South Carolina Auto Insurance

Every state of the U.S. has certain minimum laws about auto insurance coverage which need to be followed. Some states may have fault insurance, while some others may have a no-fault insurance. This depends upon the legislature for the state in which you live. Each state has auto insurance coverage as mandatory. If you are from South Carolina, before you decide the insurance policy that you would like to go for, it is good to be aware of the laws of the State and then do a comparison of the different coverage available there. The state of South Carolina has in place an auto insurance law that requires at least liability coverage for vehicles. Little is required by law; however, it would be wise to get quotes for additional coverage in order to find affordable South Carolina Auto insurance. It is surprising but true that some of the coverage is actually not expensive.

A great variety of South Carolina Auto Insurance for most drivers is available. You may have limited or no options in case you are considered to be a high risk driver.

South Carolina Auto Insurance Law requires Liability Coverage that can be divided into Bodily Injury and Property Damage. For bodily injury the minimum required is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident which would pay for medical and re related injuries up to policy limits as a result of an accident in which you are found liable. For Property damage, the minimum is $25,000 per occurrence which pays for property damage up to the policy limits for damages you are found liable for.
Tort system is followed by the State of South Carolina. This essentially means that in the face of an accident, there has to be someone found at fault for causing it and that person along with his/her insurance company have to claim responsibility for all damages. The clauses of the Tort system are not always the same for all states.

South Carolina saw an average of $763.35 in insurance rates in 2004, a difference of 2.40 percent compared to the previous year when the average was $745.42. Also, in 2004, the liability coverage was at an average of $471.77, collision at an average of $255.78, and comprehensive at $159.95. Twenty four states had a higher average premium than this, and twenty five had lower. A study of the factors affecting auto insurance in South Carolina can be useful. These factors include Urban Speed Limit, Highway Speed Limit, Blood Alcohol Limit, Open Container Limit, Open Container Law, Hand-held Cell Phones, Cell Usage By Driver, Suspension on DUI, and Restoration On DUI. Under these factors, the driver and passenger of vehicles are prohibited from possessing open alcohol.

Also, South Carolina Auto Insurance Law allows drivers to use vehicles without insurance if a fee of $550 is paid to the Department of Public Safety. This is of course, not recommended because you will then be liable for any damage of property or any medical damage caused in the event of an automobile accident in which you were involved.

Having said that, if you are running a low budget, it is possible to find cheap auto insurance in South Carolina. The first step is of course to compare rates from various companies. The best practice while looking for auto insurance in South Carolina is to get a variety of quotes and compare them online. There is some information that you will need to keep handy. This includes the vehicle data such as make, year, model and how it will be used, driver data, the type of coverage that you are looking for and information of any prior policies you may have had.

The second thing to keep in mind is to try and avoid getting violations on to your record. Obey traffic rules and drive safely. If you already have some violations, avoid new ones and this will clear your record over a period of time.

Make big use of discounts to get affordable auto insurance in South Carolina, and be sure to provide information that will get you these discounts. Information can include the driver courses you have taken, college degrees, good student record, etc. Installing car alarms, low-jack and other safety devices can also help in getting discounts as well as low usage of vehicles and you being a non-smoker. Before you purchase a vehicle, make sure to check the insurance rates for it to make sure that it is well within your budget.

In 2003, the average resident’s insurance premium for South Carolina was approximately $866, and the average for the nation was at around $914 per month. Many residents of South Carolina are under the assumption that they have to accept the rates that are fixed by the insurance companies and the State regulatory agencies. However, websites such as OnlineAutoInsurance.com make it very easy to find and select varied companies offering a variety of insurance plans in South Carolina.

The best way to find affordable auto insurance in South Carolina is to compare the coverage offered by several companies and select what suits you best. This can be very difficult if you call individual companies, request quotes from dealers and compare them manually. It could be very time consuming. However, OnlineAutoInsurance.com can help you compare rates for South Carolina auto insurance coverage that are provided by multiple companies. Comparing multiple quotes is a quick, simple and easy process. All you need to do is provide all the details, and you will be immediately provided with all the relevant auto insurance coverage available in South Carolina.

There are just a few tips to make your auto insurance coverage an easy process for you. Make sure to insure multiple vehicles under the same policy to avail of the multiple car discounts. If you are married, don’t forget to provide the proof of marriage as this can lower your rates. Finally, make sure to pay the premiums up front and you can get paid a full discount!