Lauren Lewthwaite Last Updated On: August 18, 2023

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Your Guide to Car Insurance in South Dakota

Did you know that South Dakota has more shoreline than Florida? If that doesn’t make you want to pack up the car and hit the road for the beach, we don’t know what will. But first, you need great car insurance coverage that protects you from the unexpected and that doesn’t break the bank.

We’ve got you covered. Keep reading for a guide to South Dakota auto insurance, from the minimum amount of coverage you legally need to have to ways to put a little more money back in your pocket. 

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Table of Contents

Minimum Auto Insurance in South Dakota

Before we get into it, we want to quickly review the minimum auto insurance requirements for the state of South Dakota. Driving without car insurance is against the law in almost every state, and South Dakota is no exception. You need to maintain a certain amount of car insurance too, which includes:

  • Bodily injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability of $25,000 per accident
  • Uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • Underinsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

These are the bare minimums you need to have when it comes to car insurance, and it’s recommended that you get more than this if you can. After all, one accident can quickly add up in terms of medical bills and damage to a car. 

If you’re interested in more coverage, keep reading. We’ll explore all of your options in the Mount Rushmore State.

South Dakota Car Insurance Coverage Options

The minimum car insurance doesn’t get you very far. Plus, you will notice that aside from uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, it mostly protects the other driver and their passengers, not you.

This is why you might want to beef up your policy, and you have plenty of options to do so. Here are the common car insurance coverage options in South Dakota:

  • Bodily Injury: This helps cover the other driver’s medical bills in an accident you cause. It also gives you a legal defense if you’re sued as a result of the accident. 
  • Property Damage: This helps cover damage to the other driver’s vehicle and damaged property in an accident you cause. 
  • Collision: This helps cover the costs to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision with another vehicle, regardless of who is at fault.
  • Comprehensive: This helps cover damage to your vehicle from weather, theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, etc.
  • Medical Payments (MedPay): This helps cover medical costs for you and your passengers, regardless of who caused the accident. 

As you can see, there are more options out there than just the minimum car insurance coverage. Additional options can help better protect you and your passengers, not to mention your vehicle. 

But the list doesn’t end there. While these policy options help build out your main policy, there are riders or endorsements that you can also choose to add to your policy to really round it up. These include:

  • Roadside Assistance: This gets you a tow to a nearby repair shop if your vehicle breaks down, plus minor roadside fixes. More details here.
  • Rental Car Reimbursement: If your vehicle is being repaired, this helps cover a rental car during that period. 
  • Gap: If your vehicle is totaled and the insurance check is for less than what you currently still owe on the vehicle, this helps cover the difference. Find out more here
  • New Car Replacement: If your new vehicle (less than two years) is totaled, this gets you a brand new car replacement rather than a check for the depreciated value. 
  • Rideshare: If you drive for services like Lyft or Uber, you’ll need to add rideshare insurance to your policy to protect you. 

These are some examples of optional coverage you can add to your policy. However, they’re not free, so make sure they are worth it to you and your peace of mind before adding. Every insurer is different, so you may find variations of these and other riders at different providers. 

The Average Cost of Car Insurance in South Dakota

Speaking of free, car insurance is anything but. The cost of car insurance is something you’ll have to live with if you want to get behind the wheel. But it doesn’t have to break the bank. Later, we’ll show you ways to find savings on car insurance, but for now, let’s go through the numbers to get a sense of what you can expect to pay.

  • The average cost of car insurance in South Dakota is $1,577 per year, slightly above the national average
  • The average cost of minimum car insurance coverage is $254 per year

If these numbers make you want to forego additional coverage and stick with the minimum requirements, think again: you might save on car insurance month-to-month, but if a bad accident occurs, you’ll be hit with the bill for everything insurance doesn’t cover. This can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars, and most people simply can’t afford that. 

This is why it makes sense to pay more for full coverage now, rather than risk the financial strain of thousands in damages down the line. Click here to get access to free car insurance quotes, so you can find out exactly how much you can expect to pay.

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How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance in South Dakota

Good news: you can find affordable car insurance coverage no matter where you live. And it doesn’t mean you have to cut back on coverage. These tips help you get the best of both worlds, which means budget-friendly car insurance and coverage that protects you.

Here are our top tips for saving money on car insurance in South Dakota:

  • Compare Quotes: This is a quick way to see up to 30% in savings on your car insurance. By gathering quotes from multiple providers, you will be able to compare costs and coverage and find the best deal for you. It doesn’t hurt to do this annually, right before your coverage is set to renew, so that you can continue saving money on your premiums.
  • Review Your Coverage: We promised you that saving money wouldn’t mean skimping on coverage, and we mean it. But you could be paying for coverage you don’t need anymore, and we want to avoid that. Make sure you’re not “setting and forgetting it” when it comes to your auto insurance policy. Review it annually to ensure it’s still the coverage you need. For example, you might have a teen driver on your policy that’s now away at college, or you might still be paying for a second vehicle that you sold. 
  • Look for Discounts: Most insurers offer some form of discounts on their car insurance, but it’s up to you to ask for it. These discounts can also often be stacked, saving you even more. Common discounts include:
  • Raise Your Deductible: This is a quick way to see your premiums drop. By increasing your deductible, your premiums lower in turn. But keep in mind, your deductible is what you will have to pay out of pocket if you have a claim, so make sure it’s still an amount you can afford. 
  • Drive Safely: We know, it seems obvious. But this is truly the best way to keep your car insurance affordable. For example, a speeding ticket of just 10 miles per hour over the limit can cause your premiums to jump 15%, so keeping a clean driving record is your ticket to maintaining affordable premiums.
    • You can’t magically wipe your driving history clean, but driving safely means you’ll avoid any new infractions and the old ones will eventually drop off. Find out how long tickets stay on your record here
  • Pay On Time: Paying late or missing a car insurance payment might seem innocent enough, but it can wreak havoc on your rates. It’s a red flag to insurers and they can raise your rates in response. 
    • Setting up automatic payments can net you a tidy discount.

You’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your car insurance rates. These tips can get you as much as 30% off of your car insurance costs, so what are you waiting for? 

Here’s another tip: if the gorgeous state parks and renowned hunting and fishing in South Dakota are calling your name for retirement, we don’t blame you. But first, check out our free retirement planning guide so that you set yourself up for success. 

Best Car Insurance Providers in South Dakota

You have options for car insurance in South Dakota, and that’s a good thing. But some providers are more reputable than others. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Dirt cheap car insurance exists, but it doesn’t offer you the protection and coverage you deserve.

Here are some of the best car insurance providers in South Dakota that you should check out:

  • Nationwide
  • State Farm
  • Auto-Owners
  • Progressive
  • USAA
  • GEICO

Start with these when gathering quotes, and add more in if needed. 

Find South Dakota Car Insurance Quotes

Now that you have a better idea of the coverage you need and what you can expect to pay (plus the best tips to save on premiums), it’s time to get quotes. You know that you should gather at least three different quotes and compare them in order to find the best deal possible.

We want to save you time (and money). Get access to free quotes fast here, so that you can get back on the road with peace of mind. We’ve got you covered.

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Lauren Lewthwaite Lauren Lewthwaite has been freelance writing for almost five years writing content that ranges from health to insurance and everything in between. Lauren is also a trained translator in French and English and is a dog-mom to an adorable Australian Shepherd.

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