South Dakota’s Car Insurance Regulations Plus Fines and Penalties, & Average Rate by City

Getting cheap car insurance in South Dakota is easy here, all you have to do is enter your five digit zip code at the top of the page and you are on your way to comparing top insurers in your area.

You can find savings of more than thirty percent if you are diligent enough. In the meanwhile you can read on, find the basic coverage, what the common driver gets, and any penalties you may incur in the state if you are driving without insurance.

South Dakota’s Auto Insurance Minimum Requirement

Coverage	South Dakota Minimum Liability Coverage	Recommended Auto Insurance Coverage
Bodily Injury Protection	$25,000 / $50,000	$100,000 / $300,000
Property Damage	$25,000	$25,000
Uninsured Motorist Coverage	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000 / $50,000
Underinsured Motorist	$25,000 / $50,000	$25,000 / $50,000
Comprehensive Coverage	Optional	$250 - $1,000 deductible
Collision Coverage	Optional	$250 - $1,000 deductible

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability protection pays the doctor’s expenses of the other driver and their passengers when the insured individual is revealed to be at-fault during the car accident.

Under the minimum coverage, the insurance firm will pay up to $25,000 for a single person and up to $50,000 for multiple passengers which may be injured during the accident.

Property Damage Liability

To cover damages to the other driver’s automobile, personal property, and public property, such as traffic signs or guard rails, at least $25,000 of property damage liability cover must be maintained by each resident of the state of SD for each automobile they own.

The state also requires a minimum of 25,000/50,000 of uninsured motorist protection (UM) for each vehicle on the policy. UM is going to cover the amount in the event you are concerned in an accident with another driver who does not have insurance.

Since the number of uninsured motorists has increased over the years South Dakota requires this coverage.

Average Auto Insurance Rate by City

City	Avg Rate	Population	City	Avg Rate		City	Avg Rate
Aberdeen	$1,233	28,415	Hartford	$1,261	3,140	Rapid City	$1,333	74,048
Belle Fourche	$1,154	5,655	Huron	$1,199	13,117	Sioux Falls	$1,341	174,360
Brandon	$1,176	9,923	Madison	$1,076	7,425	Spearfish	$1,279	11,531
Brookings	$1,198	23,895	Milbank	$1,105	3,203	Sturgis	$1,205	6,832
Centerville	$1,277	879	Mitchell	$1,267	15,729	Vermillion	$1,303	10,844
Dell Rapids	$1,190	3,705	North Sioux City	$1,366	2,731	Watertown	$1,194	22,172
Harrisburg	$1,247	5,734	Pierre	$1,303	14,008	Yankton	$1,211	14,566

Carrying the minimum coverage will give you the basic coverage to be legal to drive, however, you may want to look at other optional coverages which are available in South Dakota to be sure your assets are fully protected.

Image Credit: Insurance.com

SD is a state following the tort system, therefore, if you are in car accident and the expenses are higher than the minimum cover you could be held accountable to pay what the insurance company is not going to cover.

Before committing to an insurance plan you want to be sure you are well informed of the laws in the state of SD to make sure you are able to get the most cost-effective car insurance rates available without losing cover.

Auto Insurance Companies Rate by Age & Comparison

Rank	South Dakota Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 25 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 35 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 40 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 55 Y/O Driver
1	State Farm	$1,211	$1,099	$933	$855	$767	$611
2	GEICO	$1,265	$1,132	$945	$867	$787	$614
3	Buckyeye	$1,287	$1,167	$987	$879	$798	$615
4	Progressive	$1,387	$1,199	$967	$903	$784	$609
5	Farmers Mutual	$1,389	$1,292	$1,005	$908	$799	$623
6	Allied	$1,405	$1,299	$1,021	$909	$800	$645
7	MetLife	$1,443	$1,307	$1,054	$912	$799	$678
8	Amica	$1,578	$1,309	$1,087	$915	$812	$689
9	Nationwide	$1,578	$1,347	$1,099	$954	$821	$703
10	Western National	$1,598	$1,376	$1,132	$967	$843	$701
11	21st Century	$1,576	$1,389	$1,143	$980	$865	$709
12	Allstate	$1,599	$1,402	$1,154	$995	$867	$699
13	Liberty Mutual	$1,600	$1,405	$1,198	$1,005	$898	$743
14	Esurance	$1,623	$1,409	$1,200	$1,032	$904	$765
15	Farm Bureau	$1,634	$1,409	$1,204	$1,054	$898	$785
16	American Family	$1,655	$1,432	$1,234	$1,067	$909	$723
17	North Star	$1,689	$1,465	$1,201	$1,087	$910	$765

