With a score of 85 out of 100, Ambetter offers the best health insurance in South Carolina, excelling in affordability, customer service and coverage. If Ambetter isn't available in your area, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Molina, InStil Health and First Choice Next also provide excellent coverage options.
Best Health Insurance in South Carolina
Updated: June 24, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Overall, Ambetter offers the best and most balanced health insurance coverage in South Carolina.
UnitedHealthcare provides the best cheap health insurance in South Carolina, with Silver-tier plan rates averaging about $464 per year.
To find the best health insurance in South Carolina, educate yourself on companies available to you, decide coverage needs beforehand and compare plan quotes from several companies.
Best Health Insurance Companies in South Carolina
| Ambetter | 85 | Clear Silver |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 82 | BlueExtend PPO HD Silver 1 |
| Molina | 74 | Silver 12 |
| InStil Health | 71 | InHealth Basic Standard |
| First Choice Next | 60 | First Choice Next Silver Signature |
*Our picks are the best companies for 40-year-olds looking for Silver-tier plans.
Best Health Insurance in South Carolina by Category
While we've given our top picks overall, the best company for you may differ depending on your profile and preferred plan type. So below, we've broken down the top picks for common categories to make more personalized recommendations.
| Children/Families | Ambetter |
| Young Adults | Ambetter |
| Seniors | Ambetter |
| PPO | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
| HMO | Ambetter |
| POS | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
| EPO | Blue Cross Blue Shield |
Best South Carolina Health Insurance Reviews
So that you can learn about our recommendations, we've broken down our top picks overall, for affordability and customer service reputation.
Ambetter: Best Overall
pros
Top-rated marketplace insurer and competitive pricing
Strong claims approval record and BBB accreditation
Best overall for most in South Carolina
cons
Significant customer service and claims processing issues
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Ambetter from Absolute Total Care is South Carolina's top overall choice, with a MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100. It offers competitively priced Silver plans and has the lowest claims denial rate at 15%. As part of Centene Corporation, it provides comprehensive marketplace coverage, including preventive care, mental health services and prescription drugs, with many plans offering dental and vision options.
United HealthCare: Best Cheap Overall
pros
Cheapest rates in South Carolina for most plan tiers
Extensive network coverage and national presence
cons
Poor customer service and claims processing issues
High rates of claim denials and coverage restrictions
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
UnitedHealthcare offers the most affordable Individual & Family ACA Marketplace plans in South Carolina, with eligible families potentially qualifying for $0 monthly premiums through federal subsidies. It expanded significantly in 2025, providing four plan types: Essential, Value, Advantage and Copay Focus across Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers. The company's cost transparency and predictability make it ideal for budget-conscious consumers seeking reliable marketplace coverage.
Blue Cross Blue Shield: Best Customer Reputation
pros
Second-most-affordable rates in the state
Highest customer reputation score in South Carolina
cons
Largest number of in-network counties
No out-of-network coverage, unless there's a medical emergency
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina excels in customer service as the state's largest and oldest health insurer with over 60 years of experience and an A+ financial stability rating. It offers innovative programs like Blue Rewards (earning members up to $600 annually), extensive online tools and comprehensive network coverage through HMO and PPO options. It's also recognized as NerdWallet's second-highest rated company with the lowest-priced Bronze and Silver plans.
How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in South Carolina
The following recommendations will ensure that buying health insurance that is ideal for you is easy.
Decide on your coverage needs before buying
When looking for the best health insurance, weigh the monthly cost against the maximum out-of-pocket limits for plans. If you go to the doctor often, a plan with a higher monthly fee but lower MOOP can save you money. But you may not need as much coverage if you're not high risk. Also, compare health insurance plan types to ensure how flexible a provider will be in covering you.
Compare company offerings and reputations
Before comparing rates, understand what plans the top companies in your area offer and their terms. Also, look into company reputations through forums and industry sources like J.D. Power to ensure a smooth buying and coverage claims process.
Shop around
Comparing multiple plans from many providers ensures you get the best possible deal. We found that rates can start as low as $464 monthly in South Carolina, depending on your personal profile and chosen plan type. Open Enrollment lasts from November 1 to January 15, but you may also qualify for Special Enrollment if you've lost your job, divorced or had a child.
Take advantage of federal programs and subsidies
Those with low income, have a qualifying disability or illness, or are 65 years old or older can receive subsidies or be eligible for Medicare plans. In some cases, depending on your details, you can have up to 100% of your premiums covered if you're low-income or have significant savings if you're eligible for Medicare. MoneyGeek also provides information for finding the top South Carolina Medicare Supplement and best Medicare Advantage plans in South Carolina if you want to learn more.
Best Health Insurance in South Carolina: Bottom Line
Overall, our top three South Carolina health insurance picks are Ambetter, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Molina. However, the best possible health insurance plan for you will vary widely depending on your personal details and coverage needs. Compare as many plans and companies as possible to get the right fit.
Best South Carolina Health Insurance: FAQ
Below we've answered frequently asked questions about the best health insurance in South Carolina:
What is the best health insurance provider in South Carolina for 2025?
Ambetter provides the best health insurance in South Carolina for 2025. However, your best choice will depend on your unique circumstances and needs and if coverage is available in your county.
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in South Carolina?
When finding the best health insurance plan, compare both premium costs and coverage breadth to ensure the plan meets your specific medical needs without gaps in essential services. The ideal plan balances affordability with comprehensive coverage that aligns with your health requirements and anticipated medical expenses.
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance in South Carolina
To rank health care insurance providers in South Carolina, MoneyGeek researched premiums, out-of-pocket costs, claims denial rates and plan types for each available company and compared them across different categories. We then weighted each category to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score and derive rankings.
We weighted most categories as follows:
- Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) score (30%): The MOOP is the most you'll pay per year for health care costs outside of your monthly premiums. The provider with the lowest average MOOP scores the highest.
- Claims denial score (30%): How often a provider denies claims. The provider with the lowest claims denial rate scores the highest.
- Rate score (20%): How much the provider's monthly plans cost. The cheapest provider, on average, gets the highest score.
- Plan type score (20%): Providers score better if they have plan types with broader coverage. A provider with many PPO plans will get the highest score.
In some cases, we adjusted the weightings as follows:
- For the categories "Best Cheap Health Insurance in South Carolina" and "Best Health Insurance in South Carolina for Low Income," we increased the rate score weighting to 50%. We decreased every other category by 10%.
- For the category "Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in South Carolina," we decreased the plan type score weighting to 0% to reflect that we are comparing providers' plans like-for-like. We increased MOOP and claims denial score weightings by 10% each.
Sample Consumer:
MoneyGeek collected data on all available plans in South Carolina for consumers aged 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. Unless otherwise noted, all monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old buyer, such as the category for young adults. Plans analyzed in each section include the relevant cited metal tiers, which include Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.