- Best car insurance companies in South Carolina: Auto-Owners
- Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina: Auto-Owners
- Average cost of car insurance in South Carolina
- South Carolina car insurance requirements
- Cheapest car insurance companies for minimum liability coverage in South Carolina
- Cheapest car insurance cost in South Carolina by age
- Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina by driver profile
- Compare auto insurance rates by city in South Carolina
- Car insurance premium trends in South Carolina
- Methodology
- Compare South Carolina car insurance rates with other states
Best car insurance companies in South Carolina: Auto-Owners
Auto-Owners is the best car insurance company in South Carolina, based on an analysis by Insurance.com, with an overall rating of 3.99. Travelers, State Farm, Progressive, and Geico are among the top car insurance companies in South Carolina.
Below is a full list of the top South Carolina insurance companies based on price, NAIC complaint ratio, and AM Best financial ratings. The total Insurance.com score is calculated out of five using these factors.
| Company | AM Best | JD Power | NAIC | Insurance.com score | Average annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | A++ | 859 | 0.5 | 3.99 | $1,475 |
| Travelers | A++ | 851 | 0.49 | 3.36 | $1,949 |
| State Farm | A++ | 807 | 0.7 | 3.23 | $2,106 |
| Progressive | A+ | 828 | 0.65 | 3.11 | $1,816 |
| Geico | A++ | 847 | 0.91 | 3.05 | $2,054 |
| Allstate | A+ | 816 | 0.65 | 2.92 | $2,336 |
Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina: Auto-Owners
Based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com, Auto-Owners is the cheapest full coverage car insurance company in South Carolina, with average rates of $1,475 annually or $123 a month. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible. Auto-Owners also offers cheaper liability car insurance in South Carolina at $566 per year, on average.
Don't just go with the first insurer you come across. Comparison shopping is the key when it comes to finding the best deal on auto insurance. Get quotes from several different insurers and compare their rates. You may be surprised at how much difference there can be in rates from one company to another.
We have gathered price quotes from all the major insurance providers in South Carolina and put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies.
| Company | State minimum liability | 50/100/50 liability | 100/300/100 liability with $500 deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $444 | $611 | $1,451 |
| Auto-Owners | $415 | $566 | $1,475 |
| Progressive | $560 | $748 | $1,816 |
| Travelers | $712 | $984 | $1,949 |
| Geico | $512 | $779 | $2,054 |
| State Farm | $621 | $863 | $2,106 |
| Southern Farm Bureau | $686 | $915 | $2,202 |
| Allstate | $619 | $803 | $2,336 |
| Sentry Insurance | $1,999 | $2,516 | $3,681 |
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
Average cost of car insurance in South Carolina
The average cost of car insurance in South Carolina is $2,009 a year for a full coverage policy with a coverage level of 100/300/100 for a driver age 40, according to a rate analysis by Insurance.com. For the state minimum coverage, the average annual cost in South Carolina is $720.
Auto insurance calculator
Most & least expensive ZIP codes for auto insurance in South Carolina
Most Expensive
| ZIP code | City | Highest rate |
|---|---|---|
| 29913 | Crocketville | $211 |
| 29933 | Miley | $211 |
| 29810 | Allendale | $207 |
| 29918 | Estill | $207 |
Least Expensive
| ZIP code | City | Lowest rate |
|---|---|---|
| 29809 | New Ellenton | $147 |
| 29642 | Easley | $149 |
| 29640 | Easley | $149 |
| 29644 | Fountain Inn | $150 |
The South Carolina Department of Insurance says...
Uninsured motorists coverage protects the policyholder directly. This coverage pays if you are injured and/or your property is damaged by a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured driver. South Carolina law requires you to carry uninsured motorists coverage equal to the minimum amounts of liability coverage (25/50/25). There is typically a $200 deductible.
- The South Carolina Department of InsuranceSouth Carolina car insurance requirements
You need car insurance with minimum coverage levels of 25/50/25 in South Carolina, which costs $726 each year or $60 each month.
Minimum liability insurance requirements for South Carolina:
- Bodily injury liability (BI): $25,000 per person and $50,000 for accident
- Property damage liability (PD): $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage coverage: $25,000 per accident
Cheapest car insurance companies for minimum liability coverage in South Carolina
According to Insurance.com, Auto-Owners has the cheapest state minimum liability coverage at $415 per year or $35 each month.
