South Carolina Car Insurance

Finding South Carolina car insurance is key. If you live in or are moving to South Carolina then you will need to obtain some automobile insurance as quickly as you can. This is because the law requires that you have your vehicle insured before you register it. South Carolina wants their drivers and passengers to be safe and well covered in case of an accident, that is why they set a minimum limit on the amount of auto insurance needed to operate vehicles.

South Carolina Auto Insurance Coverage

Naturally you need to know just what these minimum auto insurance limits are. We have carefully outlined them for you. They are as follows: at least $25,000 for each person in an accident, at least $40,000 for the entire accident, and $25,000 for any damage done to personal property in an accident you may have had. You'll see this listed as 25/40/25.

The state of South Carolina uses a tort system; so someone is always to blame, and the person at fault is required to pay for all the expenses that their accident causes. This is why it is very important to carry adequate insurance with you at all times. The above coverage you, to a certain degree, whether you are at fault or a victim.

There are other types of auto insurance which are offered to drivers by the insurance companies within South Carolina. Such as collision and comprehensive coverage; these also may be components of a property damage plan. Both are optional but recommended. Some people get the two confused. Though they are very similar they have a distinct difference. Collision will cover any damage done to your vehicle as a result of a crash with any object; while comprehensive covers things like floods and fires, theft and vandalism, falling objects and broken windows or windshield. Also you do not need to pay a deductable on replacing broken windows or windshields in your vehicle. You can also get medical payments, towing and labor, and rental reimbursement coverage if you so desire.

Your SC Auto Insurance Premium

With all South Carolina auto insurance policies you will be required to pay a premium; this is not something you want to let lapse. There are factors which can increase your premium and there which can decrease it. Knowing what causes the premium to rise helps you know what to do to avoid such raises.

The factors which influence your premium the most are rating and underwriting. Your insurance policy is underwritten by the insurance company; they use this as a way to determine how much risk you will be to their company. They evaluate you and your vehicle and then group you with similar drivers for similar plans and costs of those plans. When this is completed you are rated on the results of this underwriting and a price of the premium is determined by the assumed cost to the insurance company to take financial responsibility for any claims you may have.

Other things which insurance companies use to determine the cost of your premium are:

• Your previous driving record
• The regional area where you live
• How old you are and your gender
• Whether or not you are married
• How you handled your previous insurance coverage
• How many miles you drive
• The type of car you own.

There are things you can do to reduce your potential risk to insurance companies and thus reduce your premium costs. These simple steps are easy to do. For example if you are able to keep a good driving record for as long as you can, and drive carefully you may qualify for a discount on your premium.

You should also keep in mind that the type of car you own affects your insurance premium, so before you buy a new car you should figure in the cost of insuring that vehicle. Also if you have an old vehicle it may be cost effective to have nothing but the mandatory minimum limits set by the state of South Carolina.

All About South Carolina Auto Insurance Companies

The most important thing you can do to make sure that you are getting the lowest rates available to you, you should review your policy and compare other insurance companies and their policies and change you plan as needed. When interviewing candidates for your provider you should ask each one about the different discounts which may be available for you and how much they are willing to help you find the right policy at the right price for you.

Discounts may be offered if you:

• Have two or more vehicles on a policy
• Have safety devices installed in your car
• Are in school and have good grades (if you are 25 or younger)
• Are between the 50 and 65 age bracket, and lower the amount of miles you drive each year.

It is essential that you give each company you are interviewing the same correct answers when you fill out price quotes. Insurance agents can predictably ask for a detailed description of the vehicle(s) that you own and what you plan to use them for, your driver’s license, how many drivers you will have on your policy, and the types of limits and coverage you wish to have on your policy.

Always make sure that the insurance companies you are looking into have legitimate licenses to sell auto insurance in South Carolina. It is illegal for an insurance company to sell you insurance without the proper license, and you will not be guaranteed coverage if you buy from them. You will also want to make sure that the insurance company you choose is financially stable and have an excellent customer and claims service. Check their ratings, analysis of their finances, and grade at your local library or online to determine if you want to look into them further as an option.

You may want to keep in mind that your insurance company must defend you in the event that you get called to court for careless driving which causes an accident. This is covered with the liability limits that the state set. This means that your company will also hire a lawyer to defend you, though they get to choose who that is and how much they have to pay that lawyer. However, if you are accused of deliberately trying to hurt someone or something with your vehicle your insurance company has the right to refuse to defend you in court.

Your insurance company is required to report any cancellations on policies to the DMV every month. If a policy is cancelled the owner of the vehicle will have a $5 fine for each day that they are no insured. Once notified by the DMV, car owners are required to provide proof of adequate insurance coverage within 45days. If, they are unable to provide such information their license plates will be confiscated by the highway patrol and they will have a $200 bill to reinstate registration on their vehicle. Also until the matter is corrected by the car owner, they will not be allowed to sell or register their vehicle.

Compare South Carolina Car Insurance Quotes Online

Not having adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle is very expensive, that is why it is important to find a fantastic insurance provider. Finding the best insurance companies is easy with our free rate tool at the top of the page which allows you to compare companies side by side. Get started comparing South Carolina car insurance quotes now!