Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in Columbia, SC

The cheapest full and minimum coverage auto insurance in Columbia is provided by American National P&C. It is also the best choice for military drivers and drivers with traffic violations, as well as those who prioritize cost and customer service. Auto-Owners Insurance Co provides the best auto insurance in the city for teenage drivers. The best insurer for you will depend on your preferences and driving history.

Based on MoneyGeek’s analysis, the following companies provide the most affordable minimum coverage auto insurance in Columbia:

• American National P&C: $288 per year
• American Family: $389 per year

The cheapest auto insurance in South Carolina is also offered by American National P&C, which costs $251 annually as of October 2022. Out of the ten providers we ranked, Bristol West has the most expensive auto insurance at 1,728 per year.

For minimum coverage insurance, the liability limits are set by state law. The following coverages for bodily injury, personal property damage and uninsured motorists coverage are required in South Carolina:

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage

Liability-only coverage pays for damages to the other driver in an incident. As a result, if you cause a collision and have a bodily injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, your insurance company will cover the first $25,000 of each victim's medical expenses, or $50,000 total, for each accident. You are liable for any additional costs.

Drivers in Columbia can get full coverage car insurance at the cheapest rates from the following insurers:

• American National P&C: $513 per year
• American Family: $813 per year

American National P&C is also the most affordable full coverage auto insurer in South Carolina, with an average yearly cost of $513 as of October 202 . Of the ten insurers we ranked, Bristol West has the most expensive annual premium at $3,116 per year.

Full coverage car insurance has higher liability limits and includes comprehensive and collision coverage.

• Collision coverage: Partially covers the cost of damages to your vehicle if you get in an accident (collision with a roadblock or other car)
• Comprehensive coverage: Assists in paying for costs associated with damage to your car caused by a break-in or a natural catastrophe

Customers with newer cars are recommended to obtain full coverage to protect their valuables. If your car is older, it might not be beneficial to pay more each year for extra coverage.

Drivers with a history of driving violations (speeding tickets, at-fault accidents and DUIs) can find the cheapest rates for full coverage auto insurance in Columbia from these companies:

• Speeding ticket: American National P&C ($652 per year)
• At-fault accident: American National P&C ($652 per year)
• DUI: American National P&C ($730 per year)

Bristol West charges the highest rates for drivers with violations; drivers with a speeding ticket, at-fault accident or DUI are charged $4,143, $4,473 and $3,986 per year, respectively. A traffic violation can significantly increase the cost of your annual premium — cheap policies for drivers with offenses still cost more than most policies for drivers with clean driving histories.

Car insurance rates typically increase in proportion to the severity of the driving offense, with rates for speeding tickets costing less than for accidents and DUIs. Drivers in Columbia with speeding tickets or an at-fault accident will pay $389 and $660 more for car insurance than those with a clean driving history. Nevertheless, you can still find affordable auto insurance if you have a bad driving record by comparing rates from multiple companies.

The following companies offer the cheapest auto insurance for a 16-year-old teen driver added to a parent’s policy in Columbia:

• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: $2,309 per year for female teens; $2,790 per year for male teens
• State Farm: $2,717 per year for female teens
• GEICO: $3,365 per year for male teens

Male teens often have higher rates than female teens since they are riskier to insure — but this isn't always the case. The most expensive rate is from Bristol West, charging $7,659 to add a female teen and $7,456 to add a male teen to a family’s policy. This difference highlights how important it is to compare quotes.

Adding a teen to the family plan costs significantly less than purchasing an individual policy for a teen driver. For instance, a 16-year-old male in Columbia will pay $2,539 more per year for an individual policy compared to joining a family policy.

Families can save money by taking the time to find the cheapest auto insurance for teenagers.

The cheapest full coverage auto insurance in Columbia, SC for active and former military members and their families is from:

• American National P&C: $513 per year
• American Family: $813 per year

American National P&C is also the most affordable at $288 per year for minimum coverage policies.

USAA, an insurer that exclusively serves the military population nationwide, charges about $882 for full coverage — the third cheapest in Columbia.

Obtaining car insurance quotes online from insurers can be time-consuming — it can take 15 minutes or more to provide all the personal information required for a single quote. Fortunately, you can use MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator to quickly estimate the cost of your car insurance by providing your age, vehicle type, coverage level and driving record.

The best auto insurance may differ based on your needs and preferences. In Columbia, the best car insurance providers are:

• Best overall: American National P&C (MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100)
• Best for service: American National P&C (MoneyGeek score of 67 out of 100)
• Best cheap: American National P&C (MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100)

MoneyGeek’s total scores were calculated weighing the most relevant factors (customer service, cost, etc.) for each category. Companies that succeed across many areas, like American National P&C, offer excellent service while remaining reasonably priced. It also offers the best auto insurance in South Carolina.

USAA is another great option if you have a military background, receiving a MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100.

When service, affordability and other factors are considered, MoneyGeek found that the following companies provide Columbia's best auto insurance overall:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($513 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($883 per year)

Out of ten insurers we ranked in Columbia, American National P&C received the highest overall score for its exceptional customer service and affordability.

If you have military experience, USAA is also strongly recommended. It earned a MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 for its reasonable prices, with annual rates for full coverage averaging $882.

The best auto insurance companies for customer service in South Carolina, irrespective of cost, are:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score of 67 out of 100 ($513 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: MoneyGeek score of 66 out of 100 ($883 per year)

American National P&C excels at customer satisfaction, earning a perfect MoneyGeek score in this category. In addition to offering exceptional service, this company has the most affordable rates in Columbia.

Based on MoneyGeek’s analysis of cost and service for car insurance that satisfies South Carolina's minimum coverage requirements, the following companies are the best in Columbia:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($288 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co: MoneyGeek score of 80 out of 100 ($441 per year)

Minimum coverage policies may cost less, but they offer limited coverage. It does not safeguard you against liability costs and does not pay for damages to your car following an accident.

The average yearly cost of auto insurance in Columbia is $1,236, marginally less than the average cost of car insurance in South Carolina at $1,245 as of October 2022. Car insurance in the state costs $21 less than the national average cost of car insurance — $1,265.

These rates are for full coverage insurance with $100,000 bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 property damage liability per accident.

South Carolina has lower average auto insurance costs than the nation as a whole. However, keep in mind that location is only one aspect that affects insurance costs.