South Carolina H4817 Would End Free Windshield Replacement, Cap Deductibles at $100

South Carolina drivers could lose a 37-year-old benefit that pays for cracked windshields with no out-of-pocket cost. House Bill 4817, the "Insurance Rate Reduction and Policy Holder Protection Act," cleared the Senate insurance committee on April 29 and would cap windshield deductibles at $100 effective January 1, 2027.

Lead sponsor Rep. Gary Brewer told the House that South Carolina insurers paid roughly $170 million in windshield claims during 2025, a figure he tied to fraud and inflated billing by glass installers. The 40-page bill keeps a zero-deductible glass option on the menu, but no longer requires it as the default starting in 2027.

What H4817 Changes for Comprehensive Policies

One sentence buried inside the 40-page bill carries the windshield change. Section 38-77-280(B)(2) currently bars insurers from charging any deductible on automobile safety glass. The Senate amendment rewrites the statute to read: "The deductible for replacement of automobile safety glass may not exceed one hundred dollars. Insurers must make available a zero dollar deductible for automobile safety glass."

A comprehensive policy in South Carolina will still offer a $0 glass option, but the option will no longer kick in automatically after January 1, 2027. Drivers who skip the rider could pay up to $100 out of pocket on a replacement claim. Repair claims, which run roughly $50 to $150 compared with $700 to $1,500 for a full replacement on an ADAS-equipped vehicle, stay at $0 under the Senate version. Our cracked windshield insurance guide walks through how repair and replacement claims interact with comprehensive coverage in every state.

How the Bill Reached the Senate Floor

The South Carolina House passed H4817 by a 96-17 vote earlier in April after weeks of committee testimony. On April 29, the Senate insurance committee advanced the amended version, with Sen. Matt Leber of Johns Island casting the only no vote. Six legislative days remain before the General Assembly adjourns May 7, so senators must approve the bill and the House must accept the Senate changes within that window.

Brewer, the Charleston Republican who sponsored the legislation, told colleagues that windshield costs have climbed from $39 when the 1989 law took effect to as much as $800 today on vehicles loaded with advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) cameras. The current mandate has pushed installers toward full replacements when a resin repair would suffice, supporters argue. Sen. Sean Bennett, a Summerville Republican, said the $100 cap will steer drivers toward early repairs before chips spread into structural cracks.

What It Means for South Carolina Drivers

South Carolina drivers paid an average of $2,023 per year for full coverage in 2026, according to Bankrate, with comprehensive insurance adding roughly $11 per month to a typical policy. The state Department of Insurance has acknowledged it cannot estimate how much premiums will drop, if they drop at all, after the mandate ends.

Comprehensive policyholders will face a new decision at every renewal beginning January 1, 2027. Choosing the $0 glass rider locks in the current benefit but may carry a small premium loading. Declining the rider caps replacement out-of-pocket costs at $100, which is still cheaper than a typical out-of-pocket repair would cost without comprehensive coverage at all. Drivers weighing this trade-off can read our broader car insurance deductible guide for context on how deductible choices affect annual premiums.

The change matters most for newer vehicles with ADAS cameras built into the windshield. Replacement on a 2024 Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 can run $1,200 to $1,500 because the camera must be recalibrated after installation. Drivers of pre-2018 vehicles often see replacement bills closer to $300, where the $100 cap stings less.

South Carolina Joins a Shrinking Club

Six states currently impose some form of mandatory zero-deductible windshield rule: South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Connecticut. Florida limits the waiver to front windshields only, and Connecticut applies the rule inside standard comprehensive coverage rather than as a blanket exemption. South Carolina would become the first state in nearly a decade to roll back its no-deductible mandate if H4817 becomes law.

For interstate context, drivers on the Florida car insurance page pay $3,945 per year for full coverage, drivers in Georgia pay $2,344, and drivers in North Carolina pay $1,648. South Carolina sits at $2,023, below the $2,150 national average even with the broader glass mandate. See how all 50 states stack up on our car insurance by state hub.

The Safety Argument Against the Bill

Rep. Joe White, a Prosperity Republican, has emerged as the most vocal opponent during House debate. "The reason we mandated this years ago was not about insurance premiums, it was about safety," White told colleagues. He warned drivers facing a $100 surprise bill may keep operating vehicles with cracked glass, particularly drivers of older vehicles in lower-income households.

Rep. Justin Bamberg, a Bamberg Democrat, framed the rate-reduction promise as wishful thinking. "Is it just a hope and a prayer that these billion-dollar companies, out of the kindness of their heart, are going to do us right?" Bamberg asked during debate. Insurance professionals testifying before the House committee told lawmakers there was no guarantee premiums would drop once the mandate ends.

What You Should Do Now

Looking Ahead

The Senate must vote on the amended H4817 before the General Assembly adjourns Thursday, May 7. If senators approve, the bill returns to the House for concurrence on the $100 cap and the repair-versus-replacement split. Failure to reconcile by adjournment kills the bill for 2026, and supporters would need to refile it in the 2027 session.

The Department of Insurance gains expanded enforcement powers under the same legislation, including authority to fine insurers up to $200,000 for unfair pricing patterns. The Insurance Fraud Division also moves from the Attorney General's office to the DOI, a structural change that takes effect even if lawmakers strip the windshield language during reconciliation.

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