Non-owner car insurance in Ohio

Who offers non-owner coverage in Ohio?

Rates for 6 insurers are shown here, starting with the least expensive.

The minimum a driver without a car must carry in Ohio

Every liability policy sold in Ohio, including non-owner plans, must meet three dollar thresholds. For one person injured or killed, the policy must cover up to $25,000; when two or more are hurt or killed, it must cover up to $50,000. Damage to property calls for $25,000 in coverage. These numbers come from the BMV financial responsibility notice, form 3135.

Liability pays others for harm you cause, not for damage to the car you borrowed. The BMV may suspend anyone caught driving without proof, so keep your insurance card with you in any vehicle you use.

For what reasons does the Ohio BMV require an SR-22/bond, and how long must it be kept?

The Ohio BMV calls this document an SR-22/bond. It is a liability policy at the minimum level that insures only the named driver. Because it follows the driver, not the car, it fits well with not owning a vehicle.

Most often, it is triggered when a driver cannot show insurance proof to an officer after being pulled over or after a crash. The BMV page on non-compliance suspensions lays out the steps that come next. Showing that you had coverage on the date in question removes the suspension. Without that proof, a first violation brings a one-year SR-22/bond filing plus a required fee.

A second offense occurring within one year results in a one-year suspension; a third offense results in a two-year suspension. Every violation still demands one year of filing. An insurer authorized in Ohio submits the form to the BMV; electronic filings are typically processed inside 72 hours.

Under Ohio Revised Code 4509.101, a first violation carries a $40 reinstatement fee. Repeat offenses raise the cost: $300 for the second, and $600 for every one that follows. A $10 charge gets added by the deputy registrar. An amnesty program can cut the fee for a single offense by half.

Borrowing a car, moving away, or paying over time in Ohio

Since the filing insures only you, it will not extend to a spouse who gets behind the wheel of your car. The mandatory insurance page for Ohio also says an owner cannot allow anyone to drive without insurance. Lenders gain some comfort from a non-owner policy, knowing you carry your own coverage.

Leaving the state does not wipe out a requirement that Ohio imposed. Your insurance company must continue to maintain the filing with Ohio. The reinstatement fee and amnesty page says you can pay at least $25 every 30 days if you owe $150 or more.

What you pay in Ohio by age

For teenagers, the yearly cost is about $1,006. A 40-year-old pays an average of $475 a year for minimum coverage on an owned car, about $184 above the $291 non-owner average.