South Dakota drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of car 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.

Drivers must also carry a minimum limit of $25,000 bodily injury per person and $50,000 bodily injury per accident in uninsured motorist coverage as well.

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Here is all the information you need to know about South Dakota car insurance laws, as well as the best way to save on your

South Dakota insurance

costs.

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What car insurance is required by law in South Dakota?

South Dakota car insurance laws require all motorists to carry a minimum amount of both

liability car insurance

and

uninsured motorist coverage

South Dakota drivers will also be expected to provide

proof of insurance

upon request by law enforcement or other authorities.

The following chart provides a brief breakdown of the minimum car insurance limits in South Dakota.

South Dakota minimum car insurance

Type of coverage	Minimum insurance limit
Minimum liability coverage	25/50/25
Bodily injury per accident	$25,000
Bodily injury per person	$50,000
Property damage per accident	$25,000
Uninsured motorist coverage	25/50
Bodily injury per person	$25,000
Bodily injury per accident	$50,000

Key Takeaway South Dakota drivers must legally carry a minimum amount of liability and uninsured motorist car insurance.

What are the mandated car insurance limits in South Dakota?

South Dakota drivers must carry basic liability insurance limits that are summed up as 25/50/25. They also need to purchase minimum uninsured motorist insurance limits of 25/50.

South Dakota drivers need to carry five different types of coverages in total.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the minimum insurance requirements in South Dakota.

$25,000 of

bodily injury liability

coverage per person: Your insurance company will pay up to a maximum of $25,000 per person to help cover the cost of injuries if you cause an accident.

$50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $50,000 is the total amount that your insurance provider will pay out to cover the costs of injuries caused by a single at-fault accident.

$25,000 in

property damage liability

per accident: $25,000 is the total amount that your insurance provider will pay out for property damage if you cause an accident.

$25,000 of bodily injury uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance per person: Your insurance company will pay up to $25,000 per person to cover costs associated with injuries caused by an accident where the at-fault driver doesn’t carry sufficient coverage.

$50,000 of bodily injury uninsured motorist coverage per accident: $50,000 is the maximum uninsured/underinsured motorist payout you can receive to cover bodily injury expenses caused by a single accident.

MORE:

How can I get cheap car insurance in South Dakota if I need an SR22?

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Should I get more coverage than South Dakota’s required insurance minimum?

While South Dakota does provide more minimum coverage options than the majority of states, the minimum limits could still easily fall short of covering expenses associated with a claim. Insurance experts usually recommended increasing your liability coverage to 50/100/50 to help protect against lawsuits following an at-fault accident.

Keep in mind that the state minimum car insurance requirements won’t cover any of your own expenses if you cause an accident. You will have to purchase additional options like collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, and medical payments coverage (MedPay) for more robust protection.

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MORE:

Does car insurance cover acts of God?

Providing alternative proof of financial responsibility

The state of South Dakota accepts three alternate forms of proving financial responsibility for drivers who do not want to purchase car insurance.

Drivers may choose to submit a surety bond, real estate bond, or cash or security deposit as alternative proof of financial responsibility.

Key Takeaway South Dakota motorists might be able to opt for alternative forms of financial responsibility instead of purchasing the legal state car insurance minimums.

Additional coverage options

South Dakota drivers might prefer to upgrade their car insurance beyond the minimum state limits to provide additional protection. These are some of the most popular coverage options that are available through most providers.

Medical payments (MedPay) insurance

Medical payments coverage (MedPay)

helps to cover the cost of your party’s medical expenses that are caused by a claimable accident and will apply regardless of who is found to be at fault.

Comprehensive insurance

will cover you up to your policy limit for damage to your car caused by outside events like vandalism, severe weather, or fires.

Collision insurance

provides coverage for rollovers or collisions with other objects, like cars or trees, and will pay out if even you are at fault.

Loan/lease payoff insurance

Loan/lease payoff insurance (aka

gap insurance

) will help cover the difference between what you owe on your totaled car and the settlement you receive from your insurance company following an accident.

Rental car reimbursement insurance

Rental reimbursement coverage

helps cover the costs of alternate transportation if your car requires multi-day repairs following a claim.

Roadside assistance insurance

Roadside assistance insurance (aka

towing and labor coverage

) gives drivers limited access to popular emergency roadside services when they are out on the road.

MORE:

Do dealerships verify insurance?

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How to get cheap car insurance in South Dakota

If you want cheap

car insurance

quotes in South Dakota, go to

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