What to know about insurance when owning an APV in the Buckeye state

If you’ve never experienced it, the thrill of exploring trails and hills in a four-wheeler or similar vehicle is unlike any other. With a rich diversity in seasons and topography, Ohio is arguably one of the best states in the nation to own an all-purpose vehicle.

And with high reward comes high risk. Accidents and liability are not topics pleasant to consider but when presented with the dangers of being underinsured, we find it necessary to examine at least once.

As legally defined by Ohio, an all-purpose vehicle (APV) is “any self-propelled vehicle designed primarily for cross-country travel on land and water, or on more than one type of terrain, and steered by wheels or caterpillar treads, or any combination thereof, including vehicles that operate on a cushion of air, vehicles commonly known as all-terrain vehicles, all-season vehicles, minibikes and trail bikes.”

Let’s take a look at what owning one means in terms of insurance.

IN OHIO THE VEHICLE MUST BE REGISTERED

First, make sure your vehicle’s registration is valid. Ohio law is outlined on the Bureau of Motor Vehicles website. The lone exception is when “the APV is used primarily for agricultural purposes and the owner qualifies for the agricultural use valuation tax credit.”

The Ohio BMV can aid you in  making sure your registration is valid.

IF ACCIDENTS HAPPEN WHAT COSTS WILL YOU INCUR?

This is the day you never hope comes. But the one you ought to be prepared for.

There are several questions to ask: Did the accident involve you or your vehicle? Did the accident take place on your property? Are you liable? We have a plan that covers each of these scenarios.

Your APV and Your Land: Pertaining to what you own, we can sit down and make sure both your vehicle and property are not underinsured for disaster.

If your vehicle is rendered inoperable by an accident, we can make sure you have a plan in place that recoups your costs.

If you own property that is a favorite spot for family and friends, you could be liable for accidents and the resulting costs of injury. Costs from APV accidents can carry catastrophic physical and emotional costs alone; compounding that with surprise costs from being underinsured simply adds a frustrating level of insult to injury. To prevent that, our team will review your coverage to make sure it is suitable for liability situations.

If you have any questions or concerns, our team will be happy to clear up that uncertainty. And with the high risks involved, we strongly recommend you don’t delay. You can contact us here.

APV and Health Insurance: In terms of health insurance, our agents will review your policy to see that your coverage takes care of injury and manages any high costs catastrophe. Each plan is different and comes with coverage limitations. That’s why working with an independent agent in RFME benefits you. We explain each policy and help you narrow down health insurance you want in a way you understand.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BUCKEYE STATE

Once you’ve taken care of potential risks, owning an APV in Ohio can be thrilling. That is in large part why we see so many Ohioans who invest in them.

You’ll see farmers driving them in Northwest “breadbasket” fields. Adventurers can be seen exploring hills from the valleys along the Ohio River to the thick forests of Mohican to the rolling Appalachian foothills. And as summer draws to a close and fall begins, county fairs across the state come alive with exciting off-road competitions.

An option APV owners might want to explore is a day trip to one of the many Seasonal Open APV Areas maintained by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. One destination of note is the Pike State Forest APV Area. The area boasts 3.5 miles of new trails, a developed obstacle course and a rider skills development area as well as an improved parking.