Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Your South Carolina Car Insurance Policy

Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Your South Carolina Car Insurance Policy

Let's face it. None of us really ever plan on using our South Carolina car insurance policy. Nobody really expects the unexpected to happen. Unless you happen to live in L.A. or Sacramento in the middle of bumper to bumper traffic, in which case all bets are off! Even if you don't plan on ever having to use the policy you're paying premiums on every month, you still want to make sure you're covered in case the unexpected does occur. That's why it's important that you know how to get the most out of your car insurance.

First and foremost, let's talk coverage levels. When companies give you an initial estimate on your insurance coverage they tend to lowball their numbers. That is, they give you the lowest possible estimate for the lowest available (legal) amount of coverage and plan on raising the amount from there. Once they've got you wriggling on a hook they know they can do it, since you probably don't want to have to take the time to keep hunting for a South Carolina car insurance company that's going to give you the coverage you need!

The minimum required insurance levels are exactly that-the bare minimum you need to be allowed to drive on the South Carolina highways. Since those bare minimums probably aren't going to be enough to protect you if you're in a ten car pile-up on the freeways you're probably going to look for a company that can offer you a little more without sending your car insurance rates through the roof! Most experts recommend a minimum of $100,000 to $300,000 in bodily injury liability and $50,000 to $100,000 in property damage.

That, coupled with at least the value of your car in uninsured motorist coverage, should keep you safe out on the highway regardless of what fate and traffic decide to toss your way.

Next, let's talk about some of the perks that go along with having a South Carolina car insurance policy. Yes, you know you need liability and uninsured motorist insurance. You probably also already know the value of collision and comprehensive car insurance (which protect your car if you're ever in an accident rather than everyone else's). What you might not know about are all of the perks that can come along with your car insurance coverage.

For example, many South Carolina car insurance companies will offer some kind of rental car insurance coverage if you happen to, say, break down on your way to Tijuana and don't want to have to turn around and go back. (This is also really, really good if you break down out of state and don't want to have pay for a tow all the way home!)Rental insurance will cover the cost of the rental car for either a certain number of days or the amount of time it takes to either repair the car or declare it completely totaled. That way you're not left without wheels while your insurance carrier is figuring out what it wants to do.

Then there's the extra medical insurance and emergency roadside assistance. If you have your own insurance policy and happen to belong to AAA this might seem a little superfluous, but if you don't these can be an invaluable resource after you've been in an accident. Being able to save money on your own hospital bills and avoid additional towing costs can help cushion your savings account and keep your fiscal resources from being destroyed in the instant it takes another driver to come sailing across the median and slam into your car.

The bottom line is that while you certainly hope you're not going to need your South Carolina car insurance when you buy it, you want to make sure you've got all the resources you need at your disposal if you do. That's why it's important to do your homework and make sure you're getting the most you can out of your insurance policy.

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• Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Your South Carolina Car Insurance Policy - Jul 24, 2009 - 10:06:33 AM