Best car insurance companies in South Carolina: State Farm

State Farm is the best car insurance company in South Carolina, based on our data analysis with an overall rating of 4.48. Auto-Owners, Travelers, GEICO, Progressive and Allstate 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.

Best home insurance companies in Alaska
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Table
CompanyAM BestJD PowerNAICAverage annual premiumInsurance.com score
State FarmA++6730.79$2,1064.48
Auto-OwnersA+6500.54$1,4754.46
TravelersA++6420.52$1,9494.19
GEICOA++6510.69$2,0544.17
ProgressiveA+6370.71$1,8163.91
AllstateA+6341.1$2,3363.28
USAAA++7591.18$1,4514.5

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 $1,715 a year or $143 monthly. USAA offers cheaper rates if you are eligible. Auto-Owners also offers cheaper liability car insurance in South Carolina at $751 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.

CompanyState minimum liability50/100/50 liability100/300/100 liability with $500 deductible
Auto-Owners$533$751$1,715
Nationwide$876$935$2,130
Southern Farm Bureau$686$915$2,310
Travelers$790$1,096$2,342
GEICO$571$846$2,417
Progressive$597$907$2,666
Allstate$668$905$2,806
State Farm$1,037$1,352$3,133
USAA$371$560$1,772

*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 $2,367 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 $682.

Auto insurance calculator

Average auto insurance rates in South Carolina
29810 - Allendale
For a 30-year-old male
State minimum
$1,356 Full coverage
$1,122 Liability only

Top 5 most & least expensive cities for auto insurance in South Carolina

Most Expensive

CityHighest annual rateHighest monthly rate
Cleveland$998$83
Richland$996$83
Pauline$996$83
Aiken$995$83
Pomaria$994$83

Least Expensive

CityLowest annual rateLowest monthly rate
Batesburg-leesville$1,002$83
Graniteville$1,002$83
Williamston$1,004$84
Chesnee$1,004$84
Simpsonville$1,005$84

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 deductibleThe deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket for a covered loss when you file a claim..

- The South Carolina Department of Insurance

South Carolina car insurance requirements

You need car insurance with minimum coverage levels of 25/50/25 in South Carolina, which costs $682 each year or $57 each month.

Minimum liability insuranceLiability insurance covers sums that an insured becomes legally obligated to pay because of bodily injuries or property damage, or financial losses caused to other people. 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 $751 per year or $63 each month. 

Here are the most affordable car insurance companies for state minimum coverage in South Carolina.

State minimum auto insurance coverage in South Carolina
CompanyLiability insurance premiumMonthly liability insurance premium
Auto-Owners$751$63
GEICO$846$70
Allstate$905$75
Progressive$907$76
Southern Farm Bureau$915$76
Nationwide$935$78
Travelers$1,096$91
State Farm$1,352$113
USAA$560$47

*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 a 16-year-old driver in South Carolina at $5,185 per year. 

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 car insurance for a 25-year-old driver at $2,274 per year. Auto-Owners offers the cheapest car insurance for a 65-year-old driver at $1,700 per year. 

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.

Table
Graph
Auto-Owners$5,185$432
Southern Farm Bureau$5,269$439
GEICO$7,141$595
USAA$8,496$708
Allstate$9,176$765
Travelers$9,249$771
State Farm$10,368$864
Nationwide$11,798$983
Progressive$14,219$1,185
Sentry Insurance$15,116$1,260
Yearly premium

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 $2,295 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 $2,400 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. 

CompanyClean recordAccidentSpeeding ticket
GEICO$2,417$3,509$0
Auto-Owners$1,715$2,295$2,400
Travelers$2,342$3,194$3,309
Nationwide$2,130$3,500$3,359
State Farm$3,133$3,726$3,371
Progressive$2,666$4,572$3,585
Allstate$2,806$4,598$3,641
USAA$1,772$2,657$2,184

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

Compare auto insurance rates by city in South Carolina

Auto insurance rates vary not just by state, but also by city. Cities have different levels of risk based on factors like accident rates, 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. costs, weather and more. That means where you live in South Carolina will impact what you pay. Below, we've gathered South Carolina car insurance rates by city for comparison.

CityAnnual insurance premium
Anderson
$1,931
Eastover
$2,065

Car insurance rates change regularly, influenced by changes in the cost of repairs, claim rates and other factors. Recent years have seen car insurance rates rise across the country, but not every state has seen the same increases.

We've tracked car insurance premium trends in South Carolina to show you how things have changed and help you prepare for potential changes in the future. Take a look at the chart below.

We partnered with Quadrant Information Services to field average auto insurance rates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. National and state average rates are based on three coverage levels: state minimum, 50/100/50 liability-only, and full coverage with 100/300/100 liability and $500 deductibles. 

Unless otherwise indicated, averages are based on our full coverage data set. This data set is based on:

  • Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident
  • Property damage liability of $100,000 per incident
  • Comprehensive and collision deductibles of $500
  • 40-year-old driver
  • Honda Accord LX
  • Good credit
  • A clean driving record
  • 12-mile commute, 10,000 annual mileage

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
  • Poor credit
  • DUI/DWI first offense

Tickets:

  • Reckless driving
  • Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over limit
  • Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over limit
  • Speeding 30+ over limit

Learn more about our data and methodology.

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