South Carolina Motorcycle Insurance
Get a full analysis of South Carolina motorcycle insurance costs, coverage, and companies.
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Find the Best Motorcycle Insurance Options in South Carolina
A motorcycle can be a great way to get around in South Carolina and enjoy everything this beautiful state has to offer. Unfortunately, with an abundance of curvy backroads and heavy traffic in the cities, motorcycle accidents can happen anywhere at any time in South Carolina, which is why having sufficient motorcycle insurance in place is so important.
A local independent insurance agent can help you find the best motorcycle insurance in South Carolina for your needs and budget. These agents can answer your questions and help you compare free quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Best Motorcycle Insurance Companies in South Carolina
The following are some of the best motorcycle insurance companies in South Carolina. They are highly rated for their mix of valuable coverage offerings and competitive pricing.
- Progressive: Progressive is based in Ohio but offers motorcycle insurance across all 50 states, including South Carolina. South Carolina residents can look to Progressive for most of their personal insurance needs.
- Foremost Insurance Company: Foremost was founded in 1952 and offers a wide range of coverage, including motorcycle insurance, in 50 states.
- Safeco: Safeco has been protecting individuals and families since 1923. The company offers motorcycle insurance in South Carolina, as well as a comprehensive range of other personal insurance policies. Working through independent agents, Safeco makes it easy to get the best mix of coverage and pricing.
- Nationwide: Nationwide provides motorcycle insurance and other popular types of personal insurance coverage in South Carolina. The company is headquartered in Columbus, OH, and is represented by independent insurance agents in 50 states.
An independent insurance agent in your area can help you learn more about these and other South Carolina motorcycle insurance companies. A local agent can help you get competitive quotes for the coverage that fits your needs.
Is Motorcycle Insurance Required in South Carolina?
There are over 161,000 motorcycles registered in South Carolina. If you’re one of these bike owners, you must have motorcycle insurance.
Just like other motor vehicle owners, South Carolina state law mandates that motorcycle owners carry liability coverage up to the following minimum limits:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist coverage: equal to the minimum liability coverage (25/50/25)
Bodily injury liability insurance covers you if you are at fault in an accident and someone other than yourself is injured. Property damage liability insurance covers damage to another person's vehicle or property in an accident that is your fault.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you if you're in an accident with someone who is uninsured or whose insurance does not cover the full extent of the damage to you or your motorcycle.
These types of liability coverage are mandatory. However, it’s a good idea for most people to carry higher liability coverage limits and additional coverage options that extend to you and your motorcycle.
Your independent insurance agent can help you learn more about the requirements for motorcycle insurance in South Carolina.
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What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover in South Carolina?
We know that all motorcycle insurance policies in South Carolina must include a certain amount of motorcycle liability coverage. Other than increasing your liability limits to make sure you can appropriately compensate other parties if you cause an accident, it's a good idea to protect yourself against injury and your motorcycle against theft and damage.
Consider that there are typically over 1,600 motorcycle thefts reported in South Carolina in a given year. If you don’t purchase certain types of coverage, you’ll have no financial recourse for repairing or replacing your stolen bike.
These are the additional types of motorcycle insurance coverage that you may want to consider to better protect your investment in your bike:
- Collision coverage: Protects your motorcycle if it is damaged in a collision
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers your bike in the event of a non-collision incident, such as theft, vandalism, hail, and more
- Medical payments: Offers you and others who ride with you medical and hospitalization payments if injured
Other optional motorcycle coverage includes loan/lease coverage, motorcycle gap insurance, guest passenger liability, towing and labor (or roadside assistance), and rental reimbursement coverage.
You might also need additional coverage if your bike has custom parts and accessories. Most basic motorcycle policies will only cover factory-standard parts.
A local independent insurance agent can help you decide which types of South Carolina motorcycle insurance coverage are right for you.
What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cost in South Carolina?
The average annual cost of motorcycle insurance in South Carolina is around $781. However, your premiums may be higher or lower than average, depending on certain risk factors and the types of coverage that you purchase.
A policy with more robust coverage and higher coverage limits will cost more than a policy that covers the bare minimum.
What’s more, insurance companies will consider your age and driving record, your credit score, where you live and travel, whether you ride year-round or just seasonally, the make and model of your motorcycle, and any custom components you have added to your bike.
A more expensive bike or a riskier riding profile will likely result in more costly motorcycle insurance. By getting multiple quotes for motorcycle insurance in South Carolina, you can find the policy that offers the best protection for your budget. An independent insurance agent can help.
How to Find the Best Motorcycle Insurance Quotes in South Carolina
Instead of getting an online quote for South Carolina motorcycle insurance, find an independent insurance agent now and get one-on-one consultation and affordable options for the best coverage for your unique needs. Your agent will work with you free of charge, offering you a variety of options so you can make the best choice.
What’s more, your agent will be there for you when claim time comes. They know the ins and outs of the process and will make sure your claim is handled appropriately.
Better Motorcycle Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
South Carolina Motorcycle Insurance FAQs
Motorcycle insurance helps you pay for property damage and medical costs if you cause an accident while driving your motorcycle or if your bike is stolen or damaged in another way.
That alone is reason enough to purchase motorcycle insurance. If you cause an accident and don’t have coverage, you’d still be required to pay for any injuries you cause or other vehicles or property that you damage. If you’re sued, the cost to defend yourself alone is likely insurmountable, and that’s before any financial settlements or court-ordered judgments you could be required to pay.
Aside from protecting your own assets and being able to help people who you’ve harmed, motorcycle insurance is necessary because most states require motorcycle owners to purchase a minimum amount of liability insurance or face fines or other consequences.
Yes, motorcycle insurance is required by law in South Carolina in the same way that car insurance is required for all motor vehicles.
All motorcycle insurance policies in South Carolina contain the minimum amounts of motorcycle liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage. In addition, you can choose from the following types of optional coverage:
- Collision coverage: Protects your motorcycle if it is damaged in a collision
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers your bike in the event of a non-collision incident, such as theft, vandalism, hail, and more
- Medical payments: Offers you and others who ride with you medical and hospitalization payments if injured
Other optional motorcycle coverage includes loan/lease coverage, motorcycle gap insurance, guest passenger liability, towing and labor (or roadside assistance), and rental reimbursement coverage.
You might also need additional coverage if your bike has custom parts and accessories. Most basic motorcycle policies will only cover factory-standard parts.
Motorcycle lane splitting is when motorcyclists ride between two lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. Rather than pulling up behind a car, lane splitting allows bikers to ride next to the car and use the median between the lanes as their motorcycle lane.
While some bikers say it’s a good strategy to minimize traffic congestion and enhance overall traffic flow, lane splitting is generally regarded as dangerous.
Lane splitting is illegal in South Carolina.
South Carolina state law mandates that a motorcycle owners carry liability coverage up to the following minimum limits:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist coverage: equal to the minimum liability coverage (25/50/25)
Bodily injury liability insurance covers you if you are at fault in an accident and someone other than yourself is injured. Property damage liability insurance covers damage to another person's vehicle or property in an accident that is your fault.
Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you're in an accident with someone who is uninsured or whose insurance does not cover the full extent of the damage to you or your motorcycle.
The average annual cost of motorcycle insurance in South Carolina is $781. Motorcycle insurance premiums vary based on a variety of factors, including:
- Your age and driving record
- Your credit score
- Where you live
- Your motorcycle’s make, model, and horsepower
- Whether your motorcycle has any custom components
- The age of your motorcycle
- How many miles you drive your motorcycle in a given year
- Where you typically drive your motorcycle
- Where you store your motorcycle when it is not in use
Discounts might be available for those with more than one motorcycle or those who belong to a motorcycle organization. Your experience riding a motorcycle and graduating from a safety course can give you immediate discounts. In addition, many insurance companies offer mature rider discounts.
Safeco, Foremost, Nationwide, and Progressive are some of the best motorcycle insurance companies in South Carolina. They are highly rated for offering broad coverage, top-notch customer service, and a variety of affordable options.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all motorcycle insurance policy. Comparison shopping is the best way to make sure you're getting the best coverage for your needs.
A local independent insurance agent can help you find a competitively priced South Carolina motorcycle insurance policy that meets your state’s coverage requirements. Contact an agent in your area to begin comparing customized quotes.
https://www.doi.sc.gov/588/Automobile-Insurance