Cheapest South Carolina Car Insurance (2022)
In South Carolina, drivers pay an average of $82 a month for minimum-coverage auto insurance and $151 for full coverage. USAA has the cheapest minimum-coverage car insurance, at $52 a month. State Farm has the cheapest full coverage, at $103 a month.
To help you compare quotes and find the best coverage at the cheapest price, we looked at the top auto insurance providers and their rates, policy offerings and customer service trends.
This article covers
How much is car insurance in South Carolina?
South Carolina drivers pay an average $82 a month for minimum-coverage auto insurance. The average cost of full-coverage auto insurance is $151 a month.
| Minimum coverage | Full coverage | |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $82 | $151 |
| National | $87 | $177 |
| Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
South Carolina's average minimum car insurance rate is 6% lower than the national average of $87 a month. South Carolina's average full-coverage rate is 15% less than the national average. Your final car insurance rate is affected by factors such as:
- The age and condition of your car.
- Your personal driving history.
- Your ZIP code.
- Your age.
Who are the best, cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina?
Which company has the best and cheapest auto insurance in South Carolina depends on whether you're looking for minimum or full-coverage car insurance. We looked at the seven most popular car insurers in South Carolina and found that USAA has the lowest average rate of $52 a month for minimum-coverage auto insurance. That's 37% less than the state average of $82 a month.
For full-coverage car insurance — which includes liability, comprehensive and collision coverages — State Farm comes out on top with an average rate of $103 a month, 32% less than the state average of $151 a month.
After digging deeper into the top auto insurers, we found these four standouts.
USAA: cheapest minimum-coverage rates and best for military
USAA has an average minimum-coverage auto insurance rate of $52 a month, the lowest in South Carolina. The company's main drawback is that it only provides insurance to members of the U.S. military and their families. However, South Carolina has the eighth-highest number of currently serving and reserve military members in the country.
On top of low minimum-coverage rates, USAA also offers policy benefits customized for Armed Forces members. For example:
- It provides auto insurance coverage if you're stationed overseas.
- It offers deployment discounts and car storage options if you're deployed.
USAA is widely considered the best of the best in the insurance industry. In J.D. Power's 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, USAA received a rating of 890 out of 1,000 for overall customer satisfaction. That's the highest score among auto insurers in the Southeast. Furthermore, NAIC gives USAA a Complaint Index of 0.8. The national average Complaint Index is 1.0, so USAA stays well under the norm.
State Farm: cheap full-coverage car insurance and most popular
Of the largest car insurance providers in South Carolina, State Farm came out ahead with the cheapest average full-coverage rate of $103 a month. Given that South Carolina's average rate for full-coverage auto insurance is $151 a month and the national average is $177 a month, State Farm's full-coverage car insurance is incredibly cheap.
State Farm's low rates play a part in the company's overall popularity. State Farm holds 16.2% of the auto insurance market share, followed by Geico with 13.6%. Their high J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating of 859 and excellent ease of use all contribute to State Farm's strength.
Allstate: cheap rates, especially for teen drivers
Allstate maintains an average rate of $65 for minimum-coverage auto insurance in South Carolina. That's 21% below the state average of $82 a month. An important demographic for which Allstate has very low car insurance rates is teen drivers, at an average of $163 a month for minimum coverage.
Teen drivers pay the highest car insurance rates of any group. This is because their lack of experience behind the wheel can lead to greater chances of an accident. There are many ways to find cheap car insurance rates for teen drivers, but starting off with the cheapest you can find without sacrificing good coverage is a great start.
GEICO: cheap rates and the best discounts
In South Carolina, Geico has an average minimum-coverage rate of $67 a month. That's 18% less than the state average. Geico gives policyholders many opportunities to lower their premiums even more with the wide variety of discounts it offers. These discounts include:
- If you've been accident-free for five years or more, you may save upwards of 22% on your car insurance.
- If your car is three years old or newer, you may be eligible for a discount up to 15%.
- Airbags in your car may land you a 23% discount on medical payments or personal injury protection coverage.
- Keeping up your grades in school? Being a good student may get you another 15% discount on your car insurance.
- If you cover more than one car on your auto insurance, you could save 25% on your premium.
- Bundling your car insurance with a home, renters, mobile home or condo insurance policy can save you money on your auto policy.
These are just a few of the discounts Geico provides. Sit down with a Geico agent to make sure you're getting all the discounts you're eligible for.
Car insurance requirements in South Carolina
South Carolina drivers are required by law to have the following minimum car insurance coverages:
- Bodily injury per person: $25,000
- Bodily injury per accident: $50,000
- Property damage liability per accident: $25,000
You are also required to carry the following uninsured motorist car insurance limits:
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury per person: $25,000
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident: $50,000
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $25,000
While the minimum liability limits in South Carolina seem like they would cover a serious accident, an extended court case or hospital stay could hit those limits quickly. After that, you would wind up paying out of pocket.
In order to keep this from happening, we recommend raising your car insurance liability limits to the following:
- Bodily injury per person: $100,000
- Bodily injury per accident: $300,000
- Property damage liability per accident: $100,000
Methodology
We used Quadrant Information Services to generate thousands of car insurance quotes from every ZIP code in South Carolina from the following providers:
- Allstate
- Farm Bureau
- Geico
- Progressive
- State Farm
- Travelers
- USAA
Our sample driver is a 35-year-old male with a clean record who drives a 2012 Honda Accord LX 13,500 miles per year.
QuoteWizard.com LLC has made every effort to ensure that the information on this site is correct, but we cannot guarantee that it is free of inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. All content and services provided on or through this site are provided "as is" and "as available" for use. QuoteWizard.com LLC makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this site or to the information, content, materials, or products included on this site. You expressly agree that your use of this site is at your sole risk.