South Carolina is not one of the biggest stats but it is one of the prettiest. From the beaches in the east to the mountains in the west, the Palmetto State is a great place to live and drive. Like most states, (only New Hampshire doesn’t require auto insurance) South Carolina has basic auto insurance requirements. In Myrtle Beach, SC, Benefit Insurance Services is your local independent agency. We will help you to make sure you are in compliance with auto insurance mandates. 

If you are going to be driving in South Carolina, you are required to have liability insurance. You must have 25/5/25 coverage. That translates to $25,000 bodily injury for one person hurt in an accident with a maximum of $50,000 for any single accident. The final $25,000 is for property damage. This is the bare minimum you can carry to stay in compliance with the law. It doesn’t mean it is the amount of coverage you should have. 

If you cancel your coverage or allow it to lapse, the South Carolina Motor Vehicle Department will be notified. You will receive a letter giving you 20 days to reinstate coverage. If they do not get the required coverage your license plate, vehicle registration, and your driving privilege will all be suspended. It may cost you up to $400 to get them reinstated. If you are actually caught driving without insurance you will need to pay a $550 fine.

If you have an auto loan or a lease, you will be required to have comprehensive and collision coverage. These two types of coverage protect the vehicle you are driving. Since the lender or lessor has a vested interest in your vehicle they want it protected. 

If you live in Myrtle Beach, SC call Benefit Insurance Services if you are looking for auto insurance. We will make sure you have exactly the insurance you need. 

Some people may have a misunderstanding of what comprehensive auto insurance is. The word comprehensive, meaning “ complete” or “full,”  may suggest that the policy is all-inclusive; it offers full coverage for everything. Of course, it covers certain events, but they must be out of your control. You cannot control these incidents because they’re unpredictable.

Our comprehensive car insurance at Benefit Insurance Services will cover damages to your car due to external incidents out of your control. We’re here to protect your vehicle from unforeseen things like car theft. Other unexpected occurrences that can damage your vehicle include:

• Earthquakes
• Collision with animals
• Falling objects
• Hurricanes or tornadoes, hail, floods, or lighting from thunderstorms
• Vandalism or civil unrest, violent demonstrations

Earthquakes

Earthquakes can cause massive damage to your car. For this reason, comprehensive auto insurance is ideal for providing cover for injuries.

Theft

If your car is stolen, comprehensive coverage will foot the bill to replace the vehicle.

Collision with animals

As you’re driving in the countryside in Myrtle Beach, SC, you may hit a deer, or it may strike you, or your car may be damaged extensively due to collision with animals. When this occurs, we’ll ensure that our comprehensive insurance provides cover for the injuries.

Violent demonstrations

During a violent demonstration, someone may smash your car windows or cause heavy damage. If you’ve got comprehensive insurance, you can get coverage for the incident.

Natural disasters

Hurricanes and tornadoes are common in South Carolina, and so it’s a good idea to have comprehensive auto insurance. 

While comprehensive insurance covers external events out of your control that damage your vehicle, there are certain situations, you’ll need extra coverage. It’s because full coverage car insurance is also known as other-than-collision coverage. It means that if you ram into a traffic light because you wanted to avoid hitting a deer, for example, a comprehensive policy won’t cover you. You’ll need collision insurance. 

Interested in knowing more about comprehensive car insurance and other policies? Contact Benefit Insurance Services in Myrtle Beach, SC.

In the Myrtle Beach, SC area, you will have many great recreational options right at your fingertips. To ensure that you are able to enjoy as many of them as possible, you should consider getting a vehicle as it will allow you to get around town efficiently. If you are going to purchase a car here, you need to also get an auto insurance policy. There are several reasons why you should get auto insurance when you are here.

Insurance Will Protect Vehicle

One of the main reasons that you will want to have auto insurance here is that it will protect your vehicle. Drivers in the Myrtle Beach area will rely on their vehicle and the last thing that you would want to happen would be to lose your vehicle due to an accident or theft. Fortunately, if you invest in an auto insurance policy, you can receive the coverage to repair or replace your vehicle if needed.

Insurance Will Give Liability Protection

You should also consider getting an auto insurance policy because it will give you very valuable liability protection. Those that drive a car on a daily basis will consistently take on some level of liability risk. If you do cause an accident, you will want to have a full auto insurance policy as it will include liability coverage that will be very beneficial in these situations.

