South Carolina Auto Insurance: Driving through the Lowcountry
Spring and summer days in the Palmetto State are made for a beautiful drive. Cruise over to Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach, arrive at the fairways for an early tee time, or head up to Mount Pleasant. When you do so, you’ll want to adequately insure yourself against the dangers of the road. A number of factors affect your South Carolina insurance quotes: credit history, driving history, type of car, and the other drivers on your policy, among other things. But South Carolina auto insurance is always a drive through Lowcountry if you take the time to research and shop around.
The Embarkation Point
Before you head to the beach, familiarize yourself with state laws that affect South Carolina auto insurance quotes. South Carolina is a tort liability state, meaning the person not at fault in an accident can pursue damages against the at-fault driver. Your South Carolina insurance quotes will begin at the state minimum liability coverage: $25,000 per person for bodily injury coverage, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for personal property. Underinsured motorist coverage is not required in South Carolina, but uninsured motorist property damage coverage is. If you’re pulled over and can’t prove these minimum coverages, you’ll face a fine of $100 to $550, and your license may be suspended.
Digging Deeper into South Carolina Auto Insurance
South Carolina is one of the few states that allows some residents to drive without insurance. You can drive uninsured by qualifying and then paying an annual fee of $550 to the state Department of Public Safety, but you’ll be liable for damages in the event of an accident. The point here is not to look into driving uninsured, which is a huge gamble. Instead, be aware that those drivers exist, meaning it makes sense to look into greater protection against them. Also, note that South Carolina has a law for comparative negligence, which means you can be found responsible for a certain percentage of an accident, and then barred from collecting for that percentage.
Personal Responsibility
When you receive South Carolina auto insurance quotes, potential insurers will assign a risk factor to you. Your level of personal responsibility weighs heavily. For example, consider a 25-year-old single male who drives a 2005 Hyundai Sonata in Columbia. A chef, he drives to work five days a week, opts for the minimum coverage, has been insured for at least five years, and has received no traffic violations in the last five years. His annual premium will be about $863. If, instead, he received two speeding tickets in the past year, his cost rises to $1,262. If he maintained a good driving record, but let insurance lapse one month ago, that $863 jumps to $1024.
Making Informed Choices
Even “low-risk” drivers can lower their premiums. Females are generally considered safer drivers than males, and low mileage always helps drive down South Carolina auto insurance quotes. In Charleston, a 40-yr-old married female drives a 2008 Kia Sedona for pleasure. It’s the only car on her policy and she has a great driving history; the state minimum coverage costs her about $440. If she decided to add her husband –who drives a 2004 Mazda Tribute to work five days a week –to her policy, the cost will be about $540 for both of them. Placing multiple cars on one policy is an easy way to save money. If you take the time to ask questions, and shop around, you can find great auto insurance quotes.
