this website.

Comprehension and collision coverage is another part of an automobile policy and has to do with the physical damage coverage of your own automobile. Collision coverage only covers damage to your own car; it does not provide coverage if you hit another person’s vehicle – this is what the liability “physical damage” portion of your insurance is for.  If the other driver is at fault, their property damage liability insurance, and not your collision coverage, will pay to repair your car, providing they carry adequate coverage.

Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance

Physical Damage Coverage

Comprehensive: protects the vehicle against loss from fire, theft, animal collision, windstorm/hail, vandalism and glass breakage.

Collision: pays for damage to the vehicle from impact with other vehicles or objects.

In cases where someone hits you that doesn’t carry adequate coverage, and is at fault, you have the option of carrying uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage which may kick in in the event of a loss when the accident is not your fault.  Sometimes people leave out this coverage to cut costs and I would recommend that you do not, especially since there are so many people driving without insurance even though it is illegal.

Other optional coverage’s may include the following, depending on the carrier you choose:

• Towing or Roadside Assistance
• Rental Car
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Full Glass Coverage –  no need to pay an “Other Than Collision” deductible to have the windshield replaced.
• Medical Payments – pays medical expenses for your customer, their family and passengers if injured in an auto accident in the insured vehicle, or if the insured or their family members are pedestrians hit by a vehicle.
• OEM Equipment – changes the loss settlement for Other Than Collision and Collision Coverage so parts damaged in a covered loss are replaced with original manufacturer parts when available
• Gap or Loan/Lease Gap – pays the difference between the unpaid amount due on a new or used loans/leasing agreement and the actual cash value of the auto, up to 125% in the event of a covered total loss of the auto.

When it comes to Columbus Ohio Auto Insurance, there are other options available when dealing with different carriers and you may want to inquire with your agent about them.  I highly recommend adding towing and/or roadside assistance if you don’t have AAA because I see this coverage used a lot.  Also, a lot of people don’t know that a towing, or roadside assistance request from your insurance carrier, that has nothing to do with an accident, is considered a claim or loss and may cause your insurance policy to increase with some carriers.

If you have a good decent driving record and want to avoid increases in your policy for small violations, some carriers offer minor violation forgiveness.

The latest trend is to see who can give you the least expensive auto policy and to try to get away with the least amount of coverage.  Saving money is great as long as your covered.  Make sure you know what your limits, coverage’s, and options are when selecting any type of insurance policy.

And if you have any questions about what’s on your Ohio automobile insurance policy or you’d like a quote, give me a call 614-642-0941