As you are looking for an auto insurance policy in the Myrtle Beach, SC area, it is important that you reach out to Benefit Insurance Services. If you do call Benefit Insurance Services you are going to learn a lot more about how this type of insurance can protect you and your vehicle. The team can then help you get into a policy that will offer the best coverage for your situation. 

Do you ever get tired of trying to understand insurance terms? So many terms so little time !! Some terms are obvious like liability and collision but what exactly is comprehensive. It sounds like it would a total insurance policy that would cover everything. That may be what it sounds like but that definition doesn’t fit at all. The dedicated staff at Benefit Insurance Services in Myrtle Beach, SC does understand all the insurance terms that refer to auto insurance coverage and they will be happy to make sure that you do too. 

Collision 

Collision coverage pays to repair your vehicle in the event of an accident with another vehicle or something like a telephone pole or tree where you are deemed to be at fault or partially at fault. The insurance company determines the value of your vehicle and most policies have a deductible so that amount will be deducted from any amount that is paid to you. This is good coverage to have if your vehicle is relatively new and you would have a hard time paying for a repair or replacement on your own. 

Comprehensive 

Comprehensive coverage is a little more complex. It is often referred to as "non-collision " coverage. It covers things beyond your control. That is a valid description of the coverage except in the event a deer or other large animal decides to either run into your car or cut in front of your car, this is the type of coverage that pays for it. Other scenarios it covers are weather events like high winds or hail, theft or vandalism, and flooding. Glass coverage is also part of comprehensive coverage. 

When you are ready to look for auto insurance or to change carriers at Benefit Insurance Services in Myrtle Beach, SC we are ready to help out. Give our office a call for a no-obligation quote. 

As a driver in the Myrtle Beach, SC area, it is critical to know which auto coverages are required by law in South Carolina. It is also essential to understand that the required coverage may not be enough in case of an accident, and there may be other coverages that will be beneficial to you. The agents at Benefit Insurance Services are available to help you put together a comprehensive auto coverage policy. 

What are the auto insurance requirements in South Carolina? 

In South Carolina, all drivers are required to carry the following types of coverage and limits. 

Auto Liability and Property Damage 

• $25,000 for one person for bodily injury or death as a result of an accident caused by the insured driver.
• $50,000 for the total liability for injury or death from an accident caused by the insured driver. 
• $25,000 per accident for property damage caused by the insured driver.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

In addition to the coverage listed above, you will need to carry identical limits for Uninsured Motorist coverage. Uninsured Motorist coverage will protect you and the passengers of your car, in the event, you are in an accident with a driver who does not carry insurance. 

As you can imagine, if you are in a severe accident, it would be effortless to go through the required insurance limits, and then you would be on the hook financially for the remaining bill. It is crucial to speak with your insurance agent to discuss purchasing a policy over the required state limits. 

Collision Coverage 

None of the coverages required by the state cover the cost of repairing or replacing your car. Collision coverage will cover the cost to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident. Collision coverage is critical if you own an expensive luxury vehicle. 

If you would like to learn more about putting together a comprehensive auto policy, reach out to an agent at Benefit Insurance Services today. We proudly serve the Myrtle Beach, SC area. 

The auto insurance policy you choose could significantly impact your finances if you get into an accident. You, therefore, need to put careful research into selecting a policy and ask the right questions to pinpoint the best possible policy for your needs. 

At Benefit Insurance Services, we offer auto insurance to motorists in Myrtle Beach, SC. We recommend that motorists consider the following three questions before they purchase an auto policy:

How much is your vehicle worth?

The value of your vehicle is an important factor when you’re deciding whether you want to purchase collision coverage.

While you’re required by law to purchase liability coverage, you’re not required to purchase collision coverage. However, you have to pay out-of-pocket for damages to your own vehicle if you don’t have collision coverage.

The more your vehicle is worth, the more important it is to purchase collision coverage to protect the investments you’ve made in your vehicle.

Will there be other individuals regularly driving your vehicle?

It’s important to make sure that your insurance will still apply if you allow another individual to drive your vehicle. Your insurance policy will definitely cover accidents and issues when you’re driving, but insurance companies won’t necessarily offer coverage if an accident occurs while you were letting someone else drive your vehicle.

You need to discuss coverage for additional drivers with your insurance policy if there will be other friends or family members regularly driving your vehicle. 

