Homeowners in South Carolina pay an average $208 a month for homeowners insurance. Of the nine most popular home insurance companies we looked at, Allstate has the cheapest average rate of $85 a month, and Farmers has the highest, at $290 a month.
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How much is home insurance in South Carolina?
South Carolina homeowners pay $208 a month for standard homeowners insurance, on average. That’s 35% higher than the national average home insurance rate of $146 a month. Reasons for the higher rates are in part due to the state’s high crime rate and the frequency of hurricanes and floods.
| Region | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $2,493 | $208 |
| U.S. | $1,754 | $146 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | ||
The deductible you choose also affects your home insurance premium. The higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Increasing your deductible from $500 to $2,000 can drop your monthly premium by 20%. Below are average home insurance rates for different deductibles in South Carolina:
| Deductible | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| $500 | $2,690 |
| $1,000 | $2,493 |
| $1,500 | $2,372 |
| $2,000 | $2,191 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
South Carolina’s cheapest home insurance companies
In looking at the average monthly rates of the major home insurance providers operating in South Carolina, Allstate has the cheapest average rate of $85 a month.
This is significantly lower than the rest of the home insurance companies in South Carolina, as the second-cheapest rate is from USAA, at $166 a month. Farmers has the highest average rate, at $290 a month.
| Company | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,016 |
| Farmers | $3,481 |
| Nationwide | $2,685 |
| South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation | $2,983 |
| Progressive | $3,167 |
| State Farm | $2,021 |
| Travelers | $2,821 |
| USAA | $1,997 |
| UPC Insurance | $2,262 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Best home insurance companies in South Carolina
After looking at the pricing, policy offerings and customer care rankings of the top insurers operating in South Carolina, we picked the following homeowners insurance companies as the best in the state.
Allstate: Cheapest rates and best coverage
Allstate has the cheapest average homeowners insurance rate in South Carolina, at $1,016 a year. This is less than half the average state rate of $2,493. The table below shows Allstate’s average rates in South Carolina’s biggest cities.
| City | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Charleston | $762 |
| Columbia | $1,090 |
| North Charleston | $762 |
| Mount Pleasant | $762 |
| Rock Hill | $1,062 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Along with cheap rates, Allstate offers a large list of optional home insurance coverages. Allstate’s add-ons are also fairly uncommon. This includes homesharing insurance, which provides additional protection for your belongings while renting out your home.
State Farm: Best for bundling policies and customer service
If you want to bundle your homeowners and auto insurance, we recommend State Farm because of its consistent service across both types of insurance. State Farm's overall customer satisfaction rating for homeowners insurance was 835 out of 1,000 in 2021, according to J.D. Power.
If you bundle your auto and home insurance policies with State Farm, then you can save up to $965 a year. In addition to substantial savings, bundling can be a great convenience, as it puts both of your insurance policies under one roof.
USAA: Best for military families
USAA’s average rate is $1,997 a year, which is 22% below the state average. USAA’s policies are only available to military personnel, veterans and their families. If you’re eligible, we recommend USAA as it offers the best customer service at an affordable rate.
USAA’s customers receive an excellent customer service experience. USAA had a score of 882 out of 1,000 in overall satisfaction in the 2021 J.D. Power home insurance study, which is the highest score in the study. USAA also covers uniforms in the event of a loss for active duty or deployed members.
Home insurance rates in South Carolina by city
Greenville gets the cheapest home insurance rates among South Carolina’s largest cities at an average $1,809 a year. Hilton Head Island has the highest home insurance rate of the state’s largest cities at $3,984 a year.
| City | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| Charleston | $3,535 |
| Columbia | $1,971 |
| North Charleston | $2,904 |
| Mount Pleasant | $3,588 |
| Rock Hill | $1,972 |
| Greenville | $1,809 |
| Summerville | $2,738 |
| Goose Creek | $2,820 |
| Hilton Head Island | $3,984 |
| Sumter | $2,118 |
| Note: Average rates are based on non-binding estimates provided by Quadrant Information Services. Your rates may vary. | |
Common home insurance perils in South Carolina
Since South Carolina borders the Atlantic Ocean, it's susceptible to hurricanes. South Carolina has the fifth most hurricanes in the U.S. according to the National Hurricane Center. South Carolina also has a high risk of flooding.
A standard home insurance policy doesn't cover flooding, but you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. There are two main options if you want to get flood coverage: flood insurance through the NFIP (backed by the U.S. government), or flood insurance through a private flood insurance company.
Methodology
We obtained quotes for a standard HO-3 homeowners insurance policy on a typical home in every ZIP code in South Carolina. Unless otherwise noted, standard policies included the following limits and deductibles.
- Dwelling coverage: $275,000
- Other structures: $27,500
- Personal property: $137,500
- Loss of use: $55,000
- Liability: $100,000
- Medical payments: $5,000
- Deductible: $1,000
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