The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - Car insurance is getting more expensive in Ohio, no matter which company provides the coverage.

All the top 10 personal auto insurers in Ohio raised rates this year, for an average increase of 3.8 percent, the Ohio Department of Insurance said in a story published Saturday in the Columbus Dispatch.

Average annual premiums in Ohio are now $694. That's still much lower than the national average of $912.

The average cost of insuring cars is expected to rise 9 percent nationally in 2003. That will follow increases of 8.5 percent this year and 6 percent in 2001, said the Insurance Information Institute, a national trade organization.

Insurers say the reasons include rising medical costs, higher vehicle-repair costs and rocketing jury awards.

The largest increases in Ohio - 9 percent each - were charged by Grange Mutual, based in Columbus, and the Erie Insurance group of Pennsylvania.

State Farm, based in Illinois, was next at 5.3 percent.

The smallest increase among Ohio's top 10 auto insurers was 0.8 percent by Cincinnati Financial. Allstate had the smallest increase among the top five at 1.6 percent.