To amend sections 3901.21, 3937.30, 3937.31, 3937.32, 3937.33, 3937.34, 3937.35, 4509.01, 4509.20, 4509.41, and 4509.51 of the Revised Code to make changes to the law governing automobile insurance policies, to increase the minimum amounts required for valid proof of financial responsibility, to make it an unfair and deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance to charge excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory premium rates in private passenger automobile insurance based solely on the insured's residence location, and to reduce from two years to one year the minimum policy period for automobile insurance policies.

Section 1. That sections 3901.21, 3937.30, 3937.31, 3937.32, 3937.33, 3937.34, 3937.35, 4509.01, 4509.20, 4509.41, and 4509.51 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3901.21.  The following are hereby defined as unfair and deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance:

(A) Making, issuing, circulating, or causing or permitting to be made, issued, or circulated, or preparing with intent to so use, any estimate, illustration, circular, or statement misrepresenting the terms of any policy issued or to be issued or the benefits or advantages promised thereby or the dividends or share of the surplus to be received thereon, or making any false or misleading statements as to the dividends or share of surplus previously paid on similar policies, or making any misleading representation or any misrepresentation as to the financial condition of any insurer as shown by the last preceding verified statement made by it to the insurance department of this state, or as to the legal reserve system upon which any life insurer operates, or using any name or title of any policy or class of policies misrepresenting the true nature thereof, or making any misrepresentation or incomplete comparison to any person for the purpose of inducing or tending to induce such person to purchase, amend, lapse, forfeit, change, or surrender insurance.

Any written statement concerning the premiums for a policy which refers to the net cost after credit for an assumed dividend, without an accurate written statement of the gross premiums, cash values, and dividends based on the insurer's current dividend scale, which are used to compute the net cost for such policy, and a prominent warning that the rate of dividend is not guaranteed, is a misrepresentation for the purposes of this division.

(B) Making, publishing, disseminating, circulating, or placing before the public or causing, directly or indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, or placed before the public, in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication, or in the form of a notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, or poster, or over any radio station, or in any other way, or preparing with intent to so use, an advertisement, announcement, or statement containing any assertion, representation, or statement, with respect to the business of insurance or with respect to any person in the conduct of the person's insurance business, which is untrue, deceptive, or misleading.

(C) Making, publishing, disseminating, or circulating, directly or indirectly, or aiding, abetting, or encouraging the making, publishing, disseminating, or circulating, or preparing with intent to so use, any statement, pamphlet, circular, article, or literature, which is false as to the financial condition of an insurer and which is calculated to injure any person engaged in the business of insurance.

(D) Filing with any supervisory or other public official, or making, publishing, disseminating, circulating, or delivering to any person, or placing before the public, or causing directly or indirectly to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, delivered to any person, or placed before the public, any false statement of financial condition of an insurer.

Making any false entry in any book, report, or statement of any insurer with intent to deceive any agent or examiner lawfully appointed to examine into its condition or into any of its affairs, or any public official to whom such insurer is required by law to report, or who has authority by law to examine into its condition or into any of its affairs, or, with like intent, willfully omitting to make a true entry of any material fact pertaining to the business of such insurer in any book, report, or statement of such insurer, or mutilating, destroying, suppressing, withholding, or concealing any of its records.

(E) Issuing or delivering or permitting agents, officers, or employees to issue or deliver agency company stock or other capital stock or benefit certificates or shares in any common-law corporation or securities or any special or advisory board contracts or other contracts of any kind promising returns and profits as an inducement to insurance.

(F) Making or permitting any unfair discrimination among individuals of the same class and equal expectation of life in the rates charged for any contract of life insurance or of life annuity or in the dividends or other benefits payable thereon, or in any other of the terms and conditions of such contract.

(G)(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, knowingly permitting or offering to make or making any contract of life insurance, life annuity or accident and health insurance, or agreement as to such contract other than as plainly expressed in the contract issued thereon, or paying or allowing, or giving or offering to pay, allow, or give, directly or indirectly, as inducement to such insurance, or annuity, any rebate of premiums payable on the contract, or any special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits thereon, or any valuable consideration or inducement whatever not specified in the contract; or giving, or selling, or purchasing, or offering to give, sell, or purchase, as inducement to such insurance or annuity or in connection therewith, any stocks, bonds, or other securities, or other obligations of any insurance company or other corporation, association, or partnership, or any dividends or profits accrued thereon, or anything of value whatsoever not specified in the contract.

