Is personal injury protection required in South Dakota?

The best way to find cheap PIP insurance is to shop around and compare quotes from several insurers in your state. The personal risk factors that can affect how much you pay for PIP (personal injury protection) are the same ones that affect the pricing of any type of auto insurance. These include your claims history, credit history, location, driving record, age, and gender. As with all types of insurance, different insurance companies weigh each factor differently, resulting in a range of prices. That’s why you need to compare quotes to find cheap PIP insurance for your situation.… read full answer

However, the primary factors that can make PIP expensive are beyond your control. State law sets minimum and maximum coverage limits for PIP in your location, and that’s a huge part of determining premiums. For example, PIP will naturally be more expensive in a state that requires unlimited coverage for lifetime medical costs related to an accident than in one with low mandatory limits.

Another key factor that affects the cost of PIP insurance in some states is the prevalence of fraud. PIP is a common target of fraud, with people often faking accidents or falsifying medical claims to get payouts they don’t deserve. In states with a large amount of PIP fraud, like Florida and Michigan, the costs associated with that fraud get passed on to policyholders in the form of higher premiums.

The twelve states that require PIP insurance, also known as personal injury protection, are Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, and Utah. Of these states, 11 are “no-fault” states. Pennsylvania law requires drivers to purchase $5,000 in medical benefits, but does not mention PIP specifically. PIP coverage is also available, but optional, in seven additional states, plus the District of Columbia.… read full answer

PIP States

PIP insurance covers medical expenses for you and your passengers after an accident, no matter who is at fault. These expenses include ambulance fees, medical and surgical treatments, and prescriptions. PIP can also reimburse you for lost wages, home care expenses, and even funeral expenses.

If someone else is driving your car and gets in an accident, your car insurance will likely cover any resulting damage. Car insurance generally follows the car instead of the driver, so the car owner's insurance will cover the crash, even if someone else is driving. On the other hand, if your car is taken without permission or the driver is not licensed, the driver is responsible.… read full answer

Insurance Options When Someone Crashes Your Car

Remember, using your insurance means you are liable for paying your deductible, even if it’s a friend (and not you personally) who crashes your car. Fortunately, your friend’s insurance can help if the damage exceeds your coverage. For example, if your policy covers up to $45,000 and the damage is $55,000, the driver's insurance can cover the final $10,000.

However, that isn’t the case if you’ve specifically excluded the driver from your policy. You might choose to leave someone off your insurance because they are a high-risk driver and expensive to insure - like a new driver with multiple speeding tickets, or someone with DUIs on his or her driving record. If that excluded driver crashes your car, your insurance company will refuse to cover the damage.

Insurance Rates After an Accident

Unfortunately, an accident can affect your insurance rates even if you aren’t driving. One accident won’t necessarily raise your premium by itself. But if you were in another accident not too long before someone else crashes your car, your company is likely to raise your premium, retract your safe-driver discount, or even drop your policy.

At the end of the day, one of the best things you can do is consider adding people to your insurance if they regularly use your car. You don’t want to end up with a huge bill if your insurance company denies your claim because of who was driving. Also, make sure your friends have a valid driver’s license and car insurance if they’re using your car.