South Carolina Car Insurance Information

As you consider how you might save money on your South Carolina auto insurance, keep in mind that a myriad of factors contribute to the cost of your policy. A few of these factors are state specific and difficult to impact, but others can be easily swayed in your favor. Some state specific factors could be things like statistics for traffic fatalities or claims rates in your area. Personal choice type factors would be things like mileage, what model of car you drive and your driving record. No matter what your personal circumstances, shopping for the most affordable auto insurance policy will get you the best price for the policy you need.

There may not be much any one person can do to impact the number of traffic fatalities that occur in their state. Claims rates, though, are impacted quite a bit by incidences of fraud. Some estimates suggest that as many as 10% of South Carolina car insurance claims are either inflated or fraudulent. This amounts to an extra $1,030 per year per person in costs that insurers then pass on to their customers.

What is soft fraud?
Soft fraud is when a person exaggerates a claim with the goal of collecting more than they are entitled to. Some examples of this type of fraud might be under reporting the number of miles per year they drive or over reporting property damage or injury costs to increase a settlement. Other common incidents of car insurance fraud might be to turn in claims for property damage or injuries that did not occur or staging an accident with the purpose of filing an injury claim.

Soft fraud can be difficult to detect and hard to prove. For this reason, the Professional Insurance Agents of South Carolina in conjunction with the South Carolina news Service have launched The South Carolina Car Insurance Fraud Hotline. This twenty four hour hotline has been provided so that anyone having reason to believe that fraud is being committed can report it in accordance with the South Carolina Reporting Act. Anyone calling the hotline can remain anonymous. Reporting fraud increases the risk of detection which should decrease the occurrence of fraud. Reducing fraud should result in lower South Carolina car insurance premiums.

Altering some individual specific factors can lower your premium. If, for instance, you can reduce the number of miles you drive per year you should save on your auto insurance. Maybe you could get a poor driving record improved by taking a defensive driving course or get some defensive driving practice at an autocross course. Also, some cars are just less expensive to insure. If you choose to drive a safer car that is not small or sporty and does not cost as much to repair, it will save you money on your auto insurance policy.

Regardless of how your particular factors stack up, comparing prices will help you save money on your South Carolina auto insurance. Take a little time to get South Carolina car insurance rate quotes from several different insurers before making your final decision. The more informed you are, the better decision you will make!