South Carolina’s average auto insurance below average

South Carolina Insurance News Service
Published: November 5, 2008

The average auto insurance expenditure in South Carolina remains below the national average according to a recent study released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. South Carolina drivers on average spend $756.11 per year on auto insurance which is $61 less than the national average of $817.11 according to the latest study from 2006 just released. The average expenditure estimates what consumers in South Carolina spent, on average, for auto insurance in 2006.

The South Carolina General Assembly passed legislation requiring an increase in the minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage which took effect January 1, 2007. Act 395 requires drivers to carry liability coverage in amounts of no less than $25,000 of bodily injury per person, $50,000 of bodily injury per accident and $25,000 of property damage coverage (usually written as 25/50/25).

Factors that influence the cost of coverage may include:

* The type of car and specific safety features;
* The amount of miles driven and type of driving;
* Family claim record, including the number of accidents and their severity;
* Driving record, including speeding tickets;
* Age, gender and experience of driver

There are ways drivers in South Carolina can reduce their auto insurance costs even more:

* Shop around. But don’t shop by price alone. You want a company that answers your questions and handles claims fairly and efficiently.

* Ask for higher deductibles. Deductibles represent the amount of money you pay before your insurance policy kicks in. By requesting a higher deductible, you can lower your costs substantially.

* Reduce coverage on older cars. Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverages on older cars.

* Buy your homeowners’ and auto coverage from the same insurer.

* Ask for discounts. You can get discounts for driving a lower than average number of miles per year, being a safe driver, taking a drivers’ education course, being a good student, having a good driving record and having good credit.

* Before you buy a car, compare insurance costs.
Year Average Expenditure
2006 $756.11
2005 $753.84
2004 $763.35
2003 $745.42
2002 $702.88

Other states in the Southeast rank as follows:
State Avg. Expenditure
Georgia $788.08
Florida $1,069.38
North Carolina $596.39
Virginia $684.52

SOURCE: SOUTH CAROLINA INSURANCE NEWS SERVICE