Car Insurance for Drivers with Restricted Minors Permit
Reader’s Question:
I would like to know if a motorist with a restricted minors permit required to have their own car insurance or are they covered under their parents insurance policy until they receive their unrestricted operators permit? While having an instructional permit they are covered by the parents insurance policy so I would to know if this is the same once they get their restricted minors permit.
Allan
Sioux Falls, SD
For car insurance, the South Dakota law state by the SD Division of Insurance states that any individual who licenses and/or operates a motor vehicle must show proof of financial responsibility (FR). Financial Responsibility is typically shown through acquiring a car insurance policy having at least the state’s minimum requirements.
Your parent’s insurance provider needs to be notified of your licensing status. The insurance company will then tell your parents if you will need to be added to the insurance policy as a motorist or if you are covered as the insurance policy currently stands.
You can normally be added to their South Dakota car insurance policy and do not need to have your own separate insurance policy. If you get your own car, then at that point you would need to find out if it could be added to your parent’s policy or if you would need to get your own policy
Driving Without Car Insurance in South Dakota
Reader’s Question:
I was convicted for driving without insurance and had my licensed suspended for thirty days Sioux Falls, South Dakota.. I need to renew it in South Dakota. Do I just have to take the exam or just pay heavy fine to get back my license?
Chris
Sioux Falls, SD
If you get convicted of driving without maintaining proof of financial responsibility in South Dakota is a Class 2 misdemeanor whose penalty is normally a 30 days imprisonment in a county jail and $100 fine or both. Other than that there is the thirty day license suspension and the need to file a proof of insurance certificate (SR22).
The South Dakota Driver Licensing Program states that following the suspension of a license no testing will be required unless the license has expired.A $50 reinstatement fee and an application fee will be required though, as well as you paying your fine. If your license had been revoked instead of suspended you then would be required to take both a vision and knowledge test and possibly a driving test as well.
Since your South Dakota license was suspended because of being uninsured the return of your license will also depend upon you filing a SR-22 which will prove to the state that you have insurance that is valid on all cars in your possession. You will need to maintain this SR 22 for a minimum of three years, even if you do not currently own or have a car registered in your name, if you want to keep your license valid.
