South Carolina Car Insurance Laws

South Carolina car insurance laws require drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, summarized as 25/50/25.
Written by Jacoba Bood
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
background
South Carolina requires motorists to carry a minimum amount of insurance summarized as 25/50/25. This is short for: $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 of property liability per accident.
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Here's all the information you need to know about South Carolina car insurance laws and finding cheap
car insurance in South Carolina
.
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What car insurance is required by law in South Carolina?

South Carolina car insurance laws require drivers to carry a minimum amount of
liability car insurance
.
Motorists may be asked to provide valid
proof of insurance
to establish that they are carrying their required car insurance limits.
This is a brief summary of the minimum car insurance limits for South Carolina.
South Carolina minimum car insurance
**Minimum liability coverage**
**25/50/25**
Bodily injury per accident
$25,000
Bodily injury per person
$50,000
Property damage per accident
$25,000
Key Takeaway South Carolina motorists are required by the state to carry a minimum limit of liability insurance and proof of insurance when driving.

What are the mandated car insurance limits in South Carolina?

South Carolina’s minimum liability insurance limits are summarized as 25/50/25—which is an abbreviated way to describe three different categories of liability insurance.
Here is a more detailed explanation of what these limits mean:
$25,000 of
bodily injury liability
coverage per person: $25,000 per person is the most that your insurance company will pay out to cover the cost of injuries in an at-fault accident.
$50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident: Your insurance provider will pay a maximum of $50,000 per accident to cover the cost of injuries to other parties involved if you cause an accident.
$25,000 in
property damage liability
per accident: $25,000 is the total amount per accident that your provider will pay to cover the costs of property damage for other parties involved in an at-fault accident.
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Should I get more coverage than South Carolina’s required insurance minimum?

South Carolina’s minimum liability insurance requirements are about average—but they won’t provide you with any protection if you cause an accident. You will need to purchase additional options like
comprehensive insurance
,
collision insurance
, and
medical payment coverage (MedPay)
to help ensure your own costs are covered.
In addition, most insurance experts recommend upgrading your liability limits to 50/100/50 to help protect you against legal liability in a major claim.
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What is the South Carolina uninsured motorist registration?

Drivers who are approved for South Carolina’s "uninsured motorist registration" are not required to purchase car insurance in South Carolina. They will, however, have to submit a non-refundable $550 fee in exchange.
Motorists in South Carolina may choose to apply for the uninsured motorist registration.
Citations
, tickets, or traffic violations will cancel a membership, and any drivers who apply for the program will also be responsible for their own costs following an accident.
These are the requirements for South Carolina’s uninsured motorist registration:
  • The applicant and other drivers in their household must have held a valid driver’s license for three years before applying
  • You cannot have an
    SR-22
    requirement when applying
  • You cannot have any accidents or traffic violations on your record for three years prior to applying

Providing alternative proof of financial responsibility

South Carolina may accept alternate forms of proof of financial responsibility for drivers who do not want to purchase car insurance.
The South Carolina DMV may accept either a surety bond, real estate bond, or cash or security deposit as alternative proof of financial responsibility.
Key Takeaway South Carolina motorists might be able to opt for alternative forms of financial responsibility instead of signing up for the legal state car insurance minimums.

How to get cheap car insurance in South Carolina

If you are looking for cheap car insurance in South Carolina, download the free insurance shopping app
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"Using the Jerry app couldn’t be easier. I hate searching for car insurance—it’s time-consuming filling out endless quotes and trying to find the cheapest price. Jerry did all of that for me in a few minutes. Just tell them what coverage you’re looking for and they present you with multiple options to choose from. Even better, once you make your pick they do all the work so you don’t have to. What else could you ask for?"—Satisfied Jerry user
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FAQs

Is car insurance mandatory in South Carolina?

Yes. Car insurance is mandatory in the state of South Carolina.

Does insurance follow the car or driver in South Carolina?

Car insurance in South Carolina typically follows the car.
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