Car Insurance Requirements in South Dakota (2024)
South Dakota requires drivers to purchase 25/50/25 limits for liability coverage, as well as uninsured motorist coverage.
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Written byAnna Baluch
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4+ years writing insurance and personal finance content
MBA from Roosevelt University
Anna leverages her personal finance and insurance knowledge to create educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions.
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Edited byKatie Powers
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Updated November 21, 2024
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Table of contents
To drive legally in South Dakota, drivers need to buy bodily injury liability, property damage liability, and uninsured motorist coverage. It’s important to know how much coverage you need because driving without sufficient insurance can result in fines, license suspension, and more.
Drivers can choose to purchase additional car insurance, such as collision and comprehensive coverage, for more vehicle protection. After you decide how much coverage you need, you should shop around and compare rates from multiple insurers at once.
Here’s what you need to know about car insurance requirements in South Dakota.
South Dakota car insurance requirements
Per South Dakota law, you must maintain liability and uninsured motorist insurance and carry proof of insurance in your vehicle. At a minimum, you must purchase the following coverages and amounts:
Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident[1]
Bodily injury liability
If you cause an accident, bodily injury liability insurance can help pay for the other driver’s medical bills, including costs for medications, surgeries, rehab, and lost wages. It can also cover your legal fees in the event of a lawsuit.
The per-person limit is the maximum amount your insurer will pay for each person injured in an accident. The per-accident limit is the total amount your insurer will pay for all injured parties in a single accident.
South Dakota car insurance laws mandate $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability.
Property damage liability
Property damage liability insurance applies if you cause an accident and damage another driver’s vehicle or other property. Though it’ll help cover the other driver’s repair costs, it won’t pay for your own vehicle damages.
In South Dakota, you must purchase $25,000 per accident in property damage liability.
Uninsured motorist coverage
Unlike liability coverage, this policy covers your injury costs following an accident with a hit-and-run driver or someone without insurance. When an at-fault driver can’t cover your expenses, your uninsured motorist coverage will act as the insurance the other driver should have purchased.
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South Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan
The South Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan (SDAIP) helps South Dakota drivers struggling to secure auto insurance find coverage. If you’re having trouble locking in an auto insurance policy in South Dakota, you should look into this program.[2]
You must meet the following criteria to apply for the plan:
Hold a valid South Dakota driver’s license or qualify for one
Show proof that you haven’t been able to secure car insurance
For more specific information on the SDAIP, you can consult a car insurance agent or broker.
Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in South Dakota?
Liability-only car insurance helps cover property damage and injuries for the other driver after you have an at-fault accident. It’s the cheapest type of car insurance policy available, but you may want to consider buying more coverage.
Full-coverage car insurance has more expensive premiums, but it offers additional coverage through comprehensive and collision coverages. If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, your lender may require you to purchase a full-coverage policy.
Good to Know
If you drive a new or expensive car, commute regularly, or can’t afford to pay for out-of-pocket expenses after an auto accident, it’s likely worth it to purchase full coverage. Drivers with old or inexpensive vehicles may find liability insurance provides the right amount of coverage for their needs.
The cost of liability-only car insurance in South Dakota
The average cost of liability-only auto insurance in South Dakota is $63 per month. It covers the other party’s property damage and injury costs after you cause an accident.
Below, you’ll find average monthly car insurance quotes from top insurance companies in the Mount Rushmore State.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Direct Auto | $48 |
| CSAA | $64 |
| Safeco | $68 |
| Dairyland | $69 |
| Bristol West | $70 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in South Dakota
The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in South Dakota is $147 per month. It usually includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverages.
Here are the average monthly quotes for full-coverage car insurance from some of the top insurers in South Dakota.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Direct Auto | $115 |
| Safeco | $136 |
| CSAA | $140 |
| Bristol West | $179 |
| Dairyland | $190 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in South Dakota
South Dakota laws require drivers to carry at least liability and uninsured motorist insurance. If you can’t show proof of insurance through a valid insurance ID card, you can face a variety of consequences, such as:
Jail time: Up to 30 days in jail
Fine: A fine of $100 or more
License suspension: Driver’s license suspension lasting between 30 days and more than a year
SR-22 insurance: A requirement to file an SR-22 form for three years following the conviction, which generally leads to higher rates
Cheapest recent rates in South Dakota
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $41/mo for liability only and $84/mo for full coverage in South Dakota.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 21, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 21, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on November 21, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from November 21, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Optional car insurance coverages to consider
Depending on your situation, it might be a good idea to invest in additional car insurance beyond South Dakota’s minimum requirements. Several of the optional auto insurance policies you might want to consider include the following:
Collision coverage
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a motor vehicle accident, regardless of fault.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive coverage can come in handy if your car sustains damage from a non-collision event, such as a falling object, fire, or theft.
Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage may pay for your medical expenses after an accident, even if you caused it.
Rental reimbursement coverage
Rental car reimbursement coverage may reimburse you if your vehicle is in the auto repair shop and you need a rental car to get around.
South Dakota car insurance requirements FAQs
It’s crucial to carry the minimum amount of car insurance in South Dakota. Here’s an overview of what you need to know to drive legally in the state.
Does South Dakota require car insurance?
Yes. South Dakota drivers must carry car insurance to drive legally, per state law and the South Dakota Division of Insurance. You must have a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, $25,000 per accident for property damage liability, and $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage.
Is it illegal to drive without insurance in South Dakota?
Yes. It’s illegal to drive in South Dakota without insurance. It’s your responsibility to show proof of adequate auto insurance coverage if any law enforcement official asks for it.
Does South Dakota require proof of insurance to register a car?
Like many states, South Dakota requires you to show proof of insurance to register your vehicle. You can show a physical insurance card or electronic records from your smartphone.
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in South Dakota?
Car insurance follows the car in South Dakota. This means your liability policy will kick in after an at-fault car accident, no matter who’s driving your vehicle, as long as they have permission to borrow it.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Sources
- South Dakota Division of Insurance Consumer Alert. "Auto Insurance Coverage."
- AIPSO. "South Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan."
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Anna BaluchInsurance Writer
Anna Baluch is a Cleveland-based personal finance and insurance expert. With an MBA from Roosevelt University, she enjoys writing educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions. Her work can be seen across the internet on many publications, including Freedom Debt Relief, Credit Karma, RateGenius, and the Balance. Connect with Anna on LinkedIn.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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