Liability Insurance — South Carolina
Liability insurance pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others in an accident — it does not cover your own vehicle or medical bills.
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What Is Liability Insurance Insurance?
Liability insurance is a two-part coverage that pays when you cause an accident. Bodily injury liability covers medical bills, lost wages, and legal costs for people you injure. Property damage liability covers repair costs for vehicles, buildings, or other property you damage. Both coverages apply only to others — your own injuries and vehicle damage require separate collision and medical payments coverage.
Who Needs Liability Insurance Insurance?
You need liability insurance if your license is suspended and you are pursuing reinstatement in South Carolina — the state will not lift your suspension without proof of continuous coverage, even if you do not currently drive. You also need it if you own a vehicle during suspension, because South Carolina law requires liability coverage on all registered vehicles regardless of whether you have a valid license. If you are eligible for a route-restricted or hardship license, liability coverage at state minimums is the legal prerequisite before the DMV will issue the restricted credential.
Start with your suspension notice — if it lists SR-22 filing as a reinstatement condition, liability insurance is mandatory and you must maintain it for three years without lapse. If you own a vehicle, buy a standard liability policy on that vehicle. If you do not own a vehicle, buy a non-owner liability policy and request SR-22 filing from the carrier. If your suspension does not require SR-22, you can wait to buy coverage until 30 days before your reinstatement eligibility date, but continuous coverage from the suspension date forward will result in better rates and faster approval.
How Much Does Liability Insurance Insurance Cost?
- DUI convictions raise liability costs more than other violations because they signal both risk and mandatory SR-22 filing requirements.
- Continuous coverage gaps during suspension result in higher liability rates upon reinstatement — carriers view coverage lapses as additional risk indicators.