(2) Nothing in division (F) or division (G)(1) of this section shall be construed as prohibiting any of the following practices: (a) in the case of any contract of life insurance or life annuity, paying bonuses to policyholders or otherwise abating their premiums in whole or in part out of surplus accumulated from nonparticipating insurance, provided that any such bonuses or abatement of premiums shall be fair and equitable to policyholders and for the best interests of the company and its policyholders; (b) in the case of life insurance policies issued on the industrial debit plan, making allowance to policyholders who have continuously for a specified period made premium payments directly to an office of the insurer in an amount which fairly represents the saving in collection expenses; (c) readjustment of the rate of premium for a group insurance policy based on the loss or expense experience thereunder, at the end of the first or any subsequent policy year of insurance thereunder, which may be made retroactive only for such policy year.

(H) Making, issuing, circulating, or causing or permitting to be made, issued, or circulated, or preparing with intent to so use, any statement to the effect that a policy of life insurance is, is the equivalent of, or represents shares of capital stock or any rights or options to subscribe for or otherwise acquire any such shares in the life insurance company issuing that policy or any other company.

(I) Making, issuing, circulating, or causing or permitting to be made, issued or circulated, or preparing with intent to so issue, any statement to the effect that payments to a policyholder of the principal amounts of a pure endowment are other than payments of a specific benefit for which specific premiums have been paid.

(J) Making, issuing, circulating, or causing or permitting to be made, issued, or circulated, or preparing with intent to so use, any statement to the effect that any insurance company was required to change a policy form or related material to comply with Title XXXIX of the Revised Code or any regulation of the superintendent of insurance, for the purpose of inducing or intending to induce any policyholder or prospective policyholder to purchase, amend, lapse, forfeit, change, or surrender insurance.

(K) Aiding or abetting another to violate this section.

(L) Refusing to issue any policy of insurance, or canceling or declining to renew such policy because of the sex or marital status of the applicant, prospective insured, insured, or policyholder.

(M) Making or permitting any unfair discrimination between individuals of the same class and of essentially the same hazard in the amount of premium, policy fees, or rates charged for any policy or contract of insurance, other than life insurance, or in the benefits payable thereunder, or in underwriting standards and practices or eligibility requirements, or in any of the terms or conditions of such contract, or in any other manner whatever.

(N) Refusing to make available disability income insurance solely because the applicant's principal occupation is that of managing a household.

(O) Refusing, when offering maternity benefits under any individual or group sickness and accident insurance policy, to make maternity benefits available to the policyholder for the individual or individuals to be covered under any comparable policy to be issued for delivery in this state, including family members if the policy otherwise provides coverage for family members. Nothing in this division shall be construed to prohibit an insurer from imposing a reasonable waiting period for such benefits under an individual sickness and accident insurance policy issued to an individual who is not a federally eligible individual or a nonemployer-related group sickness and accident insurance policy, but in no event shall such waiting period exceed two hundred seventy days.

For purposes of division (O) of this section, "federally eligible individual" means an eligible individual as defined in 45 C.F.R. 148.103.

(P) Using, or permitting to be used, a pattern settlement as the basis of any offer of settlement. As used in this division, "pattern settlement" means a method by which liability is routinely imputed to a claimant without an investigation of the particular occurrence upon which the claim is based and by using a predetermined formula for the assignment of liability arising out of occurrences of a similar nature. Nothing in this division shall be construed to prohibit an insurer from determining a claimant's liability by applying formulas or guidelines to the facts and circumstances disclosed by the insurer's investigation of the particular occurrence upon which a claim is based.

(Q) Refusing to insure, or refusing to continue to insure, or limiting the amount, extent, or kind of life or sickness and accident insurance or annuity coverage available to an individual, or charging an individual a different rate for the same coverage solely because of blindness or partial blindness. With respect to all other conditions, including the underlying cause of blindness or partial blindness, persons who are blind or partially blind shall be subject to the same standards of sound actuarial principles or actual or reasonably anticipated actuarial experience as are sighted persons. Refusal to insure includes, but is not limited to, denial by an insurer of disability insurance coverage on the grounds that the policy defines "disability" as being presumed in the event that the eyesight of the insured is lost. However, an insurer may exclude from coverage disabilities consisting solely of blindness or partial blindness when such conditions existed at the time the policy was issued. To the extent that the provisions of this division may appear to conflict with any provision of section 3999.16 of the Revised Code, this division applies.

