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Nationwide offers the cheapest auto insurance rates in South Carolina at $1,183 a year or $98 monthly, on average. 

Cheap isn’t everything, and an Insurance.com analysis of rates, complaints, and financial stability found Auto-Owners to be the best insurance company in South Carolina.

Many factors go into your insurance premium. Insurance companies use your driving record, the type of car you drive, and the coverage you select to determine your auto insurance rate. 

Read on to compare South Carolina insurance rates by company, age, and more.

Key takeaways

  • Auto-Owners is the best car insurance company in South Carolina overall, with below-average rates and a low complaint ratio.
  • Nationwide is the cheapest car insurance company in South Carolina at $1,183 per year.
  • Geico has the cheapest rates for teen drivers while Nationwide offers the cheapest full coverage policy for adult and senior drivers in South Carolina. 

Average cost of car insurance in South Carolina

The average car insurance rate in South Carolina is $1,894 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 $628.

Best car insurance companies in South Carolina

Auto-Owners is the best car insurance company in South Carolina, based on a 2023 analysis by Insurance.com, with an overall rating of 4.69. State Farm was a close second, with an overall rating of 4.55.

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.

Best car insurance companies in South Carolina
Insurance companyAM BestAverage annual rateNAIC Complaint ratioInsurance.com score
Auto-OwnersA++$ 1,3220.644.69
State FarmA++$ 1,5240.524.55
NationwideA+$ 1,1830.664.41
GeicoA++$ 1,4570.774.37
ProgressiveA+$ 1,7510.734.02
USAA*A++$ 1,3480.993.96
TravelersA++$ 1,3971.033.86
American FamilyA$ 2,5000.573.72
AllstateA+$ 2,0890.953.42
FarmersA$ 4,3740.772.49

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina

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. Based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com, Nationwide is the cheapest auto insurance company in South Carolina, with average rates of $1,183 annually or $98 a month for full coverage.

CompanyState minimum50/100/50 liability only100/300/100 liability with $500 comp/coll deductible
Nationwide$ 702$ 740$ 1,183
Auto-Owners$ 394$ 532$ 1,322
USAA*$ 364$ 499$ 1,348
Travelers$ 677$ 769$ 1,397
Geico$ 375$ 546$ 1,457
State Farm$ 467$ 659$ 1,524
Progressive$ 553$ 693$ 1,751
Allstate$ 505$ 628$ 2,089
American Family$ 655$ 814$ 2,500
Farmers$ 1,589$ 2,052$ 4,374

USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Auto insurance calculator

Average auto insurance rates in Alabama
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Male
Male Female
36110 - Montgomery
For a -year-old
State minimum
Full coverage
Liability only

Most & least expensive ZIP codes for auto insurance in

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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.

Geico offers the cheapest car insurance for teen drivers in South Carolina at $3,624 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, Nationwide offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for adult drivers and senior drivers at $1,220 per year and $1,103 per year, respectively. 

Cheapest car insurance by age in South Carolina
Age (group) Company Group Avg. Annual Premium
Teens (16-19)Geico$ 3,624
Teens (16-19)Auto-Owners$ 3,680
Teens (16-19)Travelers$ 3,821
Teens (16-19)State Farm$ 4,104
Teens (16-19)Nationwide$ 4,298
Teens (16-19)Allstate$ 5,238
Teens (16-19)USAA$ 5,507
Teens (16-19)Progressive$ 7,868
Teens (16-19)American Family$ 9,016
Teens (16-19)Farmers$ 9,539
Young Adults (20-24)Travelers$ 1,948
Young Adults (20-24)Nationwide$ 2,155
Young Adults (20-24)Auto-Owners$ 2,190
Young Adults (20-24)Geico$ 2,235
Young Adults (20-24)USAA$ 2,375
Young Adults (20-24)State Farm$ 2,419
Young Adults (20-24)Progressive$ 2,750
Young Adults (20-24)Allstate$ 3,105
Young Adults (20-24)American Family$ 5,018
Young Adults (20-24)Farmers$ 6,416
Adults (25-55)Nationwide$ 1,220
Adults (25-55)Auto-Owners$ 1,360
Adults (25-55)USAA$ 1,368
Adults (25-55)Geico$ 1,400
Adults (25-55)Travelers$ 1,407
Adults (25-55)State Farm$ 1,545
Adults (25-55)Progressive$ 1,819
Adults (25-55)Allstate$ 1,997
Adults (25-55)American Family$ 2,922
Adults (25-55)Farmers$ 4,645
Seniors (60-75)Nationwide$ 1,103
Seniors (60-75)USAA$ 1,312
Seniors (60-75)Auto-Owners$ 1,361
Seniors (60-75)Travelers$ 1,370
Seniors (60-75)State Farm$ 1,447
Seniors (60-75)Geico$ 1,471
Seniors (60-75)Progressive$ 1,641
Seniors (60-75)Allstate$ 2,080
Seniors (60-75)American Family$ 3,196
Seniors (60-75)Farmers$ 4,288

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. 

However, the severity and frequency of the incidents will also affect insurance rates. For instance, drivers with a single minor accident will see a smaller rate increase compared to those with multiple major accidents.

Below are average South Carolina rates by company for drivers with accidents and tickets on their driving record. 

Cheapest car insurance companies for tickets and accidents in South Carolina 
CompanyClean recordAccidentTicket
Nationwide$ 1,151$ 1,759$ 1,508
Auto-Owners$ 1,293$ 1,808$ 1,412
USAA*$ 1,295$ 1,921$ 1,596
Geico$ 1,334$ 1,925$ 1,334
Travelers$ 1,432$ 1,922$ 1,850
State Farm$ 1,451$ 1,721$ 1,559
Progressive$ 1,605$ 2,612$ 2,086
Allstate$ 2,045$ 3,352$ 2,652
American Family$ 2,265$ 3,042$ 2,880
Farmers$ 4,167$ 5,841$ 5,493

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members, veterans and their families.

Methodology

Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2022 to field rates from up to six major insurers in every state across most ZIP codes. Driver profile: male, age 40, driving 2021 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 auto insurance rates by city in South Carolina

Hardeeville
$1,824/year
Johnsonville
$2,005/year
Manning
$2,057/year
Myrtle Beach
$1,840/year
Seneca
$1,512/year
Spartanburg
$1,760/year
Westminster
$1,570/year
York
$1,730/year