Attorney review: Jami S. Oliver, Founder. Admitted in Ohio, 1993.* About Jami
Oliver Law Office is a woman-led personal injury firm with locations in Dublin and Columbus, Ohio.*
The risks of getting into an accident with an uninsured driver are significant, so what do you do if the driver who hits you is uninsured? Are you forced to cover the costs yourself, including medical bills and property damage? Not necessarily. If you carry uninsured motorist coverage, Oliver Law Office can help you get compensation from your insurance policy.
Is it illegal to drive without insurance in Ohio?
Yes. It is illegal to drive in Ohio without liability insurance, the coverage that pays the costs when a driver causes a wreck that injures others or damages their property.*
Unfortunately, not everyone follows the law.
Nearly 1 in 5 Ohio drivers is uninsured. According to the Insurance Research Council, an estimated 18.5% of Ohio motorists were uninsured in 2023. This makes uninsured motorist coverage an important protection for Ohio drivers and their families.
Source: Insurance Research Council, Uninsured Motorists Study (2023 data), as published by the Insurance Information Institute.
What car insurance does Ohio require?
The minimum insurance required in Ohio is:
- $25,000 for bodily injury to one person in an accident.
- $50,000 for bodily injury to more than one person injured in the same accident.
- $25,000 for property damage.
With nearly 1 in 5 Ohio drivers uninsured, it is imperative that drivers who follow Ohio’s insurance laws protect themselves further by carrying uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage.*
How does uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage work in Ohio?
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage protects you when their insurance is not enough to cover all your damages.*
Ohio Revised Code Section 3937.18 requires insurance companies to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in an amount equal to the policy’s bodily injury liability limit.
If you agree to the coverage, and you should, it works in your favor if you are hurt in a crash caused by an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run driver in Ohio. Here is why:*
- With UM coverage, you pursue your own coverage for the same damages you would claim from an insured driver’s insurance. In theory, your insurance company covers your bodily injury and property damage expenses up to the policy limits.*
- With UIM coverage, if the driver who caused your injuries carries the minimum required insurance and your damages exceed that amount, you pursue your own coverage for the balance.*
Will your own insurance company pay a UM or UIM claim in full?
Not always. Any time you make an insurance claim, your interest in getting paid fully is at odds with the insurer’s interest in paying as little as possible.*
Since you are filing with your own insurance company, you might expect them to make the process easy and pay your claim in full to keep you happy as a customer. They might even act like they are on your side.*
Even with a UM/UIM claim, they will still send out an adjuster to tell you what your damages are and to try to convince you what your claim is worth.*
This amount is nearly always less than a practicing auto accident attorney can get for your claim.
Contact our uninsured accident attorneys in Columbus to learn how we can pursue your insurance provider for the maximum coverage available through your policy, starting with a free consultation.*
Should you get uninsured motorist coverage before a crash?
Yes. Too often, Oliver Law Office cannot help injured drivers or passengers because the other driver had no insurance and they had no UM/UIM coverage of their own.*
It is heartbreaking, and preventable. Call your insurance agent and ask them to review your UM/UIM coverage, for bodily injury and also for property damage (to repair your car).*
Even if you believe you have “full coverage,” you might not be fully covered. With UM/UIM coverage, we can help.*
Contact our auto accident lawyers in Columbus (on Wikipedia) to learn about your legal rights and your options for a claim against your own coverage, so you are not left paying for your damages out of pocket.*
What results has Oliver Law Office obtained in vehicle cases?
These results come from crashes on the road.*
$2.5M
Judgment for automobile striking a bicyclist resulting in death
$5M
Settlement arising out of a death of a pedestrian by a distracted driver
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.*
“Jami Oliver guided me through the most difficult experience of my life and showed me compassion and professionalism throughout the whole episode.”
What does an uninsured motorist lawyer cost?
There is never a charge to speak with an attorney at Oliver Law Office, and no upfront or out-of-pocket costs in an injury or death matter.*
We handle all injury cases on a contingency basis. That means we advance all the costs needed to pursue your claim, and we charge a fee only if and when there is a successful result.*
Why work with Oliver Law Office on an uninsured motorist claim?
Oliver Law Office makes sure every client knows how important they are to us. You are not simply another case, and you are not a number.*
You have been through a physically and emotionally traumatic experience, and you deserve our full attention.*
Our law firm founder and managing attorney, Jami S. Oliver, has been named 2027 “Lawyer of the Year” in Columbus, Ohio, for Medical Malpractice Law, Plaintiffs, and named to Best Lawyers in America 2027 for Litigation, Labor and Employment; Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs; and Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs, after being named 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” in Columbus for Product Liability Litigation, Plaintiffs.*
Our team can review your uninsured motorist claim during a free consultation, so you can start making informed decisions about your case and your future.*
Our Ohio car accident attorneys and team have successfully represented clients for over 30 years. We know Ohio’s personal injury laws well, including how to pursue full compensation from every insurance coverage and policy for each client’s recovery needs.*
Oliver Law Office was built to put you first and support you, through communication and commitment to your individual needs, and the ethical and passionate pursuit of justice.*
Your complete recovery matters, and you are worth the fight. Getting your life back on track means not giving up on the process, and we won’t either.*
Oliver Law Office is a client-focused law firm emphasizing the individualized needs of each client with personalized attention.
We handle every case with confidence, courage, and determination.
How do you reach a Columbus uninsured motorist accident lawyer?
If you have been hurt, or lost a loved one, in a crash caused by a negligent uninsured or underinsured driver in Ohio, call Oliver Law Office at 614.220.9100.*
You can also fill out a Contact Us form, so we can be in touch as soon as possible. Let’s get started on your claim today.*
What else do people ask about uninsured and underinsured motorist claims?
Can I reject UM/UIM coverage in Ohio?
If you reject UM/UIM coverage, you must do so in writing.
Once you reject the coverage, you will be responsible for paying for your injuries and damages if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver.
Does UM/UIM coverage help after a hit-and-run?
Yes. UM/UIM coverage works in your favor if you are hurt in a crash caused by an uninsured, underinsured or hit-and-run driver in Ohio.*
