Compare Cheap Auto Insurance in South Carolina

• Full coverage auto insurance in South Carolina costs $2,016 per year on average, while minimum coverage costs an average of $872 annually.
• USAA and Auto-Owners have the cheapest average rates for full coverage and minimum coverage in South Carolina.
• Southern Farm Bureau and Travelers also tend to offer competitive rates.

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• Cheapest full coverage auto insurance in South Carolina: USAA ($1,332 annually) and Auto-Owners ($1,393 annually)
• Cheapest minimum coverage: USAA ($455 annually) and Auto-Owners ($645 annually)
• Cheapest with a teen driver: Southern Farm Bureau ($3,096 annually) and Auto-Owners ($4,187 annually)
• Cheapest with a speeding ticket: USAA ($1,429 annually) and Auto-Owners ($1,533 annually)
• Cheapest with an at-fault accident: Auto-Owners ($1,903 annually) and Southern Farm Bureau ($1,922 annually)
• Cheapest with a DUI: Southern Farm Bureau ($1,780 annually) and Travelers ($2,272 annually)
• Cheapest with low credit: USAA ($1,795 annually) and Southern Farm Bureau ($2,752 annually)

State Farm tends to have relatively expensive auto insurance premiums in South Carolina, but the company’s customer satisfaction ratings beat out most competitors. Your rate may be lower than the average, however, so it’s always worth getting quotes from several companies. If customer service is important to you, it also might be worth paying a bit more to go with a company that has a better customer service record. Military drivers can also benefit from USAA’s excellent service reputation.

1. Drive safely: A clean driving record will get you the lowest rates, as you present less of a risk to insurers. Even a relatively minor violation such as a speeding ticket can increase your rates. Drive safely and avoid violations to keep your premiums low.
2. Raise your deductibles: Comprehensive and collision coverage, which together make up full coverage, each have a separate deductible (liability coverage does not). If you can afford to, increasing your deductible will lower your premium. However, you’ll have to be prepared to pay that amount out of pocket if you need to file a claim.
3. Bundle policies: If you need another type of insurance policy, such as home, renters, or pet, most companies will provide a sizable discount for bundling more than one policy with them. 
4. Lower your coverage: If you have more than the minimum coverage limits, you can lower your coverage at any time to save on your premium. Keep in mind that while the hope is that you won’t have to use your insurance, you should make sure you’re adequately covered if you do. Lowering your coverage will save you money in the short run but can leave you vulnerable to high expenses if you cause an accident.

North Charleston has the most expensive auto insurance rates in South Carolina, with an average annual premium of $2,262. That’s 12 percent higher than the state average. By comparison, Mount Pleasant has more affordable rates at $1,974 per year on average, which is slightly below the state average.

In South Carolina, state law requires drivers to carry bodily injury and property damage liability, as well as uninsured motorist coverage, with at least the following limits:

• Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
• Property damage liability: $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 accident⁴

Uninsured motorist coverage can come in handy if you’re in an accident caused by someone without insurance or without enough coverage. If you can afford to, it’s a good idea to increase your liability limits and add full coverage to pay for damages to your own vehicle.

We analyze average auto insurance premiums in South Carolina for full and minimum coverage for good drivers with good credit as well as other driver profiles, including teens and those with DUIs, accidents, and low credit. Full coverage averages use the following limits:

• Bodily injury liability: $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident
• Property damage liability: $100,000 per accident
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
• Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible