Yep be cooperative and polite gives you a decent chance of getting off. (Probably not in Ohio, in all my years here and experience with LEO I've only had one instance where I could have gotten a ticket but did not, instead got a written warning.)
Once I got a ticket and wasn't carrying the insurance, I believe all I had to do was submit proof of that when I mailed in the fine for the ticket. Going to court for things like traffic tickets is just not feasible for me (or most people) with a regular day job.