(R)(1) Directly or indirectly offering to sell, selling, or delivering, issuing for delivery, renewing, or using or otherwise marketing any policy of insurance or insurance product in connection with or in any way related to the grant of a student loan guaranteed in whole or in part by an agency or commission of this state or the United States, except insurance that is required under federal or state law as a condition for obtaining such a loan and the premium for which is included in the fees and charges applicable to the loan; or, in the case of an insurer or insurance agent, knowingly permitting any lender making such loans to engage in such acts or practices in connection with the insurer's or agent's insurance business.

(2) Except in the case of a violation of division (G) of this section, division (R)(1) of this section does not apply to either of the following:

(a) Acts or practices of an insurer, its agents, representatives, or employees in connection with the grant of a guaranteed student loan to its insured or the insured's spouse or dependent children where such acts or practices take place more than ninety days after the effective date of the insurance;

(b) Acts or practices of an insurer, its agents, representatives, or employees in connection with the solicitation, processing, or issuance of an insurance policy or product covering the student loan borrower or the borrower's spouse or dependent children, where such acts or practices take place more than one hundred eighty days after the date on which the borrower is notified that the student loan was approved.

(S) Denying coverage, under any health insurance or health care policy, contract, or plan providing family coverage, to any natural or adopted child of the named insured or subscriber solely on the basis that the child does not reside in the household of the named insured or subscriber.

(T)(1) Using any underwriting standard or engaging in any other act or practice that, directly or indirectly, due solely to any health status-related factor in relation to one or more individuals, does either of the following:

(a) Terminates or fails to renew an existing individual policy, contract, or plan of health benefits, or a health benefit plan issued to an employer, for which an individual would otherwise be eligible;

(b) With respect to a health benefit plan issued to an employer, excludes or causes the exclusion of an individual from coverage under an existing employer-provided policy, contract, or plan of health benefits.

(2) The superintendent of insurance may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for purposes of implementing division (T)(1) of this section.

(3) For purposes of division (T)(1) of this section, "health status-related factor" means any of the following:

(a) Health status;

(b) Medical condition, including both physical and mental illnesses;

(c) Claims experience;

(d) Receipt of health care;

(e) Medical history;

(f) Genetic information;

(g) Evidence of insurability, including conditions arising out of acts of domestic violence;

(h) Disability.

(U) With respect to a health benefit plan issued to a small employer, as those terms are defined in section 3924.01 of the Revised Code, negligently or willfully placing coverage for adverse risks with a certain carrier, as defined in section 3924.01 of the Revised Code.

(V) Using any program, scheme, device, or other unfair act or practice that, directly or indirectly, causes or results in the placing of coverage for adverse risks with another carrier, as defined in section 3924.01 of the Revised Code.

(W) Failing to comply with section 3923.23, 3923.231, 3923.232, 3923.233, or 3923.234 of the Revised Code by engaging in any unfair, discriminatory reimbursement practice.

(X) Intentionally establishing an unfair premium for, or misrepresenting the cost of, any insurance policy financed under a premium finance agreement of an insurance premium finance company.

(Y)(1)(a) Limiting coverage under, refusing to issue, canceling, or refusing to renew, any individual policy or contract of life insurance, or limiting coverage under or refusing to issue any individual policy or contract of health insurance, for the reason that the insured or applicant for insurance is or has been a victim of domestic violence;

(b) Adding a surcharge or rating factor to a premium of any individual policy or contract of life or health insurance for the reason that the insured or applicant for insurance is or has been a victim of domestic violence;

(c) Denying coverage under, or limiting coverage under, any policy or contract of life or health insurance, for the reason that a claim under the policy or contract arises from an incident of domestic violence;

(d) Inquiring, directly or indirectly, of an insured under, or of an applicant for, a policy or contract of life or health insurance, as to whether the insured or applicant is or has been a victim of domestic violence, or inquiring as to whether the insured or applicant has sought shelter or protection from domestic violence or has sought medical or psychological treatment as a victim of domestic violence.

