South Dakota Auto Insurance

South Dakota auto insurance has required minimum liability coverage as well as uninsured motorist bodily injury protection. As a tort state, drivers who cause accidents must pay for expenses related to the accident. Additionally, South Dakota state laws allow drivers to sue the at-fault drivers for any damages caused by the accident, including health, property, wage loss, and services lost.

South Dakota Auto Insurance Requirements

South Dakota auto insurance requires minimum liability coverage levels of 25/50/25. If a driver holding this coverage caused an accident, this liability insurance would pay $25,000 per individual injured, $50,000 for all bodily injuries, and $25,000 for all property damage expense. Of course, these limits are the legal minimums but should not be considered adequate coverage. The at-fault driver would still be responsible for any damages exceeding these limits.

In addition to liability coverage, South Dakota requires uninsured motorist bodily injury protection levels of 25/50. When an uninsured driver hits you, this coverage pays $25,000 per individual bodily injury and up to $50,000 for all bodily injury sustained from the accident.

Finally, as a South Dakota driver, you have the option of purchasing additional coverage to protect your property in the event that you cause an accident or someone with no insurance or inadequate insurance hits you. These come in the form of comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, and uninsured motorist property damage coverage.

South Dakota Auto Insurance Prices

South Dakota auto insurance is some of the cheapest in the United States. In a recent study, it ranked 50th out of states in expenditures for auto insurance, with an average annual expenditure of $563. More specifically, the average South Dakota driver paid $291 per year on liability coverage, $219 for collision, and $216 for comprehensive coverage.

How Rates are Determined

When South Dakota auto insurance providers figure rates, they do so by first calculating their expense to provide the entire state with insurance. This includes any legal and settlement fees, operating expenses, and number of claims and accidents occuring statewide. Every driver then pays a piece of these statewide average costs.

Next, the insurers categorize drivers, usually placing them in different risk categories according to their age, car type, marital status, sex, and driving history. Depending on the assigned risk level of the driver, an additional amount is added into the premium.

These two components - both the risk and expense of providing insurance to the state as a whole and the individual risk factors - are what ultimately determine the premium an individual driver pays for car insurance.

South Dakota Auto Insurance Companies

Auto insurance in South Dakota may be cheap, but it's still a good idea to shop around to different providers to make sure that you're getting a balance of price and quality that is suitable for your individual needs.

There are many top-rated companies offering coverage in South Dakota. It's best to compare rates between companies to make the best decision.

More Resources and Information for South Dakota

For more information on South Dakota auto insurance, contact the South Dakota Department of Commerce and Regulation, Division of Insurance.

South Dakota Division of Insurance
445 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: (605) 773-3563

For other South Dakota Insurance Resources, See:

• South Dakota Health Insurance
• South Dakota Home Insurance

 

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