State profile · SD · CMS + NAIC
Insurance in South Dakota
How health insurers handle claims in South Dakota, and what drivers pay for auto cover — measured from CMS Transparency-in-Coverage and NAIC data.
- 7.4%
- Avg claims denied
- #31
- denial rank of 31
- $936
- Avg auto / yr
- +26%
- Auto, 5-yr
- 3
- Insurers w/ data
The verdict
Marketplace insurers in South Dakota deny 7.4% of claims — below the 21% national average, the 31st-highest of 31 states, and drivers pay an average $936 a year for auto cover, less than the $1191 national average.
- 7.4%
- avg claims denied
- #31
- of 31 states
- $936
- avg auto / yr
- 17%
- highest (Wellmark of South )
Denial rates are aggregate marketplace figures from CMS filings; auto figures are NAIC average expenditures. State regulation, risk pool and plan design all shape these numbers.
Highest claim-denial rates in South Dakota
Health insurers by share of marketplace claims denied (≥1,000 claims on file)
- Wellmark of South Dakota
Wellmark of South Dakota: 16.7% denied (50,227 of 301,491)
16.7 % of claims denied
- Sanford Health Plan 6.5
Sanford Health Plan: 6.5% denied (42,512 of 651,392)
6.5 % of claims denied
- Avera Health Plans 2.4
Avera Health Plans, Inc.: 2.4% denied (10,565 of 439,847)
2.4 % of claims denied
What this shows These carriers deny the largest share of marketplace claims filed in South Dakota. Denial rates reflect plan design and network rules as much as carrier behaviour.
Health insurers in South Dakota, by denial rate
3 insurers reporting marketplace claims in South Dakota
| # | Insurer | Claim denial rate | Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellmark of South Dakota B | 301,491 | |
| 2 | Sanford Health Plan A | 651,392 | |
| 3 | Avera Health Plans, Inc. A | 439,847 |
Auto insurance in South Dakota
Auto premiums in South Dakota are climbing
Average annual auto-insurance expenditure by year (NAIC)
- 2019
2019: $745 average expenditure
$745 avg expenditure
- 2020
2020: $738 average expenditure
$738 avg expenditure
- 2021
2021: $770 average expenditure
$770 avg expenditure
- 2022
2022: $823 average expenditure
$823 avg expenditure
- 2023
2023: $936 average expenditure
$936 avg expenditure
What this shows South Dakota drivers' average auto cost rose 26% between 2019 and 2023.
What the data shows for South Dakota
South Dakota's marketplace insurers denied 7.4% of submitted claims in the CMS data, the 31st-highest rate of the 31 states with federal marketplace filings. Denial rates this far below the 21% national average usually reflect the state's mix of plan types and risk pool rather than any single carrier — Medicaid managed-care and narrow-network plans route more claims through utilization review.
On the auto side, drivers in South Dakota pay an average $936 a year — less than the $1191 national average — split across $378 liability, $307 collision and $473 comprehensive premiums. That figure has moved up 26% since 2019, tracking the national surge in repair and medical-claim costs.
Because rate regulation, licensing and guaranty-fund coverage are set state by state, an insurer's record in South Dakota can differ from its national average — which is why the state view matters for local consumers. Source: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2025, cms.gov. Source: NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; state commissioner registry, NAIC member directory.
For South Dakota residents
Use the state view before you buy or appeal a denial here.
- Check a specific carrier's full national and per-state record. Browse insurers
- Compare South Dakota's auto costs against the rest of the country. Auto rankings
- Denied a claim in this state? Walk through the appeal process. Appeal a denial
Verify coverage availability and terms directly with any insurer or a licensed agent. Informational only — not insurance advice.
Data: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2025 (per-state claim denials) · NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database. State commissioner links from the NAIC member directory. Not affiliated with NAIC or CMS. Read our methodology.