Everyone has to have it, but what coverage do you need and what coverage do you legally have to carry on your automobile? Let our agency experts help you tailor a policy that is right for you.

Auto insurance has several components. Most plans are “cafeteria style” plans that you can choose coverage you need and exclude coverage you do not need. Typically your policy will cover you, your family and anyone driving your auto with your permission. Remember, auto insurance goes with the automobile, not necessarily the driver.

Liability insurance coverage is required by law. This coverage is split into bodily injury and property damage.
Bodily injury protection covers the injuries or deaths that may occur as a result of an accident that you are charged at fault.
Property damage will cover the damages to the other person’s property in the event that you are liable in an accident; ie: The other person's car you damaged (not yours), the fence you backed into, the building you ran into etc.

Collision coverage will cover the damages to your automobile if you are in a accident. Typically collision coverage is paid when you are at fault in an accident. But sometimes, even if you are not at fault, you can file damages under your collision, pay your deductible, and get your car repaired. Collision damages are usually the cost of the damage up to the actual cash value of the automobile minus your deductible.

Comprehensive coverage will cover your insured automobile for fire, theft, vandalism, falling objects and glass breakage up to the actual cash value of the automobile minus your deductible.

(Usually, both collision and comprehensive coverage are offered with deductibles.) A deductible is the amount you are willing to pay out of your pocket if damage occurs to your vehicle as a result of one of the above incidences. Deductibles have several different levels, but are typically listed as 250/250 or 500/500. Check with our agents to see what deductible is best for you. In SC, the deductible on glass breakage is waived.

Uninsured Motorist coverage is also mandated by law in SC. This coverage covers you in the event you are in an accident with someone who is legally liable for the accident and are uninsured.

Underinsured Motorist coverage is not required by law, but it highly recommended and affordable. This coverage will protect you if you are in an accident with someone who is legally liable and they do not have enough insurance to cover your damages. With the rising cost of medical care, this is inexpensive coverage in order to make sure there is adequate coverage for you an dyour family. Do not assume the other guy has enough insurance to cover all of your damages and injuries.

Medical Payment coverage will provide coverage for medical expenses incurred by you, your family or passengers riding with you, due to injuries resulting from an accident in the covered automobile.

Other Features Offered

Towing coverage will cover you in the event you need to be towed.

Rental coverage will give you a certain amount of money if you need to rent a car due to yours being in the shop after an accident that you were at fault in. Rental coverage is not a part of your policy unless you specifically ask for it. If your car is in the shop for several days, you will need rental reimbursement to help pay for a rental car for those days.

Accident Waivers are often added to your policy for an extra premium in order to waive any surcharges for accidents you may be involved in. This is not standard on most policies, please check with our agents to get more details on this unique feature.

Accident insurance is something that many drivers are electing to carry in addition to their auto insurance. This is a separate policy that will cover you if you are in any kind of accident, even if it is not an auto accident. Accident insurance will help with some medical expenses as well as loss of wages if you are out of work for an extended amount of time. Our agents can give you more information to see if this insurance is right for you.

Other Advice When Buying Auto Insurance

Bank drafts are a good way to pay your auto insurance premium. Have your auto payment made automatically from your bank on the day you choose. This way, you are never late and reduce the risk of accidentally forgetting to pay your bill. This is a good idea for those of us who are busy and have bills to pay. Your auto insurance is one you cannot afford to be late on. Remember, most companies no longer offer any grace period.

Go with the highest liability limits you can comfortably afford. Although the SC state minimum is 25,000/50,000/25,000, you should consider increasing those limits to insure you are fully protected. Remember, the more you have in assets, the more you have to lose, so protect yourself.

Ask our agents about discounts that you may qualify for such as “55 and retired” or teen driver discounts. Our agency represents companies that offer very unique features to add value to your policy, such as accident forgiveness, deductible rewards and new car replacement. Make sure when you are comparing rates that you also compare values such as these features. Our agency wants to offer more than just a good price on auto insurance, we want to offer you great value as well.

What We Offer You

• We offer the best product available to us and back it 100% with our customer service team.
• We feature 24 hour service for the companies we represent.
• Our agency represents companies that offer the best in claim service, fast and fair is what our clients expect and we deliver.

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