While it is important to have the minimum required auto insurance coverage, it may also be beneficial to have some additional coverage in case of an accident. Some of the insurance add-ons provided by insurers may be especially helpful if you suffer serious injuries. The other driver’s coverage could run out before you are able to pay for your damages.
If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence and need help filing a claim, our Charleston car accident lawyers are prepared to review your policy and the policy of the at-fault driver to see what legal options may be available to you.
Below, we discuss some of the insurance add-ons that may help you recover additional compensation for your damages.
What Are the Insurance Requirements in South Carolina?
Having auto insurance is a legal requirement in the U.S. However, the minimum requirements differ from state to state. South Carolina is an at-fault state, which means every driver must carry insurance that would cover the costs of damages if he or she causes a crash.
Liability Insurance
Every vehicle owner in the state is required to carry a minimum liability policy of:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person caused by an accident
- $50,000 for the total bodily injuries caused in an accident
- $25,000 for property damage per accident
Although these are the minimum requirements, it is important to consider purchasing more than the minimum, as car accidents may cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries that could exceed these minimum requirements. If you do not have enough insurance to cover damages, you may be on the hook for covering the financial losses of someone else out of your own pocket.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
South Carolina is one of the few states that requires every driver to carry uninsured motorist coverage up to the liability limits of a policy. For example, a driver who has the minimum requirements must also carry those same minimums of uninsured motorist coverage.
Uninsured motorist coverage helps cover the costs of damages even if the person at fault for your injuries does not have any insurance coverage.
However, drivers in the state are not required to carry underinsured motorist coverage, which would help cover damages if the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to cover the full cost of your damages. Insurance companies are required to offer this coverage to drivers, even though it is not mandatory.
It may be a good idea to purchase underinsured motorist coverage in case you are hit by a negligent driver and suffer serious injuries that exceed the liability limits of that driver’s policy.
What Other Insurance Add-Ons Are Available to Drivers?
Just as drivers have the option to buy underinsured motorist coverage, they also have the option to add more than the minimum coverage, such as rental car coverage or roadside assistance.
Other types of insurance add-ons include:
Comprehensive/Collision Coverage
Most lienholders require financed or leased vehicles to carry these types of coverages in case of property damage.
Comprehensive and collision coverage are two types of property damage coverage for your vehicle in case of an accident, theft, fire or flood damage, and more.
While you may not be required to purchase this type of insurance for a car you own, it may be a good idea to have this on your policy in case of damages to your vehicle are not covered by any other liability insurance.
Medical Payments (MedPay)
In some states, like Florida, drivers are required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance to help cover the costs of their medical bills and other damages no matter who caused the accident.
However, South Carolina insurance companies do not offer PIP insurance at all. Instead, drivers may choose to carry Medical Payment insurance, also called MedPay, to help cover the costs of medical bills.
This insurance add-on may be beneficial when you need to undergo immediate medical treatment after an accident, but you do not have health insurance and the at-fault driver’s liability insurance is delaying your claim.
Unfortunately, MedPay only covers the costs of medical treatment, whereas PIP insurance covers lost wages and certain other damages.
Let Us Help You File a Claim. Call Today
When it comes to pursuing the compensation you need after a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, it is important to thoroughly review all the options available to you. Whether that be through the at-fault driver’s liability policy or your own insurance add-ons.
Let our experienced attorneys help you review all the applicable insurance policies on your behalf while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
We work on a contingency basis, which means that we do not charge you anything while we work on your case, and we only get paid if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.