(2) Nothing in division (Y)(1) of this section shall be construed to prohibit an insurer from inquiring as to, or from underwriting or rating a risk on the basis of, a person's physical or mental condition, even if the condition has been caused by domestic violence, provided that all of the following apply:

(a) The insurer routinely considers the condition in underwriting or in rating risks, and does so in the same manner for a victim of domestic violence as for an insured or applicant who is not a victim of domestic violence;

(b) The insurer does not refuse to issue any policy or contract of life or health insurance or cancel or refuse to renew any policy or contract of life insurance, solely on the basis of the condition, except where such refusal to issue, cancellation, or refusal to renew is based on sound actuarial principles or is related to actual or reasonably anticipated experience;

(c) The insurer does not consider a person's status as being or as having been a victim of domestic violence, in itself, to be a physical or mental condition;

(d) The underwriting or rating of a risk on the basis of the condition is not used to evade the intent of division (Y)(1) of this section, or of any other provision of the Revised Code.

(3)(a) Nothing in division (Y)(1) of this section shall be construed to prohibit an insurer from refusing to issue a policy or contract of life insurance insuring the life of a person who is or has been a victim of domestic violence if the person who committed the act of domestic violence is the applicant for the insurance or would be the owner of the insurance policy or contract.

(b) Nothing in division (Y)(2) of this section shall be construed to permit an insurer to cancel or refuse to renew any policy or contract of health insurance in violation of the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996," 110 Stat. 1955, 42 U.S.C.A. 300gg-41(b), as amended, or in a manner that violates or is inconsistent with any provision of the Revised Code that implements the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996."

(4) An insurer is immune from any civil or criminal liability that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result of any action taken by the insurer to comply with division (Y) of this section.

(5) As used in division (Y) of this section, "domestic violence" means any of the following acts:

(a) Knowingly causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a family or household member;

(b) Recklessly causing serious physical harm to a family or household member;

(c) Knowingly causing, by threat of force, a family or household member to believe that the person will cause imminent physical harm to the family or household member.

For the purpose of division (Y)(5) of this section, "family or household member" has the same meaning as in section 2919.25 of the Revised Code.

Nothing in division (Y)(5) of this section shall be construed to require, as a condition to the application of division (Y) of this section, that the act described in division (Y)(5) of this section be the basis of a criminal prosecution.

(Z) Disclosing a coroner's records by an insurer in violation of section 313.10 of the Revised Code.

(AA) Making, issuing, circulating, or causing or permitting to be made, issued, or circulated any statement or representation that a life insurance policy or annuity is a contract for the purchase of funeral goods or services.

(BB) With respect to private passenger automobile insurance, no insurer shall charge different charging premium rates to persons residing within the limits of any municipal corporation that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, pursuant to division (D) of section 3937.02 of the Revised Code, based solely on the location of the residence of the insured within those limits.

The enumeration in sections 3901.19 to 3901.26 of the Revised Code of specific unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance is not exclusive or restrictive or intended to limit the powers of the superintendent of insurance to adopt rules to implement this section, or to take action under other sections of the Revised Code.

This section does not prohibit the sale of shares of any investment company registered under the "Investment Company Act of 1940," 54 Stat. 789, 15 U.S.C.A. 80a-1, as amended, or any policies, annuities, or other contracts described in section 3907.15 of the Revised Code.

As used in this section, "estimate," "statement," "representation," "misrepresentation," "advertisement," or "announcement" includes oral or written occurrences.

Sec. 3937.30.  (A) As used in sections 3937.30 to 3937.39 of the Revised Code, "automobile insurance policy" means an insurance policy delivered or issued in this state or covering a motor vehicle required to be registered in this state which:

(A)(1) Provides automobile bodily injury or property damage liability, or related coverage, or any combination thereof;

(B)(2) Insures as named insured, any of the following:

(1)(a) Any one person;

(2)(b) A husband and wife resident in the same household;

(3)(c) Either a husband or a wife who reside in the same household if an endorsement on the policy excludes the other spouse from coverage under the policy and the spouse excluded signs the endorsement. Nothing in this division (B)(3)(A)(2)(c) of this section shall prevent the issuance of separate policies to each spouse or affect the compliance of the policy with Chapter 4509. of the Revised Code as to the named insured or any additional insured.

(C) Insures only private passenger motor vehicles or other four-wheeled motor vehicles which are classified or rated as private passenger vehicles and are not used as public or private livery, or rental conveyances;

(D) Does not insure more than four motor vehicles;

(E)(3) Does not cover garage, automobile sales agency, repair shop, service station, or public parking operation hazards;

(F)(4) Is not issued under an assigned risk plan pursuant to section 4509.70 of the Revised Code.

