Ohio Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) makes it easy to understand the state’s motorcycle insurance requirements as set forth in Ohio’s Financial Responsibility law. But don’t ignore the requirements or the BMV may have your bike immobilized or even confiscated!

Is Motorcycle Insurance Required in Ohio?

The short answer is yes. Ohio has a financial responsibility law that applies to anyone who operates a motor vehicle on the roads. The most common way to meet the requirements of the law is through liability insurance.

The required coverages are:

• $12,500 for bodily injury or death to one person in one accident
• $25,000 for bodily injury or death to more than one person in one accident
• $7,500 for property damage in one accident

Liability insurance covers injury, death or property damage that others suffer when you’re at fault in an accident.

Are There Other Ways to Comply With the Financial Responsibility Requirements Besides Motorcycle Insurance?

Yes. You can get:

• A $30,000 surety bond issued by an authorized surety or insurance company
• A certificate from an insurance company that attests that you meet the requirement. The BMV has a form for this.
• A certificate from the BMV certifying that you have deposited $30,000 in cash or government bonds with the Ohio Treasurer
• A certificate from the BMV verifying that you and another individual who together have equity in real estate equal to at least $60,000 have filed a bond in the amount of $30,000
• A certificate of self-insurance (only applies if you have more than 25 registered vehicles)

Does Ohio Verify That I Have Motorcycle Insurance?

Yes. Ohio has what it calls a Random Selection program that involves sending letters to about 5% of Ohio’s registered vehicle owners per year. When you get the letter, you need to submit proof of insurance within 21 days or show a reason why your bike doesn’t need motorcycle insurance (e.g., you’re not operating it).

You also have to show proof of insurance when you’re in an accident that injures someone or causes more than $400 worth of property damage, when a peace officer or highway patrol officer requests it or if you have to go to court because of a traffic violation. You should also bring your insurance card with you when you et the motorcycle inspected.

What Are the Penalties for Not Having Motorcycle Insurance Coverage?

The main penalty is losing your license plates and registration for your motorcycle. You also lose your driver’s license for at least 90 days and up to two years. If you are caught driving in violation of the suspension, your vehicle may be immobilized. If your registration is suspended three or more times, your vehicle may even be confiscated.

In addition, if you are involved in an accident and you don’t have insurance at the time of the accident, you could lose your registration until you’ve paid all the damages you owe as a result of the accident. You’ll also need to pay reinstatement fees to get your plates and registration back if they are suspended.

Finally, you’ll also have to file an SR-22/Bond for between 3 and 5 years from the time you lost your registration to prove your financial responsibility. An SR-22/Bond is a minimum liability insurance policy but your premiums will be significantly higher than normal because you will now be considered high-risk.

How Can I Demonstrate Proof of Motorcycle Insurance?

In many cases, your insurance card will be adequate, but you may also produce one of the following:

• A copy of the declaration page from your insurance policy
• A Form BMV 2262, 2263 or 2294 completed by your insurance agent. These apply if your registration has been suspended previously.
• A liability bond that meets the requirements of the law
• An insurance binder in effect until your policy is formally issued
• Section A (Insurance Information) from a State Crash Report
• Evidence that you have met the financial responsibility in one of the other acceptable ways, such as by showing your certificate of bond from the BMV.

If you get a letter from the Random Selection program, you can’t use a binder.

Other Things to Know:

Purchasing only the minimum amount of liability insurance may not protect you adequately if you are at fault in an accident and it will not pay your own medical expenses. You may, therefore, decide to purchase additional insurance. To save money on premiums, you can get competitive quotes, and you can also investigate raising your deductibles or not getting property damage coverage on your bike.

As a motorcyclist, you are also especially vulnerable to injuries caused by other drivers. You may want to investigate premium costs for uninsured motorist coverage to protect you against losses you could suffer at the hands of an uninsured driver.