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South Carolina Commercial Auto Insurance Requirements
Published January 2026 6 min read
South Carolina state minimum limits
South Carolina commercial auto minimum limits under S.C. Code Ann. § 38-77-140 are 25/50/25 — $25,000 per person bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury, and $25,000 property damage. These are the exact same minimums as personal auto.
State minimums are inadequate for any real commercial exposure. Any business operating a vehicle in SC should carry at least $1,000,000 combined single limit, with most commercial contracts requiring $1M CSL plus $1M–$5M umbrella.
Intrastate trucking thresholds
For-hire and private carriers operating exclusively within South Carolina file with the SC Office of Regulatory Staff and post liability minimums set by 49 CFR § 387.9 even for intrastate operations: $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 for oil-related petroleum products, and $5,000,000 for hazardous-material loads.
Carriers crossing into Georgia, North Carolina, or any other state must comply with FMCSA federal minimums and file an MCS-90 endorsement.
Additional insured and waiver language
South Carolina commercial contracts (especially with the Port of Charleston, BMW Spartanburg, Boeing North Charleston, and DOT projects) frequently require both additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation on commercial auto. Use ISO endorsement CA 20 48 for designated insureds and CA 04 44 for waiver.
South Carolina has limited anti-indemnity statutes for construction (S.C. Code Ann. § 32-2-10), so contracts can shift broad liability to subcontractors. Read indemnity clauses carefully — your auto and GL policies must support what you sign.
Coastal exposure and physical damage
Vehicles garaged in coastal SC counties (Charleston, Beaufort, Horry, Georgetown, Colleton, Jasper) face hurricane and storm-surge exposure. Comp coverage handles wind and flood for autos, unlike property where flood is excluded — but stated-value disputes are common after storms.
Photograph and document vehicle condition annually with VIN-readable plates visible. Pre-loss documentation accelerates total-loss settlements.
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