(B) For purposes of this section, "motor vehicle," means a self-propelled vehicle designed for and principally used on public roads, including an automobile, truck, motorcycle, and a motor home, provided the motor home is not stationary and is not being used as a temporary or permanent residence or office. "Motor vehicle" does not include a trailer, motorized bicycle, golf cart, off-road recreational vehicle, snowmobile, watercraft, construction equipment, farm tractor or other vehicle designed and principally used for agricultural purposes, mobile home, vehicle traveling on treads or rails, or any similar vehicle.

Sec. 3937.31.  (A) Every automobile insurance policy shall be issued for a period of not less than two years one year or guaranteed renewable for successive policy periods totaling not less than two years one year. Where renewal is mandatory, "cancellation," as used in sections 3937.30 to 3937.39 of the Revised Code, includes refusal to renew a policy with at least the coverages, included insureds, and policy limits provided at the end of the next preceding policy period. No insurer may cancel any such automobile insurance policy except pursuant to the terms of the policy, and in accordance with sections 3937.30 to 3937.39 of the Revised Code, and for one or more of the following reasons:

(1) Misrepresentation Fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation by the insured to the insurer of any material fact in the procurement or renewal of the insurance or in the submission of claims thereunder;

(2) Loss of driving privileges through suspension, revocation, or expiration of the driver's or commercial driver's license of the named insured or any member of the named insured's family covered as a driver; provided that the insurer shall continue the policy in effect but exclude by endorsement all coverage as to the person whose driver's license has been suspended, revoked, or has expired, if the person is other than the named insured or the principal operator;

(3) Nonpayment of premium, which means failure of the named insured to discharge when due any of the named insured's obligations in connection with the payment of premiums on a policy, or any installment of such premiums, whether the premium is payable directly to the insurer or its agent or indirectly under any premium finance plan or extension of credit;

(4) The place of residence of the insured or the state of registration or license of the insured automobile is changed to a state or country in which the insurer is not authorized to write automobile coverage.

This section does not apply in the case of a cancellation if the insurer has indicated its willingness to issue a new policy within the same insurer or within another insurer under the same ownership or management as that of the insurer that has issued the cancellation.

(B) Sections 3937.30 to 3937.39 of the Revised Code do not prohibit:

(1) Changes in coverage or policy limits, cancellation, or nonrenewal for any reason at the request or with the consent of the insured;

(2) Lawful surcharges, adjustments, or other changes in premium;

(3) Policy modification to all policies issued to a classification of risk which do not effect a withdrawal or reduction in the initial coverage or policy limits;

(4) An insurer's refusing for any reason to renew a policy upon its expiration at the end of any mandatory period, provided such nonrenewal complies with the procedure set forth in section 3937.34 of the Revised Code.

(C) Sections 3937.30 to 3937.39 of the Revised Code do not apply to any policy or coverage that has been in effect less than ninety days at the time notice of cancellation is mailed by the insurer, unless it is a renewal policy.

(D) Renewal of a policy does not constitute a waiver or estoppel with respect to grounds for cancellation that existed before the effective date of such renewal.

(E) Nothing in this section prohibits an insurer from incorporating into a policy any changes that are permitted or required by this section or other sections of the Revised Code at the beginning of any policy period within the two-year one-year period set forth in division (A) of this section.

Sec. 3937.32.  No cancellation of an automobile insurance policy is effective, unless it is pursuant to written notice to the insured of cancellation. Such notice shall contain:

(A) The policy number;

(B) The date of the notice;

(C) The effective date of cancellation of the policy, which shall not be earlier than thirty days following the date of the notice;

(D) An explanation of the reason for cancellation and the information upon which it is based, or a statement that such explanation will be furnished to the insured in writing within five days after receipt of his the insured's written request therefor to the insurer;

(E) Where cancellation is for nonpayment of premium at least ten days notice from the date of mailing of cancellation accompanied by the reason therefore therefor shall be given;

(F) A statement that if there is cause to believe such cancellation is based on erroneous information, or is contrary to law or the terms of the policy, the insured is entitled to have the matter reviewed by the superintendent of insurance, upon written application to the superintendent made not later than the effective date of cancellation of the policy, and that if a hearing is held by the superintendent of insurance, a deposit of five dollars shall be made, and that such deposit shall be returned to the insured if the finding is in his favor.

