Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in North Charleston, SC

The cheapest car insurance for you depends on personal factors like age, driving record and car model. For instance, teenage drivers may find the cheapest car insurance from Auto-Owners Insurance Co. Assessing your needs and preferences is essential to find rates that best fit your budget.

The cheapest car insurance companies for a minimum coverage policy in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: $308 per year
• American Family: $444 per year

The most expensive company is Dairyland, with an average premium of $2,555 per year. American National P&C also provides the cheapest car insurance in South Carolina at $280 per year as of October 2022. The average statewide cost of this company’s car insurance is cheaper than its North Charleston rates. This difference demonstrates how location can impact car insurance rates.

According to South Carolina law, a minimum coverage policy covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Specifically, your policy must cover:

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

Liability limits can be set per person and per accident. In this case, the bodily injury liability coverage pays up to $25,000 for every injured person in an accident. However, your insurance will only pay $50,000 per accident, regardless of the number of injured people.

The cheapest car insurance companies for a full coverage policy in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: $536 per year
• American Family: $920 per year

Dairyland is the most expensive option for full coverage policies, costing $5,279 per year. American National P&C also has the cheapest full coverage car insurance in South Carolina as of October 2022. Its average cost is $501 per year, slightly lower than its average North Charleston rate.

Location can affect the cost of car insurance. Consider comparing rates across different insurers to find a policy that best fits your needs and budget.

A full coverage policy includes comprehensive and collision insurance.

• Collision insurance: Covers costs when you are at fault in an accident with another car or a stationary object.
• Comprehensive insurance: Pays for damages from non-collision incidents, such as theft, vandalism or flooding.

A full coverage policy may not be worth the cost if you own an old or low-value car.

The cheapest car insurance companies after driving violations in North Charleston are:

• Speeding ticket: American National P&C ($678 per year)
• At-fault accident: American National P&C ($678 per year)
• DUI: American National P&C ($761 per year)

Dairyland is the most expensive company after an at-fault accident ($8,741 per year), DUI ($7,311 per year) or speeding ticket ($7,888 per year). Driving offenses significantly affect the cost of car insurance. The cheapest policies for drivers with violations typically cost more than those for drivers with clean records.

Premiums are usually more expensive for drivers with severe violations. For example, in South Charleston, your annual premium for a full coverage policy can increase by $421 after a speeding ticket but by $615 after a DUI. Consider exploring your options and comparing rates to find the cheapest car insurance for those with bad driving records.

The cheapest car insurance companies for teens on a family policy in North Charleston are:

• Auto-Owners Insurance Co.: $2,491 per year for girls and $3,009 per year for boys
• Travelers: $2,844 per year for girls and $3,606 per year for boys

The most expensive company is Bristol West, which costs $8,225 per year for girls and $8,006 per year for boys. Premiums for boys can be more expensive than for girls because insurers see boys as high-risk drivers. Car insurance from Auto-Owners Insurance Co. is $518 more expensive for boys. The difference disappears in early adulthood.

Adding a teenager to a family policy is usually the best way to get the cheapest car insurance for teenagers. Car insurance for a 16-year-old boy under a family policy costs $3,487 per year while purchasing an individual policy for the same teenager costs $6,026 per year. By adding a teen to the family policy in South Charleston, you can save $2,539 annually.

The cheapest car insurance companies for active or veteran military families in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: $536 per year
• American Family: $920 per year

The same companies offer the cheapest car insurance for military drivers who want minimum coverage policies. American National P&C has the lowest premiums, averaging $308 per year. American Family is the second cheapest option, at $444 per year. You can also find affordable rates from USAA at $991 per year. The company tailors its offerings to the needs of those in the military.

Getting an online car insurance quote in North Charleston, South Carolina, can take more than 15 minutes and requires you to input a lot of personal information. MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator gives you a quick rate estimate using your age, car type, amount of coverage and driving history.

The best car insurance company depends on how you prioritize cost, customer service and coverages. American National P&C is the best in North Charleston, South Carolina, for the following categories:

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

We altered the weightings for categories, so a company’s MoneyGeek scores may vary. GEICO has the best car insurance in South Carolina, while military drivers can also consider USAA, with a MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100.

The best car insurance companies in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score 83 out of 100 ($536 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co.: MoneyGeek score 79 out of 100 ($958 per year)

American National P&C received the best scores for affordability and customer satisfaction. It has the cheapest rates while providing quality customer service. USAA is one of the best options for drivers with a military background. It received a MoneyGeek score of 82 out of 100 and has an average premium of $991 per year.

Without considering affordability, the best companies for customer service in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score 67 out of 100 ($536 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co.: MoneyGeek score 66 out of 100 ($958 per year)

American National P&C has the highest customer satisfaction and coverage scores. This company is also the most affordable option among the ones we reviewed, so customers don’t pay extra for quality customer service.

If you’re looking for a balance of cost and service quality for minimum coverage policies, the best companies in North Charleston are:

• American National P&C: MoneyGeek score 83 out of 100 ($308 per year)
• Auto-Owners Insurance Co.: MoneyGeek score 81 out of 100 ($496 per year)

Policies that only meet South Carolina’s minimum coverage requirements have the most affordable rates but offer the least liability protection and don’t cover damages to your car.

The average cost of car insurance in North Charleston is $1,382 per year, based on quotes for a full coverage policy with $100,000 bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability per accident. As of October 2022, it is $21 less than the average cost of car insurance in the U.S. and $138 more than the cost of car insurance in South Carolina. Location is just one factor that influences insurance rates.