Here are the most affordable car insurance companies for state minimum coverage in South Carolina.
| Company | Liability insurance premium | Monthly liability insurance premium |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $415 | $35 |
| USAA* | $439 | $37 |
| Geico | $519 | $43 |
| Progressive | $549 | $46 |
| State Farm | $621 | $52 |
| Allstate | $626 | $52 |
| Southern Farm Bureau | $705 | $59 |
| Travelers | $727 | $61 |
| Sentry Insurance | $2,125 | $177 |
*USAA offers coverage only to military veterans and their family
Cheapest car insurance cost in South Carolina by age
In South Carolina, car insurance rates are higher for teenagers as they are more prone to accidents.
Auto-Owners offers the cheapest car insurance for teen drivers in South Carolina at $3,967 per year for a full coverage policy.
Car insurance rates will decrease as teens age and keep a good driving record. Car insurance rates for adults 25+ and seniors 60+ are lower than those for teens and young adults.
In South Carolina, Auto-Owners offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for adult drivers and senior drivers at $1,501 per year and $1,103 per year, respectively. USAA offers cheaper rates, but is only available to military families.
Compare car insurance rates by age
Select your age group and age below to see the insurance company and its
average annual and average monthly premium rates.
| Auto-Owners | $4,891 | $408 |
| Southern Farm Bureau | $5,020 | $418 |
| Geico | $5,897 | $491 |
| State Farm | $6,759 | $563 |
| Allstate | $6,761 | $563 |
| USAA | $6,917 | $576 |
| Travelers | $7,541 | $628 |
| Sentry Insurance | $9,940 | $828 |
| Progressive | $11,123 | $927 |
USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina by driver profile
Drivers who have accidents or tickets are considered a higher risk and will pay more for car insurance. In South Carolina, Auto-Owners offers the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with an accident, at $1,974 per year. However, the severity and frequency of the incidents will also affect insurance rates.
Auto-Owners also offers the cheapest car insurance in South Carolina for drivers with speeding tickets at an average of $1,868 per year. USAA offers cheaper rates for drivers with a speeding ticket but has eligibility criteria.
Below are the average South Carolina insurance rates by company for drivers with accidents and tickets on their driving record.
| Company | Clean record | Accident | Speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,176 | $1,788 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $1,974 | $1,868 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $2,981 | $2,054 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,504 | $2,265 |
| Progressive | $1,816 | $3,114 | $2,441 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,657 | $2,754 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,828 | $3,031 |
*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.
Compare auto insurance rates by city in South Carolina
Auto insurance rates in your city can differ significantly from the state average due to factors such as population density, increased instances of auto theft or accidents, and a few other factors. It's best to compare quotes from various insurance providers to find the most competitive rates for your specific city in South Carolina.
Car insurance premium trends in South Carolina
Car insurance average rates increase most years and various factors contribute to these changes, including shifts in economic conditions, changes in state laws, and the number and severity of insurance claims.
That's why it's important to keep track of car insurance premiums to make better decisions. The graph below shows how insurance rates in South Carolina have increased or decreased from 2020 to 2023.
Whether you're planning to renew your policy with your current insurer or looking for a new one, this analysis is invaluable for making informed insurance choices.
Methodology
Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2023 to field rates from major insurers in every state across most ZIP codes. Driver profile: male, age 40, driving a 2023 Honda Accord LX with full coverage of 100/300/100 with comprehensive and collision; $500 deductible.
The car insurance rates for drivers with accidents and tickets are averaged based on rates for the following accidents and tickets:
Accidents:
- 1 at-fault property damage accident over $2k
- 1 at-fault property damage accident under $2k
- At-fault bodily injury accident
- Single vehicle accident
Tickets:
- Distracted driving ticket
- Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over limit
- Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over limit
- Talking on cellphone ticket
- Texting ticket
Insurance.com analyzed rates from more than 34,000 ZIP codes, 56 million quotes, and 136 companies. Rates sourced from Quadrant Data Services are for comparison purposes only; your rates may differ.
Compare South Carolina car insurance rates with other states
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