Cheapest Car Insurance in South Carolina (June 2024)

American National P&C offers the cheapest auto insurance for minimum coverage in South Carolina. Auto-Owners and South Carolina Farm Bureau also offer the most affordable rates for certain types of drivers.

If you who seek quality service at a reasonable price, you should consider the top-rated car insurance companies in South Carolina.

The cheapest car insurance companies for a minimum coverage policy in South Carolina are:

• American National P&C: $297 per year
• Auto-Owners: $466 per year

Dairyland offers the most expensive option at $2,361 per year. South Carolina minimum coverage only includes bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured motorist coverage.

A minimum coverage policy covers damages or injuries to others but not damages to your car. To avoid paying for damages to your car, you need a full coverage policy with comprehensive and collision insurance.

MoneyGeek found the following companies have the cheapest full coverage rates in South Carolina:

• American National P&C: $536 per year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $890 per year

Dairyland offers the most expensive, at around $4,591 per year.

Adding comprehensive and collision coverage to an American National policy costs around $239 more than its minimum coverage policy. A full coverage policy offers financial protection from both on-road and off-road incidents.

The amount of car insurance you need will significantly affect your rate. MoneyGeek's sample full coverage policy provides $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability.

If you're looking for extra savings on car insurance, you can choose lower liability limits, drop comprehensive and collision insurance or raise your deductible for collision, comprehensive or both. However, this can leave you underinsured in case of an accident and result in high out-of-pocket costs.

Although many insurers offer quotes online, getting one can take as long as 15 minutes. You also have to cross-compare multiple website offers to find the best deal.

MoneyGeek’s car insurance calculator can help you get a general idea of what different car insurance companies charge without having to provide any personal information. It's a good tool to start with when shopping for the cheapest car insurance.

Auto-Owners offers the cheapest options for teens, while American National P&C is the most affordable for both young adults and seniors.

The companies offering the most affordable car insurance for teens in South Carolina are:

• Auto-Owners: $2,558 per year for male teens and $2,119 per year for female teens
• State Farm: $2,729 per year for male teens and $2,178 per year for female teens

Teens pay a diminishing car insurance premium as they age, giving 19-year-old drivers the lowest rate among this age group. South Carolina's cheapest car insurer for 19-year-old males is Auto-Owners ($1,800 per year).

Bristol West offers the most expensive option, at $6,141 for male teens and $6,316 for female teens. Families can save around $2,539 by adding teenagers to their existing auto insurance policy instead of buying a separate policy. And if a teen is under 18, in most cases, they must have a parent or guardian co-sign the policy to legally get auto insurance.

Many insurers offer discounts to young drivers. For example, Allstate offers good student and distant student discounts, which are common across insurers.

Our ranking shows that the companies offering the cheapest car insurance for drivers in their 20s in South Carolina are:

• American National P&C: $635 per year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $1,127 per year

Dairyland offers the most expensive full coverage policy, at about $5,194 yearly. On average, younger drivers in South Carolina pay $358 more for car insurance than middle-aged drivers.

We looked at the cost of auto insurance in South Carolina for seniors and found that the cheapest options come from:

• American National P&C: $560 per, year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $798 per year

Dairyland offers the highest-priced full coverage policy, costing around $3,965 per year. For full coverage car insurance, senior drivers in South Carolina pay approximately $97 less than middle-aged drivers. Note that car insurance rates tend to rise as drivers approach their 70s and 80s, as accident frequency increases within these age groups.

Seniors can save on car insurance by taking advantage of discounts and comparing rates since insurers consider factors in addition to age when calculating premiums.

American National P&C offers the most affordable full coverage insurance after getting a speeding ticket, being in an at-fault accident or being charged with a DUI. South Carolina Farm Bureau is the cheapest insurer for drivers with poor credit, while Auto-Owners has the most affordable rates for those with sports cars.