Best Insurance Carriers by Consumer Rating, Complaints, & Rate Change

South Dakota Auto Insurance Company	Premiums	Rate Change > 18 Months	# of Complaints	Consumer Rating out of 5 Stars
State Farm	43,659,344	+1.8%	17	4.5
GEICO	6,783,594	+2.7%	7	4.5
Buckyeye	1,976,015	+3.8%	2	3.9
Progressive	34,275,206	+2.8%	14	4.6
Farmers	19,702,542	+2.6%	12	4.3
Allied	5,972,410	+3.3%	6	4.0
MetLife	3,765,043	+4.1%	2	4.0
Nationwide	$7,158,600	+4.6%	2	4.2
Allstate	13,720,689	+3.8%	4	4.5
Farm Bureau	9,788,138	+3.9%	12	4.1
American Family	20,715,033	+1.9%	15	3.8
North Star	4,707,901	+3.1%	1	3.8

Common amount of coverage in South Dakota:

• Bodily Injury Liability – 100,000/300,000

• Property Damage Liability -100,000

• Uninsured Motorist Protection – 100,000/300,000

• Medical Payments Coverage – $5,000

• Collision Coverage – $500 deductible

• Comprehensive Coverage – $250 deductible

Fines and Penalties for driving without insurance in South Dakota

• First Offense – $100 fine and/or 30 days in jail

• Second Offense – $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail

• Third Offense – $1000 fine and 180 days in jail

• All offenders are required to file a SR-22 form which is on file for three years

It is important to note, once the SR-22 is on file your auto insurance rates are likely to double than what they would be if you did not have a SR-22 on file.

Department of Transportation & DMV

Department of Insurance	Department of Transportation	Department of Motor Vehicles
124 S Euclid Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 773-3563	2131 34th Ave, Brookings, SD 57006 (605) 688-5001	2501 W Russell St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (800) 952-3696
Website	Website	Website

Sioux Falls, SD

The largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls was founded in 1856 and is located next to the spectacular falls on the Big Sioux River. There are numerous activities to enjoy arts and culture in Sioux Falls. The cultural type can enjoy Washington Pavilion, Old Courthouse Museum; while the outdoor enthusiast can enjoy Falls or Terrace Park. A popular site for tourists and residents is St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Residents in the biggest city in South Dakota can find cheaper auto insurance rates by getting quotes from GEICO, State Farm, and Buckeye. GEICO is $140 cheaper than Buckeye at $1,143.

The average “mean” insurance rate for Sioux Falls is $1,341. All insurance firms illustrated are 10% below the average rate. An older driver would do well by getting quotes from GEICO, State Farm, Buckeye, and Progressive. All which are below the $1,000 per year range.

Sioux Falls Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver
GEICO	$1,009	$812
State Farm	$1,076	$865
Buckyeye	$1,143	$909
Progressive	$1,265	$987
Farmers Mutual	$1,288	$1,043
Allied	$1,299	$1,076

Aberdeen, SD

Aberdeen Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver
State Farm	$987	$765
Buckyeye	$1,032	$789
Allied	$1,054	$800
GEICO	$1,143	$812
Progressive	$1,198	$854
Farmers Mutual	$1,203	$976

White settlers first arrived in the early 1800’s when fur trading posts were founded in the area. Aberdeen was founded by Charles Prior on January 3, 1881. The Milwaukee Railroad reached the area on July 6, 1881. The city was named after Aberdeen, Scotland. Cultural and outdoor activities include, the Mina Lake Recreation Area, Dacotah Prairie Museum, and Lee Park Golf Course.

