South Carolina Car Insurance
In South Carolina car insurance is not mandated by law, however if you choose to go without it you must pay the state $550 each year. You are then financially responsible for any at-fault accidents you are involved in. This can cost you a lot of money, which is why South Carolina car insurance is a much better alternative. To get the best South Carolina auto insurance policy for you, shop around carefully and learn all you can about it.
Understanding South Carolina Car Insurance
In order to make the best decision about your needs for South Carolina car insurance, you need to fully understand the coverage that is available and why you need it.
- Liability: This coverage pays the expenses of the other party, both for bodily injury and property damage, if you are found to be at-fault in the case of an accident. If you choose to carry liability coverage in South Carolina, the minimum acceptable limits are $25,000 for property damage, $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 in total for bodily injury per accident.
- Personal Injury Protection: This coverage is also known as PIP and covers the medical expenses and lost wages of anyone who is injured in a car accident, regardless of who is at-fault. This is a more time-sensitive type of coverage because it will pay out almost immediately.
- Uninsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage: This protects you in case you are involved in an accident with a person who does not carry insurance or does not carry enough insurance.
- Collision: This is property damage coverage for your own vehicle and will pay to repair or replace it in case of being damaged in a car accident where you are at-fault.
- Comprehensive: This is the property damage coverage that pays for damage to your vehicle from things that are not accident-related. The named perils usually include things like fire, theft, vandalism, animal collision and wind storm damage.
Tips For Finding Cheap South Carolina Car Insurance
When you are looking for cheap South Carolina car insurance, there are some things to keep in mind that will help you. Some of these tips are things that you can use right away, others are long term solutions to the sometimes high cost of car insurance.
- Shop around and compare prices and coverage carefully.
- Raise the deductibles on your collision and comprehensive coverage in order to lower premiums.
- For vehicles that are not financed, you may want to consider removing collision and comprehensive coverage, especially if they are older and their book value is relatively low.
- Do not skimp on liability insurance when trying to save money. The state minimums are too low and most people should carry at least 4 times as much.
- Ask your insurer about any discounts they offer.
- Maintain a clean driving record.
- Take driver’s education courses when you receive tickets or have accidents.
- Use your car as little as possible.
- Buy a car that is inexpensive to insure.
- Maintain good credit.
South Carolina Car Insurance Companies
Amongst the many car insurance companies you will find in South Carolina are the following:
- GEICO
- Nationwide
- The General
- Liberty Mutual
- Hartford
- State Farm
- Allstate
- Progressive
- Esurance
- AIG
If you are considering purchasing SC car insurance with a new company, be sure to check it out first. You should find out the company’s insurance rating, as set by one of the independent insurance ratings companies. A good insurer should have at least an A rating. This will tell you that the company is financially stable.
You should also check into the company’s customer service record. Dealing with companies which are fast with claims service and are easy to deal with is always more pleasant than companies that are not this way. A simple online search should be able to tell you all about how satisfied customers are with a particular company’s service.
South Carolina Car Insurance Quotes
It is quick and easy to get South Carolina car insurance quotes by using a free online quote tool, like the one at the top of this page. You simply need to enter your zip code, answer some questions and in no time you’ll have all the quotes you need to find the best policy for you.
Get started comparing South Carolina auto insurance quotes today!