It is illegal to drive a car in South Carolina with no liability insurance coverage to protect others against the costs of injuries and property damage. Current state law requires at least $25,000 in bodily injury and property damage coverage per person with a minimum $50,000 in total coverage for each per accident. The coverages are intended to provide financial relief for the costs of injuries and damage to property to others.
Uninsured motorist coverage also required
About one in seven drivers are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council. When motor vehicle accidents involve a vehicle that is not insured and that driver is at fault, then the accident involved an uninsured motorist. A vehicle also is considered uninsured when the driver is not among the named insured on the policy or flees the scene and is not found after a hit-and-run accident.
Uninsured motorists coverage also required
Motorists also must carry a minimum of $25,000 in auto insurance coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists. That coverage takes over when the other driver is uninsured or the costs of your injuries and property damage exceed the policy limits on the offending driver’s vehicle. If the other driver flees in a hit-and-run accident, the uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage also would cover costs up to policy limits.
Pedestrians are especially vulnerable
While uninsured motorists coverage protects passengers in insured vehicles, it does not help pedestrians. A homeowners insurance plan might offer some measure of insurance coverage for injuries and any property damaged, such as a costly bicycle, when a pedestrian is struck by an uninsured motorist. The only other option is to file a civil suit for damages. Whether a car passenger or a pedestrian, an experienced MVA attorney in the greater Columbia area can help you understand your coverage and how it affects your case whenever injured by an uninsured driver.