Do you use your vehicle for professional activities?

You may need to purchase a commercial vehicle policy if you use your vehicle for professional activities. Standard auto insurance policies don’t typically cover damages incurred when a vehicle is used for commercial activities. 

If you’d like to learn more about auto insurance policies in Myrtle Beach, SC, contact us at Benefit Insurance Services for assistance.

Parents want to help their children as much as they can. Getting your own auto insurance policy, especially if you are younger can be very expensive.  Keeping your child on your auto insurance policy once they move out makes good financial sense but does it make good legal sense?  This is the sort of question that many parents in Myrtle Beach, SC are facing. The knowledgable staff at Benefit Insurance Services are the people to help you with this thorny issue. 

Moving out

Much can be made of the phrase moving out. If your child moves out to go away to school, this is one issue. If they move out into an apartment on their own or with a group of friends, this is another issue. The answer for the first scenario is quite simply yes, the permanent address is still the same as yours and as long as it is still legitimately their home, they can remain on your policy. If however, they have completely moved out, you get into a much more gray area. If you are still the owner of the vehicle that they are driving, then they are covered as "any driver" of a covered vehicle. But if you conceal the change of address from your insurance company, you can be guilty of fraud and not only can they deny coverage in the event of an accident, they may choose to cancel the entire policy. 

The most direct answer is if the move is not permanent, then yes but it is risky to try to retain the coverage if they have moved away for good. 

Your situation may be different and talking to the helpful staff at Benefit Insurance Services in Myrtle Beach, SC can help you to make the correct decision. Give their office a call or stop to make sure you don’t put yourself or your child at risk. 

 

Are you planning a trip to the Bahamas or the British Virgin Islands from Myrtle Beach, SC? If so, you may wonder if your insurance is going to cover your rental car. This is a good question and something our team at Benefit Insurance Services is here to answer.

Understanding Rental Vehicle Insurance

The answer to this question is pretty simple and straightforward – no, your insurance policy won’t cover your rental vehicle when you are in the Bahamas or the British Virgin Islands. This has confused and concerned some of our clients and customers in the past. However, there is no need to worry. There is a good way to ensure you are fully protected, even when driving a rental vehicle.

Getting Insurance Coverage for Your Rental Vehicle

When you rent a vehicle in another country, the rental company is going to offer you insurance coverage. This is something you should pay for. In most cases, the cost for this additional coverage isn’t going to be much and will provide you with the protection needed while you are using a rental vehicle.

Keep in mind, there are usually going to be different levels of insurance coverage, and the more coverage you choose, the higher the price is going to be. You are going to have to determine the right coverage amount for your rental vehicle.

Contact Us for Help

If you are confused about whether your existing insurance policy covers rental vehicles when you travel from Myrtle Beach, SC to other countries, then call us. Our team at Benefit Insurance Services is ready and able to help and answer any questions you have and ensure you get the coverage needed to protect you and your rental vehicle while on vacation.

 

Nobody likes paying car insurance, and everybody likes saving money. It’s great to find out you can save money doing something you don’t really like. South Carolina only requires minimal amounts of liability coverage:

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person
• $50,000 for bodily injury or death overall
• $25,000 for property damage.

You also need corresponding amounts of uninsured motorist coverage, in case you are in an accident with someone who doesn’t carry their own automobile insurance. Everyone driving in Myrtle Beach, SC, even visitors, is required to be insured. So you need the insurance, and Benefit Insurance Services can help you look for discounts that apply to you.

Multi-Car Discount

Insuring all your vehicles through the same company can earn you a discount.

Homeowner or Multi-Policy Discount

Many insurance companies will give you a better deal if they can get all your business. You may be able to combine other policies, like renters insurance, too.

Defensive Driver Discount

There is a special class recognized by the Department of Motor Vehicles which can get you a discount for up to 36 months after you take it.

Antitheft 

You might be able to get a reduction on your premium if you install special equipment which makes it harder to steal your vehicle.

Bill Plan Discount

Some companies offer a discount for paying by the year, or at least 6 months at a time, instead of monthly.

For Young Drivers: Good Grades or Driver Training

You can get rewarded for hard work or for taking a driver training course.

And More

If you drive in Myrtle Beach, SC, you might as well try to save some money. Call Benefit Insurance Services and we can compare rates and help you find discounts for your auto insurance.