The problem of encountering an Ohio uninsured motorist

On Behalf of | Nov 6, 2014 | Uninsured/Underinsured Accidents

When there is a motor vehicle accident in Ohio, injured people will face medical expenses. The assumption is that insurance will pay for medical expenses and other costs involved in a crash. However, underinsured or uninsured motorists can be a problem. Many people are unaware of the frequency of drivers who are not properly insured and do not know what to do if they can’t get insurance to pay for their medical expenses.

While there has been a concerted effort to tamp down on the number of drivers who do not have enough insurance or are not insured at all, it is still a major issue that defies any simple solutions. The percentage of people who are not insured is falling, but the costs have risen. According to one recent report, 12.6 percent of drivers did not have insurance in 2012. Less than a decade earlier, that number was almost 15 percent. While these figures show improvement, the costs associated with uninsured accidents actually rose by 75 percent between 2003 and 2012. That figure only counts bodily damage suffered by people in those crashes and does not take into account damaged property.

While the punishments are severe for those who are caught driving without insurance that has not done much to reduce its incidence. Some might try to blame economic troubles for people trying to get away without paying for insurance, but there is no direct link to that issue either. In certain states — including Ohio — there are high rates of uninsured drivers. Across the nation, there are believed to be nearly 30 million drivers on the road without insurance.

The issue is not something that law-abiding citizens who pay for their insurance can dismiss. The costs for uninsured drivers will eventually affect those who are paying for their insurance as the overall rates increase. It is not just uninsured drivers who are the problem: The growing number of cheap insurance purveyors means there are more motorists who are trying to save a few bucks, but who end up with insufficient coverage once they get in an accident. Those who are affected by a crash with an uninsured motorist need to bear certain facts in mind when pursuing compensation and seriously think about speaking to a qualified legal professional on what to do next.

Source: InsuranceJournal.com, “IRC: Uninsured Motorists a Perplexing, Pervasive Concern,” accessed on Nov. 3, 2014

  • Avvo Top Contributor 2015 Car Accident
  • BBB Rating A+ as of 12/22/2017 Click for Profile

Archives

Archives