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Panel hears bipartisan push for online auto‑insurance verification to curb uninsured drivers
Summary
Law‑enforcement, insurance agents and deputy registrars told the committee that House Bill 678 would modernize insurance verification with a real‑time database, reduce uninsured‑motorist rates and speed claims processing; proponents urged an 18‑month pilot and careful implementation to protect small carriers and data security.
House Bill 678 drew broad proponent testimony arguing for a real‑time online insurance‑verification system administered in coordination with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Department of Public Safety.
Mike Flam, a Cincinnati Police Department traffic‑unit specialist, described operational problems at crash scenes and traffic stops when officers must rely on paper cards or screenshots that can be falsified, and he urged the committee to adopt a modern verification tool. Jeff Smith, executive director of the Ohio Insurance Agents Association, told members the state’s uninsured motorist rate is causing harm and that an electronic system would improve enforcement; Smith cited an 18.5% uninsured rate figure during his testimony.
Joe Everts of the Ohio Deputy Registrar Association and independent insurance agents warned the committee to design the system to minimize burdens on small, local agents and deputy registrar offices; the bill includes a pilot period and phased implementation. Colleen Miles, an independent agent, and survivor Sharon Montgomery described the human and financial consequences for insured drivers and victims when the at‑fault party lacks coverage.
Witnesses and members discussed fiscal and technical details, including expected contracting costs for the Department of Public Safety, fallback procedures in the event of system outages, thresholds for carrier participation and potential privacy/security protocols. Committee members emphasized piloting, data security, and mechanisms to avoid imposing disproportionate compliance costs on small insurers and local deputy registrars.
