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
- Best car insurance companies in South Carolina
- Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina
- Cheapest car insurance cost in South Carolina by age
- Cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina by driver profile
- Methodology
- Compare auto insurance rates by city 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.
| Insurance company | AM Best | Average annual rate | NAIC Complaint ratio | Insurance.com score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | A++ | $ 1,322 | 0.64 | 4.69 |
| State Farm | A++ | $ 1,524 | 0.52 | 4.55 |
| Nationwide | A+ | $ 1,183 | 0.66 | 4.41 |
| Geico | A++ | $ 1,457 | 0.77 | 4.37 |
| Progressive | A+ | $ 1,751 | 0.73 | 4.02 |
| USAA* | A++ | $ 1,348 | 0.99 | 3.96 |
| Travelers | A++ | $ 1,397 | 1.03 | 3.86 |
| American Family | A | $ 2,500 | 0.57 | 3.72 |
| Allstate | A+ | $ 2,089 | 0.95 | 3.42 |
| Farmers | A | $ 4,374 | 0.77 | 2.49 |
*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.
| Company | State minimum | 50/100/50 liability only | 100/300/100 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
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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.
| 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.
| Company | Clean record | Accident | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
