- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina for a bad driving record
- How much is high-risk car insurance in South Carolina?
- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with a DUI
- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with multiple tickets
- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with a reckless driving conviction
- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with bad credit
- Cheapest car insurance after an accident in South Carolina
- Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina by city
- How to reduce car insurance rates in South Carolina for a bad driving record
- South Carolina car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina for a bad driving record
If you have a bad driving record in South Carolina, Progressive, Auto-Owners, Travelers offer affordable car insurance. However, Progressive has the lowest average rate of $2,542.
Traffic infractions, accidents and DUIs wind up on your driving record, meaning you’ll pay higher car insurance rates in addition to any fines assessed. While most violations only affect your insurance rates for a few years, a DUI may affect rates for a decade and never be removed from your record.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $1,816 | $2,542 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $2,854 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,884 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $3,219 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,220 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $4,445 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,076 |
How much is high-risk car insurance in South Carolina?
A problematic driving record or poor credit score may mean higher insurance rates, but affordable options exist. In South Carolina, high-risk car insurance costs $3,019. However, you can get rates as low as $2,542 from Progressive.
Many things can make you a high-risk driver, but some affect your rates more than others. For example, having multiple speeding tickets or a ticket for speeding in a school zone will increase your rates more than a single basic speeding ticket.
Read on as we explain high-risk car insurance factors and rates below.
Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.
| Company | Annual premium for clean record | Annual premium after violation |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $1,974 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,176 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,504 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,723 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $2,981 |
| Progressive | $1,816 | $3,114 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,828 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with a DUI
While many insurers offer coverage after a DUI, Progressive provides the average cheapest coverage for $2,247.
A DUI is one of the most serious traffic violations to have on your record. Not only do you have to pay fines, but you’ll also see vastly higher car insurance rates for up to 10 years. Multiple DUIs will cause your premiums to skyrocket.
The table below compares average car insurance rates with a clean driving record and rates after a DUI in South Carolina.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for a DUI |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $1,816 | $2,247 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,265 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,875 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $2,918 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,195 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $4,943 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,692 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with multiple tickets
The cheapest insurer for drivers with multiple tickets is Auto-Owners, with rates averaging $2,064 or $172.
One ticket will affect car insurance rates, but multiple tickets will increase rates by a lot more. Repeated failure to obey speed limits and traffic laws means insurers are more likely to pay claims because of your risky driving.
This table shows South Carolina drivers how much multiple tickets increase premiums.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium with a speeding ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $2,064 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,265 |
| Progressive | $1,816 | $2,441 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,754 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,031 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $1,788 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with a reckless driving conviction
State Farm offers the cheapest rates for drivers with reckless driving convictions at $2,265.
You can be charged with reckless driving for many reasons, such as excessive speed, multiple accidents in a short time or street racing. Regardless of the cause, a reckless driving conviction raises car insurance rates.
The table below compares car insurance rates for drivers with a clean driving record and a reckless driving conviction.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for reckless driving |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,265 |
| Progressive | $1,816 | $2,660 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,875 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $2,918 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,195 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $3,873 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,151 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with bad credit
The cheapest South Carolina insurer for bad credit is Progressive, with rates averaging $3,020 or $252. Fortunately, drivers with bad credit can still find affordable auto insurance.
Although unrelated to your performance behind the wheel, your credit score also impacts car insurance rates and can put you in the high-risk category. To an insurance company, high-risk means more likely to file a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing., and statistically, drivers with a low credit score fit that description.
Check out the table below to see how your credit score affects South Carolina car insurance.
| Company | Annual premium for good credit | Annual premium for bad credit |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $1,816 | $3,020 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $3,290 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,834 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $4,306 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $4,521 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $7,989 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,245 |
Cheapest car insurance after an accident in South Carolina
Auto-Owners has the lowest average rates after an accident at $1,974. State Farm also offers affordable rates, averaging $2,504.
Drivers with accidents on their driving records see higher rates than drivers who avoid crashes. While car insurance increases after one accident, multiple accidents significantly increase rates.
This table compares rates for drivers with a clean driving record, one at-fault accident, and multiple accidents.
| Company | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for one at-fault accident | Annual premium for multiple accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $1,475 | $1,974 | $2,406 |
| State Farm | $2,106 | $2,504 | $2,504 |
| Travelers | $1,949 | $2,658 | $3,262 |
| Geico | $2,054 | $2,981 | $3,873 |
| Progressive | $1,816 | $3,114 | $4,199 |
| Allstate | $2,336 | $3,828 | $4,933 |
| USAA | $1,451 | $2,176 | $3,500 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina by city
Westminster has the cheapest car insurance rates in South Carolina at $2,612. But the most expensive city is Eastover with rates of $3,112.
Your location in South Carolina also matters. For example, if you live in an area with heavy traffic or a high vehicle theft rate, rates will reflect the increased chance of claims.
| City | Average annual premium for clean record | Annual premium for high-risk driver |
|---|---|---|
| Westminster | $1,739 | $2,612 |
| Seneca | $1,744 | $2,642 |
| Hardeeville | $1,920 | $2,886 |
| York | $1,920 | $2,900 |
| Anderson | $1,931 | $2,921 |
| Spartanburg | $1,945 | $2,936 |
| Manning | $2,012 | $2,988 |
| Myrtle Beach | $2,042 | $3,057 |
| Johnsonville | $2,055 | $3,085 |
| Eastover | $2,065 | $3,112 |
How to reduce car insurance rates in South Carolina for a bad driving record
Finding affordable car insurance in South Carolina is possible, even with a bad driving record. Ways to lower car insurance rates include:
- Carefully consider filing claims. Paying for minor damage out of pocket may be cheaper than filing an insurance claim and increasing rates for years.
- Avoid costly infractions. Drive carefully to avoid adding traffic infractions to your record. Tickets only affect insurance rates for a few years, which will decrease if more tickets aren’t added.
- Improve your credit score. Raising your credit score lowers car insurance rates. Make on-time payments and consider credit usage to improve your rating.
- Take a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies offer a discount for doing so, and some states remove driver's license points for successfully completing the class.
- Shop around for coverage. Every car insurance company weighs factors differently and offers different rates. Compare quotes to find the cheapest rates.
South Carolina car insurance laws for high-risk drivers
If you're a high-risk driver in South Carolina, you might need to file an SR-22. This is a form that your car insurance company sends in to show you have the required minimum insurance coverage. The court will let you know how long you need to keep the SR-22.
An SR-22 isn’t a type of insurance; it’s just a form. You don’t need special coverage, but your rates might be higher because you’re considered high-risk. Also, not all insurance companies offer coverage for high-risk drivers or handle SR-22 filings.
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