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South Carolina Car Insurance Laws
The only way that drivers in South Carolina may demonstrate to the state that they are able to financially take responsibility for a car accident that they cause is to purchase car insurance. Sometimes, states allow for their drivers to drive their vehicles uninsured, and South Carolina is one of those states.
Those who meet the requirements may file to become legal, uninsured motorists for a fee. Those who cannot qualify to be uninsured will have no choice but to purchase liability insurance from the car insurance quotes they find. Enter your ZIP code and receive several FREE quotes that will help you get affordable liability insurance!
When South Carolina Drivers Need to Present Proof of Insurance
If South Carolina drivers do not purchase car insurance, they will be unable to do several things. They will not be allowed to:
- Obtain a driver’s license
- Renew a driver’s license
- Register their vehicles with the department of motor vehicles (DMV)
The State’s Minimum Requirements
Now that South Carolina drivers know that they need liability insurance before they drive, they will need to know exactly what it is they are required to purchase. South Carolina requires a little more car insurance in comparison to most states, but the average cost of this insurance coverage is a little lower than the national average.
Liability Coverage for Medical Bills
The first type of car insurance South Carolina drivers must purchase is bodily injury liability coverage. This type of coverage applies toward the injuries that the policy holder causes to other people and not their own medical bills. One injured person will file a claim with the at-fault driver’s car insurance company for the $25,000 bodily injury liability coverage this person is entitled to receive.
The at-fault driver may hurt more than one person, so South Carolina requires that drivers also have bodily injury liability coverage that corresponds to everyone hurt in the accident.
For example, if at least two people are hurt, they will both be able to file claims for the at-fault party’s bodily injury liability coverage.
They will both be entitled to at least $25,000, making the amount of insurance required for the entire accident to be at least $50,000.
South Carolina drivers must also be prepared to pay to replace or repair the property that they damage. They are required to at least carry $25,000 property damage liability coverage so that they can take financial responsibility for damaged property.
The Legally Uninsured Motorist
Some South Carolina drivers may believe that maintaining a car insurance policy with $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for the entire accident and $25,000 for property damages is too much to bear financially. It’s possible that these drivers may be able to qualify as legally, uninsured motorists.
Qualifying as an Uninsured Motorist
The cost of registering as an uninsured motorist is $550, and this fee must be paid every year. In order to qualify as an uninsured motorist, everyone in the house who is of driving age must have had their driver’s licenses for at least three years. Some of what disqualifies people from applying for uninsured status is being required to file the SR-22 form, along with breaking these rules in the past three years:
Failing to obey a traffic officer or stop light- Fleeing a law enforcement officer
- At least three tickets for moving violations
- Stealing another person’s car
- Driving under the influence
- Driving recklessly
- And other violations
Car Insurance when Hit by Uninsured Motorists
With uninsured motorists on the roads, South Carolina drivers are vulnerable to being hit by an uninsured driver. South Carolina also requires that their drivers have uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage liability coverage in at least the same amounts as their liability coverage:
- Uninsured bodily injury liability in the amount of $25,000 for one person
- $50,000 for everyone hurt in the accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage liability in the amount of $25,000
If they are hit by an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver, the uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage pays the driver’s and passengers’ medical bills. The uninsured motorist property damage liability coverage will pay to repair the vehicle.
In this case, the person hit by an uninsured driver would not be able to access his or her own liability coverage, since it only covers third party injuries and property damages. The people injured will file a claim for the uninsured motorist coverage with the innocent driver’s car insurance company.
Lawsuits Between the Injured and Uninsured Motorists
South Carolina is a tort state, and drivers can sue other drivers who hit them for payment of their medical bills. Those without car insurance may believe that other people are following the law and will purchase uninsured motorist coverage, so they will not have to worry about paying for medical bills and repair bills.
It may be the case that the injured driver has the required uninsured motorist coverage, but it’s possible that the bills may exceed the coverage.
In that case, the injured parties can sue the at-fault driver. They can avoid the financial difficulties they will experience if they purchase the liability and uninsured motorist coverage they need in South Carolina. Enter your ZIP code for several FREE quotes for affordable South Carolina car insurance!
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