While to the extent that the court's language may appear to support appellee's assertion that self-insurance is "uninsurance" per se, it is dictum, we interpret the decision as creating a mild presumption that self-insurance should not be construed as insurance for purposes of other provisions of R.C. 3937.18. See, e.g., Robinson v. Yellow Cab Co. (1986), 33 Ohio App.3d 72, 514 N.E.2d 450. Furthermore, recent precedents reveal a strong policy trend toward expanding the coverage provided under the rubric of "uninsured motorist insurance."
This decision has been followed by other cases which have given it a broad reading. Robinson v. Yellow Cab Co. (1986), 33 Ohio App.3d 72, 514 N.E.2d 450; Am. States Ins. Co. v. Hertz Corp. (Dec. 31, 1987), Mahoning App. No. 87 C.A. 20, unreported, 1987 WL 32983. Under these authorities, it seems clear that Reserve, qua self-insurer, was not obligated to supply uninsured motorist coverage to plaintiff under R.C. 3937.18.
Plaintiff argues that the lack of uninsured motorist coverage constitutes a known peril, and that the common-law duty of a common carrier to warn its passengers of known perils required defendants to warn plaintiff that the taxi companies carried no uninsured motorist coverage on the taxi which plaintiff hired, despite the absence of any duty on the part of the carrier to provide such coverage. Robinson v. Yellow Cab Co. (1986), 33 Ohio App.3d 72, 74, 514 N.E.2d 450, 451; see, also, Grange Mut. Cas. Co. v. Refiners Transport Terminal Corp. (1986), 21 Ohio St.3d 47, 21 OBR 331, 487 N.E.2d 310. A common carrier has a duty to warn its passengers of dangerous agents or conditions known to or reasonably ascertainable by the carrier.