South Dakota Car Insurance

Be sure to get a quote here before you leave to see how much you can save on your South Dakota car insurance!

Auto Insurance Premium Rates in South Dakota:

During 2008, car insurance premium rates averaged $586.96 in the state of South Dakota. This was an increase of 4.1% over 2007, when car insurance premiums averaged $563.65. Looking back over a greater time horizon, auto insurance premiums for the state averaged $510.42 in 2005 and $481.67 in 2000.

Different types of auto insurance coverage come with different rate structures. In 2008, average premiums for the different types of insurance coverage for autos were as follows: $306.00 for liability only coverage, $219.98 for collision coverage, and $222.05 for comprehensive coverage.

There is some good news for South Dakota drivers: South Dakota is one of the lowest-cost states in the nation in which to obtain auto insurance. In 2008, only one state had lower average premiums than South Dakota, while 48 states averaged higher premiums during that year. These numbers were similar to 2007, when South Dakota had the lowest average insurance premiums nationwide for auto coverage, and to 2000, when South Dakota ranked second nationwide for lowest auto insurance premiums.

A variety of state driving laws affect the cost of auto insurance premiums in South Dakota. Among them are the following:

• The maximum speed limit in South Dakota cities is 75 while on highways the maximum posted speed limit is 70.
• The legal blood alcohol limit for the state is .08%.
• Neither the driver nor a passenger in an automobile may have an open container of an alcohol in the vehicle.
• Cell phone use while driving is allowed in South Dakota, including hand held cell phone use by the driver.
• A first offense of a DUI or DWI will not automatically or necessarily result in the suspension of a driver's license.

Several of these laws, including allowable cell phone use and no automatic license suspension on a first offense DUI/DWI, no doubt result in higher premiums for South Dakota drivers. On the other hand, the legislation setting blood alcohol limits at .08% (among the lowest in the nation) and prohibiting open containers arguably result in safer driving conditions, and therefore lower insurance rates, for South Dakota residents.