Drivers in South Dakota are required to have three different forms of insurance in place: property damage liability, bodily injury liability, and uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. These various forms of insurance cover the driver if he or she causes an accident to occur. With the help of this auto insurance coverage, driver in South Dakota do not have to worry about paying for lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, or other costs that may result from an accident that he or she causes.
South Dakota drivers are also required to carry a minimum of $25,000 in bodily injury coverage. This insurance covers the costs that may be incurred if a person is harmed in the accident. In addition, South Dakota drivers are required to carry $50,000 worth of bodily insurance coverage per accident. The state also requires all of its drivers to carry $25,000 worth of coverage for property damage.
Bodily Injury Liability, or BI for short, is a type of insurance that is used when the insured driver is responsible for an accident that results in injury or death. This coverage is used if the driver or drivers of the other vehicles are hurt as well as if any passengers or pedestrians are hurt by the accident. This insurance must cover at least $25,000 worth of expenses per person that is involved in the accident as well as $50,000 of coverage per accident.
South Dakota residents are also required to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. This insurance protects the insured driver if he or she is in an accident and the driver of the other vehicle does not have insurance or has an inadequate amount of insurance. South Dakota drivers are must have $25,000 of coverage per person as well as $50,000 of coverage per accident.
In order to legally register a vehicle in South Dakota or to legally drive in the state, drivers must present proof of insurance coverage. The easiest way to prove that coverage is in place is to use a temporary insurance card, which the insurance company automatically provides to its drivers. Drivers may also use their actual insurance policies to demonstrate that they have adequate insurance. Another option is to show the receipt from the payment of the premium. An insurance binder that is issued by the insurance agent may also be used as proof of insurance coverage.
There are several additional forms of documentation that a driver may use to demonstrate that he or she has auto insurance coverage in place. For example, the driver may show his or her current declarations page from the insurance policy or the driver can show his or her certificate of liability insurance policy.
For South Dakota drivers that have purchased vehicles recently, proof of insurance that shows that the vehicle being replaced had insurance will also serve as proof of coverage. This method of showing proof is only valid, however, if the new vehicle had been purchased within the past 60 days. In addition, those that rent vehicles in South Dakota must show proof of insurance coverage as well. This is to be indicated on the rental agreement and, as a result, the rental agreement will serve as proof of insurance.