The average rate for resident of Aberdeen is $1,233. All five car insurance companies we queried are below this rate. The cheapest insurers for a 30 year old are State Farm, Buckeye, and Allied. With State Farm landing at $987. More than 23% below the “mean” rate.

A 45 year old driver can find rates just under $800 with State Farm and Buckeye. It would be wise to get quotes from all insurers illustrated to optimize coverage and maximize savings.

Brookings, SD

With a population of nearly 25,000 residents and a plethora of parks, Brookings is fascinating place to visit. Some of the parks include the Pioneer Park, Sexauer Park and Hillcrest Park. Shoppers love to go to The Brookings and University Mall.

The South Dakota Art and the State Agricultural Heritage Museum are popular local destinations as well. Popular family destination include the Lake Poinsett Recreation Area or the Oakwood Lakes State Park. Local festivals include the Harvest Festival and Hobo Days which attract 100’s of visitors each year.

Residents of Brookings can find affordable auto insurance with State Farm, Buckeye and Progressive. Each at $1,008, $1,043, $1,098 respectfully. Western National and GEICO would be worth getting quotes from since below are below the average rate. The only insurer in the table provided above the “mean” rate was Farmers Mutual. However, it would be smart to get quotes from Farmers Mutual too.

Brookings Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver
State Farm	$1,008	$813
Buckyeye	$1,043	$814
Progressive	$1,098	$876
Western National	$1,165	$932
GEICO	$1,187	$987
Farmers Mutual	$1,208	$980

Watertown, SD

Watertown, SD is named after Watertown, New York. The city has nearly 25,000 residents and the average rate and quotes are similar to Brookings, SD. Popluar cultural and outdoor activities include the Kampeska Heritage Museum, Bramble Park Zoo, Oakwood Lakes State Park, Lake Area Zoological Society, and the Redlin Art Center. The summer skyline in Watertown is breathtaking.

Residents of Watertown can find inexpensive car insurance by getting quotes from State Farm, Buckeye, and GEICO. Each of them clustered at the $1,000 range. This is more than 12% below the “mean” rate of $1,194 per year. A family of 4 would be wise to get quotes from all insurers since Progressive and Farmers Mutual have been know to give lower rates when you are married.

Watertown Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver
State Farm	$967	$799
Buckyeye	$987	$798
GEICO	$1,008	$843
Progressive	$1,076	$865
Farmers Mutual	$1,143	$890
Western National	$1,176	$909

Rapid City, SD

Rapid City has a population of nearly 75,000 residents. Over half of them are college educated. High School educated folks do well earning nearly as much as their college educated counterparts.

Rapid City offers a wide variety of opportunities for recreation, in the form of the Badlands National Park, Reptile Gardens, Rushmore Waterslide Park, Dinosaur Park and the Ranch Amusement Park. Local celebrations include the Black Hills Bluegrass Festival, the Dakota Polka Festival, and the West Boulevard Summer Festival which attracts hundreds of people each year.

Getting low rates in Rapid City is easy if you start with Buckeye, State Farm and GEICO. All of the insurers illustrated are more than 13% below the average rate of $1,333. A 30 & 45 year old driver should start with Buckeye and State Farm. Each at $1,054 and $1,056 for a 30 year old driver and $809 and $811 for a 45 year old driver.

Rapid City Auto Insurance Company	Average Annual Rate for 30 Y/O Driver	Average Annual Rate for 45 Y/O Driver
Buckyeye	$1,054	$811
State Farm	$1,056	$809
GEICO	$1,098	$854
Progressive	$1,132	$921
Allied	$1,156	$954
Western National	$1,187	$987

Final Thoughts

At Autoinsuresavings you are able to find auto insurance rates which will fit within your budget without losing the necessary cover.

Using the advance tool at the top of the page you can compare quotes, chat with a broker online, or request them to call you back at your convenience.

It is important to comparison shop since each insurer weighs determining factors, such as age, driver history, marital status, and credit scores, differently.