Ohio Auto Insurance Claims:
UM/UIM, Medpay & Stacking

Ohio minimum auto insurance requirements

Ohio requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance under R.C. § 4509.101. The current minimums are:

These minimums are dangerously low. A single trip to the emergency room after a car accident can exceed $25,000. A serious injury requiring surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation routinely generates six-figure medical bills. If the at-fault driver carries only minimum coverage, their $25,000 policy won’t begin to cover your damages.

This is exactly why UM/UIM coverage on your own policy is so critical. The at-fault driver’s insurance is only as good as their policy limits. Your UM/UIM coverage fills the gap — and in many Ohio accident cases, it is the single largest source of recovery.

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage explained

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all. Under R.C. § 3937.18, Ohio auto policies may include UM coverage but are not required to — it is an optional coverage. Most Ohio insurers offer UM/UIM as a standard option, and Mike strongly recommends purchasing it at the highest limits you can afford.

When you file a UM claim, you are making a claim against your own insurance company. Your insurer steps into the shoes of the uninsured at-fault driver and pays your damages up to your UM policy limits. The process is similar to a third-party liability claim — your insurer investigates, evaluates damages, and negotiates a settlement.

An estimated 12% of Ohio drivers are uninsured despite the legal mandate. If you do not carry UM coverage and are hit by one of these drivers, your options for recovery are severely limited. Mike reviews every client’s policy to ensure no available coverage is overlooked.

Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage explained

Underinsured motorist coverage is the most valuable — and most underutilized — protection on your auto policy. UIM coverage applies when the at-fault driver has insurance, but their policy limits are not enough to cover your total damages.

Here is how UIM works in practice:

In this example, without UIM coverage your recovery would be capped at $50,000 — leaving $150,000 in damages uncompensated. With UIM, you recover an additional $100,000 from your own policy. The at-fault driver’s low coverage is their problem, not yours — as long as you have adequate UIM protection.

Medical payments coverage (medpay)

Medpay is a no-fault coverage that pays for medical expenses arising from an auto accident regardless of who caused the crash. It covers you, your passengers, and often your family members when they are occupants of your vehicle. Common medpay limits range from $5,000 to $25,000, though higher limits are available.

Medpay serves a critical function: it provides immediate funding for medical treatment while your liability claim is being investigated, negotiated, and resolved — a process that can take months or years. Without medpay, you may face a difficult choice between out-of-pocket medical costs and delaying treatment. With medpay, your bills are covered from day one.

Key features of Ohio medpay coverage:

• Pays regardless of fault — no liability determination needed
• Covers emergency room visits, surgery, imaging, physical therapy, and prescriptions
• Applies to you and your passengers
• Does not reduce your recovery from the at-fault driver
• No deductible or copay in most policies
• Available even if you have health insurance (it pays first or supplements)

Many Ohio drivers do not realize they have medpay coverage or don’t know how to access it. Mike reviews every client’s policy to identify medpay benefits and submits claims immediately to ensure medical treatment is not delayed by financial concerns.

Policy stacking: combining coverage for maximum recovery

Ohio law permits stacking of UM/UIM coverage in certain situations — meaning you can combine the coverage from multiple vehicles on your policy or from multiple policies you hold to increase your total available coverage.

Under R.C. § 3937.18, stacking depends on the language of your specific policy. Ohio courts have held that if the policy does not contain a clear, unambiguous anti-stacking provision, coverage may be stacked. There are two types of stacking:

• Intrapolicy stacking: combining UM/UIM limits from multiple vehicles on the same policy. If you insure three cars with $100,000 UIM each, you may stack for $300,000 in total UIM coverage.
• Interpolicy stacking: combining coverage from policies issued by different insurers. If you have a personal auto policy and are also a named insured on a family member’s policy, both policies may provide UIM coverage.

Dealing with insurance company tactics

Whether you are dealing with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or your own insurer on a UM/UIM claim, the tactics are similar. Insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums and minimizing payouts. Their adjusters are trained to use specific strategies to reduce your claim:

• Quick lowball offers: presenting a settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries, hoping you’ll accept out of financial pressure
• Recorded statement requests: asking detailed questions designed to create inconsistencies with your medical records or prior statements
• Medical record fishing: requesting broad authorizations to access your entire medical history, looking for pre-existing conditions to blame
• Delay tactics: stalling the investigation, slow-walking document requests, and hoping you’ll give up or accept less out of frustration
• Surveillance: hiring investigators to follow you, photograph you, and build a case that your injuries are exaggerated
• IME requests: sending you to their chosen “independent” medical examiner — a doctor who earns a living by minimizing injury claims for insurance companies

Mike handles all insurance communications on behalf of his clients. He knows these tactics because he has seen every one of them — hundreds of times. His approach is direct: document every damage, build the strongest possible demand, negotiate aggressively, and file suit when the insurer refuses to pay what the claim is worth.

Bad faith insurance claims in Ohio

When your own insurance company unreasonably denies, delays, or underpays a legitimate claim, Ohio law provides a cause of action for insurance bad faith. Ohio courts have recognized that insurers owe a duty of good faith and fair dealing to their policyholders. Violating this duty can expose the insurer to damages beyond the policy limits.

Common examples of bad faith in Ohio auto insurance claims include:

• Denying a UM/UIM claim without a reasonable investigation
• Refusing to pay a claim that is clearly covered under the policy
• Offering an unreasonably low settlement that bears no relationship to the actual damages
• Failing to respond to claims or communications within reasonable timeframes
• Misrepresenting policy provisions or coverage limitations
• Conditioning payment on unreasonable demands or documentation requirements

Bad faith claims can result in compensatory damages (the full amount owed under the policy plus consequential damages) and punitive damages under R.C. § 2315.21 where the insurer’s conduct involved malice or aggravated or egregious fraud. Mike does not hesitate to pursue bad faith claims when insurers refuse to honor their obligations to Ohio policyholders.

Your insurer vs. the at-fault driver’s insurer

After an Ohio auto accident, you may be dealing with two different insurance companies simultaneously — and the rules are different for each:

Navigating both relationships simultaneously requires strategic discipline. What you say to one insurer can affect your claim with the other. Medical authorizations you sign for one can be used by the other. Settlement coordination is essential to avoid waiving UIM rights. Mike manages all insurance interactions as a unified strategy — not as separate, disconnected claims.