Non-owner car insurance in South Carolina

What companies offer non-owner insurance in South Carolina?

Rates for 7 companies are shown here, listed from lowest to highest. USAA, priced at $322, insures only military families.

Coverage a South Carolina nonowner policy must include

A nonowner automobile policy is treated as a full automobile insurance policy by South Carolina law, so all the same rules apply. You are also required to carry uninsured motorist protection, with limits that equal the minimum liability amounts.

Under Title 38, chapter 77 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, a nonowner policy is handled the same as an auto policy. What a policy must include is then set by Sections 38-77-140 and 38-77-150. When one person is injured, liability has to cover at least $25,000. When several people are hurt in one accident, $50,000 is needed, and property damage requires $25,000.

You also must carry uninsured motorist coverage with minimums of 25/50 and $25,000 for property damage. If a driver with no insurance strikes you, this coverage protects you. South Carolina, SCDMV says, requires the company selling the policy to be licensed to do business there. Adding underinsured coverage is your choice, as the South Carolina Department of Insurance FAQ points out.

Which drivers does SCDMV require to carry an SR-22 for three years?

SCDMV explains on its page about driving uninsured that owners and borrowers are treated differently. After a conviction for driving your own uninsured car, SCDMV suspends your license and registration and keeps them until you pay a $700 uninsured motorist fee. For three years from the suspension date, your insurer must also submit an SR-22, which is a certificate of insurance.

If convicted while driving someone else's car, you instead lose your license for 30 days and pay $100 to reinstate it. On that page, the SR-22 rule addresses car owners.

As the insurance company page describes, insurers file the SR-22 online through ALIR, SCDMV's insurance reporting system. A non-owner policy lets you keep the certificate active after selling the car that triggered the filing.

Returning a plate and paying SCDMV fees

If you sell your car and switch to a non-owner policy, take the plate and registration to an SCDMV office before ending your old policy. That way, you face no penalty, SCDMV says.

Once the old policy ends, SCDMV mails a notice if you did not take that step. After that, the insurer gets 20 working days to file proof of new coverage electronically. Otherwise, your license, plate, and registration get suspended. Getting reinstated can cost as much as $400.

A $100 reinstatement fee typically applies to each suspension, based on the SCDMV reinstatement fee page. If you owe more than $200, you might be able to set up a payment plan. For some suspensions, a $100 route restricted license is an option, per the license reinstatement page.

What you pay by age in South Carolina

Teens pay around $1,120 a year. A 40-year-old driver pays an average of $785 yearly for minimum coverage on an owned car, which is around $337 more than the $448 for a non-owner policy.