South Carolina Auto Insurance 

The law regarding automobile insurance effective in South Carolina from 1974 until March 1, 1999, had the following basic features:

   1. Compulsory Liability Insurance: Every private passenger automobile must have been insured with minimum coverage of $25,000 if bodily injury results to one person, $50,000 if bodily injury results to more than one person, and $10,000 for property damage

   2. The Mandate to Write: The insurance company you selected was required to sell you a liability policy if you had a valid driver's license and paid the premiums for the policy.

   3. Equal Treatment for Equally Situated Individuals: Insurance Companies could not discriminate based upon subjective factors, such as race, religion, nationality, etc. Your premiums were based on (a) your individual classification using the twenty-two classifications established by the South Carolina Department of Insurance (such as there is no operator under 25 years of age and the automobile is not used for business nor driven to or from work or school); and (b) the county in which you reside.

   4. Reinsurance Facility/Recoupment Fee: Insurance Companies could place individuals they would not have written had they had a choice in the South Carolina Reinsurance Facility. Some agents wrote directly to the Facility. The losses of those drivers which were not covered by the premiums those drivers paid were recouped from all the drivers in the State.Beginning February 1, 1999, the requirement to carry liability insurance was eliminated; however, unless the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) allows you to pay the annual uninsured motorist fee, you will have to purchase insurance for your automobile.

A driver can make an annual payment of $550 Uninsured Motorist Fee and drive an uninsured vehicle. The fee is paid to the Department of Public Safety at the time you register your uninsured vehicle. The fee will cover only the vehicle registered. You must pay $550 for each vehicle you want to register as an uninsured vehicle. THIS IS NOT INSURANCE. If you cause an accident, you will be personally responsible for any injuries and damages caused.

The laws of this State require minimum coverage of $15,000 if one person is injured in an accident; $30,000 if more than one person is injured; and $10,000 for property damage. Higher limits of coverage can be purchased.

 If you are convicted of any of the following violations, you will not be able to register or drive an uninsured vehicle in this State:
         1. disobeying an official traffic device,
         2. failing to stop for a law enforcement when signaled,
         3. disobeying an officer directing traffic;
         4. failing to stop for a school bus,
         5. leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury or property damage,
         6. stealing or unlawfully taking a vehicle,
         7. racing on public highways,
         8. driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs where injury to a person in an amount more than $600 or damage to property in an amount more than $1000 results,
         9. injuring a person (in an amount more than $600) or damaging property (in an amount more than $1000) as a result of reckless driving,
        10. committing homicide or assault with a motor vehicle,
        11. committing a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle,
        12. transporting illegal whiskey or unlawful drugs or other controlled or narcotic substances,
        13. committing reckless homicide,
        14. willfully making false statements in application for license or registration,
        15. impersonating an applicant for license or registration or procuring a license or registration through impersonation,
        16. any three or more moving violations,
        17. (any two or more accidents for which the owner is responsible where injury to a person in an amount more than $600 or damage to property in an amount more than $1000 results.

      Three years after you have been convicted of any of the above violations, you will be eligible to register an uninsured vehicle. Also, if there is a driver in the household who has been licensed for less than three years, you will not be able to register an uninsured vehicle.

Described below are changes in the automobile insurance system which may be of interest to you:
         
  Your insurance company no longer has to renew your policy. It may instead offer you a policy written by an affiliated company at a higher premium, if it considers you a higher risk.
         
  If you decide to buy your insurance from a different insurer, your application may be denied.
         
  If you buy a policy from a new insurer, that insurer can cancel your policy without cause during the first ninety days.
         
  A safe driving record does not ensure you will be able to purchase insurance at the lowest rate available. For example, a company may consider you high risk if you were involved in several accidents during the previous three years, even though you did not cause the accidents and you made a claim under your medical payments coverage for your injuries.
         
  You must keep proof of insurance in your automobile, and display it upon demand to a police officer or anyone authorized by law. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor. You will then have to provide proof of insurance within 30 days or your driver's license will be suspended and you will have to provide proof of service every quarter for one year.
         
CANCELLATION OR NON-RENEWAL
   If your insurance company cancels or does not renew your policy, the cancellation or non-renewal is not effective unless the company gives you a 15-day written notice. If the notice is mailed to you, the 15-day period begins to run from the date of mailing, not the day you receive it.