For drivers in South Carolina who have received a speeding ticket, the following auto insurance providers offer the most affordable full coverage policies:

• American National P&C: $676 per year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $981 per year

At $6,759 per year, Dairyland is the most expensive provider for drivers with a speeding ticket. In South Carolina, car insurance rates increase by about $482 after getting a ticket.

The following car insurance companies are the cheapest for drivers with an at-fault accident in South Carolina:

• American National P&C: $676 per year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $1,121 per year

Dairyland’s full coverage policy is the priciest at approximately $7,389. On average, drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record pay $771 more for car insurance than those who have no accidents.

The companies offering the cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI in South Carolina are:

• American National P&C: $756 per year
• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $1,047 per year

Dairyland's full coverage policy costs around $5,958 per year, making it the most expensive option. Drivers with a DUI tend to pay $661 more for car insurance than those with a clean record.

If your credit score is below 580, you can save the most on car insurance from the following companies in South Carolina:

• South Carolina Farm Bureau: $1,634 per year
• American National P&C: $1,799 per year

The most expensive option is a full coverage policy from Dairyland that costs around $5,961. Drivers with poor credit pay $1,241 more on average for car insurance than those with credit scores above 750.

Persons with poor credit ratings have a higher-than-average likelihood of filing a claim. To address this, some insurers charge higher rates to drivers with a poor credit-based insurance score. This practice is illegal in some states but not in South Carolina.

Improving your score over time might help you save in the long run. However, if you want immediate savings, look into companies offering discounts for bundling your insurance policies or for having car safety features, such as automatic emergency braking.

Sports car drivers in South Carolina will find the cheapest car insurance from:

• Auto-Owners: $920 per year
• American Family: $1,122 per year

Dairyland's full coverage policy is the most expensive at $4,337. A sports car driver generally pays $286 more for car insurance than a Toyota Camry driver.

MoneyGeek used a Ford Mustang as its sample sports car, but insurance costs can vary depending on what you drive. The car model may not always be a factor that affects price, but premiums for luxury, electric and sports cars may sometimes be higher in some states.

MoneyGeek found that the cheapest car insurance company in South Carolina for active-duty military or veterans is American National P&C, costing around $536 per year.

Policies from USAA, the financial services company that caters exclusively to the military community nationwide, costs approximately $1,172. While not the cheapest, USAA offers special coverage benefits and discounts for military personnel.

Military community members could also get a quote from GEICO. It has coverages and discounts specifically for you, with premiums going down as much as 15%.

The cost of car insurance in South Carolina varies by location. Columbia is the cheapest city for car insurance at around $599 per year with American National P&C. Charleston is among the cheapest at $613 with the same insurer.

Most states require you to carry bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance. You’ll also need uninsured motorist coverage in South Carolina.

In South Carolina, you are only required to purchase a minimum amount of auto insurance. A minimum liability policy includes bodily injury, property damage and uninsured motorist coverage.

Buying the minimum insurance coverage might be a cost-saving option, but it offers less protection. MoneyGeek recommends getting as much liability coverage as you can afford to cover as many costs as possible in case of an at-fault accident.

Insurance companies may also require you to secure an SR-22 form, which may mean additional coverage.

MoneyGeek suggests purchasing $100,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability insurance per accident and $100,000 in property damage insurance per accident.

If you finance or lease your car, you will likely have to buy comprehensive and collision insurance. Comprehensive insurance covers damages from non-collision incidents, such as theft, vandalism, fire and severe weather events, including flooding. Collision insurance covers the cost of repairs for collisions with other vehicles or objects, such as trees and poles, and rollovers and pothole damage.

MoneyGeek recommends that drivers with expensive cars buy comprehensive and collision insurance for added security.

You can drive legally without insurance in South Carolina. However, you may have to provide proof of financial responsibility to the DMV: This includes a surety bond or real estate bond with two real estate owners if the combined equity is a minimum of $150,000 and a Certificate of Deposit from the treasurer’s office of cash or securities worth $35,000.

MoneyGeek answers common questions to help you choose a policy that meets your needs.