Sec. 3937.33.  An insurer may cancel an automobile insurance policy at such time prior to its expiration for such reasons as may be permitted by section 3937.31 of the Revised Code, by mailing to the insured, at his the insured's last known address appearing on the insurer's records, at least thirty days prior to the effective date of cancellation, a notice of cancellation pursuant to section 3937.32 of the Revised Code. If such notice of cancellation, for a reason other than nonpayment of premium, does not contain an explanation of the reason for cancellation and the information upon which it is based, the insurer shall, within five days after receipt of the written request therefor by the insured, furnish explanation to the insured in writing. Prior to the effective date of cancellation, the insurer shall tender refund to the insured any refund premium and other sums which may be due the insured.

Upon compliance by the insurer with all requirements of this section, such automobile insurance policy is cancelled on the effective date stated in the notice of cancellation, except as otherwise provided in section 3937.35 of the Revised Code. In the event of the insurer's failure to comply with any requirement of this section, such cancellation shall be ineffective and the policy shall continue in force until such time as it is cancelled or otherwise terminated pursuant to law and the terms of the policy.

Sec. 3937.34.  An insurer may refuse to renew an automobile insurance policy by mailing to the insured, at his the insured's last known address appearing on the insurer's records, and at least thirty days prior to the date of expiration of the policy, a notice of the insurer's intention not to renew the policy. Such notice shall contain:

(A) The policy number;

(B) The date of the notice;

(C) The effective date of expiration;

(D) An explanation of the reason for nonrenewal and the information upon which it is based, or a statement that such explanation will be furnished to the insured in writing within five days after receipt of his the insured's written request therefor to the insurer.

Upon compliance by the insurer with all requirements of this section, such motor vehicle automobile insurance policy expires on the expiration date stated in the policy and notice of intention not to renew.

Sec. 3937.35.  Upon receipt of a notice of cancellation given pursuant to section 3937.33 of the Revised Code at any time prior to the effective date of cancellation of a motor vehicle an automobile insurance policy, the insured may apply in writing to the superintendent of insurance for review of such cancellation. If the superintendent finds that grounds for hearing do not exist, he shall forthwith give written notice to the insured and insurer of such finding. If the superintendent finds that there is cause to believe that such cancellation is based on erroneous information, or is contrary to law or the terms of the policy, he the superintendent shall, not later than ten days following receipt of the application, hold a hearing to determine whether such cancellation is effective and shall give written notice of such hearing finding to the insured and the insurer not later than five days prior to the hearing thereof, provided that the insured make a deposit of five dollars by the hearing date. Such deposit shall be returned if the finding is in the insured's favor but otherwise shall be paid into the general revenue fund by the department of insurance.

If, upon hearing, the superintendent finds that such cancellation is in accordance with law and the terms of the policy, he the superintendent shall, within five days following hearing, issue his a written order finding approving such cancellation in such case. If such order is issued less than ten days prior to the effective date of cancellation of the policy, the policy shall continue in force for ten days following the date of the order or until the insured secures other coverage, whichever occurs first, and the order of the superintendent shall so state.

If, upon hearing review, the superintendent finds that such cancellation is contrary to law or the terms of the policy, he the superintendent shall issue his a written order finding disapproving the cancellation and stating in what particulars the same is improper. In such case, the policy continues in force as provided in section 3937.33 of the Revised Code if the insured tenders to the insurer at the time of hearing the within ten days any premium refund made by the insurer.

Sec. 4509.01.  As used in sections 4509.01 to 4509.78 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Person" includes every natural person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation.

(B) "Driver" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.

(C) "License" includes any license, permit, or privilege to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this state including:

(1) Any temporary instruction permit or examiner's driving permit;

(2) The privilege of any person to drive a motor vehicle whether or not such person holds a valid license;

(3) Any nonresident's operating privilege.

(D) "Owner" means a person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle. If a motor vehicle is the subject of a lease with an immediate right of possession vested in the lessee, the lessee is the owner. A person listed as the owner on a certificate of title on which there is a notation of a security interest is the owner. A buyer or other transferee of a motor vehicle who receives the certificate of title from the seller or transferor listing the seller or transferor thereon as the owner with an assignment of title to the buyer or transferee nonetheless is the owner even though a subsequent certificate of title has not been issued listing the buyer or transferee as the owner.

(E) "Registration" means registration certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.

(F) "Nonresident" means every person who is not a resident of this state.

(G) "Nonresident's operating privilege" means the privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by such person of a motor vehicle, or the use of a motor vehicle owned by such person, in this state.

(H) "Vehicle" means every device by which any person or property may be transported upon a highway, except electric personal assistive mobility devices, devices moved by power collected from overhead electric trolley wires, or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, and except devices other than bicycles moved by human power.

(I) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle propelled by power other than muscular power or power collected from overhead electric trolley wires, except motorized bicycles, road rollers, traction engines, power shovels, power cranes and other equipment used in construction work and not designed for or employed in general highway transportation, hole-digging machinery, well-drilling machinery, ditch-digging machinery, farm machinery, threshing machinery, hay baling machinery, and agricultural tractors and machinery used in the production of horticultural, floricultural, agricultural, and vegetable products.

(J) "Accident" or "motor vehicle accident" means any accident involving a motor vehicle which results in bodily injury to or death of any person, or damage to the property of any person in excess of four hundred dollars.

(K) "Proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of such proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle in the amount of twenty twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, in the amount of forty fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of fifteen twenty-five thousand dollars because of injury to property of others in any one accident.

(L) "Motor-vehicle liability policy" means an "owner's policy" or an "operator's policy" of liability insurance, certified as provided in section 4509.46 or 4509.47 of the Revised Code as proof of financial responsibility, and issued, except as provided in section 4509.47 of the Revised Code, by an insurance carrier authorized to do business in this state, to or for the benefit of the person named therein as insured.

Sec. 4509.20.  (A) A policy or bond does not comply with divisions (A)(5), (A)(6), and (A)(7) of section 4509.19 of the Revised Code unless issued by an insurance company or surety company authorized to do business in this state, except as provided in division (B) of this section, or unless such policy or bond is subject, if the accident has resulted in bodily injury or death, to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than twenty twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to said limit for one person, to a limit of not less than forty fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one accident, and, if the accident has resulted in injury to, or destruction of property, to a limit of not less than fifteen twenty-five thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.

(B) A policy or bond does not comply with divisions (A) (5), (A) (6), and (A) (7) of section 4509.19 of the Revised Code with respect to any motor vehicle which was not registered in this state or was a motor vehicle which was registered elsewhere than in this state at the effective date of the policy or bond or the most recent renewal thereof, unless the insurance company or surety company issuing such policy or bond is authorized to do business in this state, or if said company is not authorized to do business in this state unless it executes a power of attorney authorizing the registrar of motor vehicles to accept service on its behalf of notice or process in any action upon such policy or bond arising out of such accident.

The registrar may rely upon the accuracy of the information in the required report of a motor vehicle accident as to the existence of insurance or a bond unless the registrar has reason to believe that the information is erroneous.

Sec. 4509.41.  (A) Judgments are satisfied for the purpose of sections 4509.01 to 4509.78 of the Revised Code, in each of the following cases:

(1) When twenty twenty-five thousand dollars has been credited upon any judgments in excess of that amount because of bodily injury to or death of one person as a result of any one accident;

(2) When the sum of forty fifty thousand dollars has been credited upon any judgments in excess of that amount because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons as the result of any one accident;

(3) When fifteen twenty-five thousand dollars has been credited upon any judgments rendered in excess of that amount because of injury to property of others as a result of any one accident.

(B) Payments made in settlements of any claims because of bodily injury, death, or property damage arising from such accident shall be credited in reduction of the amounts provided for in this section.

Sec. 4509.51.  Subject to the terms and conditions of an owner's policy, every owner's policy of liability insurance:

(A) Shall designate by explicit description or by appropriate reference all motor vehicles with respect to which coverage is thereby granted;

(B) Shall insure the person named therein and any other person, as insured, using any such motor vehicles with the express or implied permission of the insured, against loss from the liability imposed by law for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of such vehicles within the United States or Canada, subject to monetary limits exclusive of interest and costs, with respect to each such motor vehicle, as follows:

(1) Twenty Twenty-five thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident;

(2) Forty Fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident;

(3) Fifteen Twenty-five thousand dollars because of injury to property of others in any one accident.

Section 2.  That existing sections 3901.21, 3937.30, 3937.31, 3937.32, 3937.33, 3937.34, 3937.35, 4509.01, 4509.20, 4509.41, and 4509.51 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect nine months after the effective date of this act.