Average Car Insurance Cost in South Carolina (2023)

South Carolina drivers pay 19% more for full-coverage car insurance than the average American driver. Overall, South Carolina drivers pay an average of $291 per month for full-coverage insurance and $167 per month for liability-only coverage. In fact, South Carolina is the sixth most-expensive state for car insurance, according to Insurify data.

Extreme weather, rising repair costs, and multiple other factors contribute to the state's high insurance prices. Nearly 11% of drivers in South Carolina are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council. And Insurify data indicates that South Carolina had the most traffic accidents of any state in 2022. The Palmetto State's accident rate is significantly higher than the national average.

Comparing car insurance quotes from multiple companies is the best way for South Carolina drivers to find the coverage they need at affordable prices.

What’s the average cost of car insurance in South Carolina?

South Carolina drivers pay an average of $291 per month for full-coverage insurance and $167 per month for liability-only coverage. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that South Carolina’s auto insurance average is higher than the national rates of $207 and $103, respectively.

“It can be different from state to state,” says Loretta Worters, vice president of media relations at the Insurance Information Institute. Worters says that geography and weather events often play a factor in how insurers price auto policies.

“For example, in Texas, they have a lot of hail that damages cars, so [auto insurance rates] may be higher than a place like Iowa,” Worters says.

South Carolina has a 79.9% chance that a tropical storm will make landfall in any given year, which poses a risk to property in the state’s coastal area, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.^[1] This high chance of tropical storms may contribute to higher car insurance rates for the state.

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Average South Carolina car insurance rates by city

Car insurance rates vary among cities in South Carolina. Insurers consider your area’s rates of accidents and theft when setting your car insurance premiums.^[2]

“Urban areas such as Charleston, for example, tend to have higher average rates, since more vehicles on the road means a higher chance of getting into an accident,” Worters says.

Urban areas also tend to have more crime, such as cars being stolen or broken into, and insurers factor those rates into premiums as well.

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by insurance company

Insurers have their own formulas and algorithms to determine a driver’s car insurance policy costs.^[3] It’s all about calculating risk while weighing what the average consumer is willing to pay for coverage.

USAA and Auto-Owners offer the lowest average liability-only rates for car insurance in South Carolina, at $51 and $55 a month, respectively. The following table illustrates rates from top insurance companies operating in South Carolina.

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by age

Insurers consider teenage drivers without much experience as a higher risk, so they typically charge them higher premiums as a result.^[4] Teenage drivers in South Carolina pay $477 a month, on average, for car insurance. However, these average rates drop 81% once you reach your 20s. 

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by gender

Many insurance companies factor your gender when setting your car insurance premiums, and male drivers typically pay more.^[2] This is because, statistically, men are more likely to get into more, and more severe, traffic accidents. The following table illustrates the cost differences between average monthly rates for men and women in South Carolina.

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by marital status

If you’re unmarried in South Carolina, you’ll pay more than married drivers. Married drivers may pay less because they’re more likely to own multiple vehicles that can qualify them for a discount. The following table illustrates the differences in average monthly liability rates for South Carolina drivers based on marital status.

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by driving record

In South Carolina, if you have a clean record, you may pay less on average for full coverage or liability-only insurance than somebody who has a DUI on their record. Speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can also affect your premiums in South Carolina. Drivers with these spots on their records pay 33% and 43% more, respectively, for liability-only insurance.

The following table shows examples of how different motor vehicle violations can affect monthly liability insurance rates for South Carolina drivers.

Average South Carolina car insurance rates by credit

If you’ve been thinking you should raise your credit score, it should pay off — not just with better terms for loans but also with your car insurance premiums. Insurance companies assume that if your credit score is high, your odds of filing a claim are lower.^[5]

In South Carolina, drivers with poor credit pay $327 a month on average for full coverage, compared to $231 for drivers with excellent credit. Liability-only coverage differences are similar. Drivers with bad credit pay $188 for liability coverage versus $132 for those with excellent credit.

South Carolina minimum car insurance requirements

Every state regulates insurance a little differently; there’s no national standard.

South Carolina’s minimum car insurance requirements are as follows:^[6]

• $25,000 per person for bodily injury liability 

• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability 

• $25,000 per accident for property damage liability 

• Uninsured motorist coverage at the liability requirement limits

Here’s what to know about South Carolina’s minimum car insurance requirements.^[6]

• 

  Bodily injury liability

  If you injure somebody else in a car accident your insurance will pay for their medical expenses, up to the policy limits.

• 

  Property damage liability

  This coverage provides protection if you damage another car or some other property in a car accident.

• 

  Uninsured motorists coverage

  This protects you, the policyholder. If a hit-and-run driver or uninsured driver injures you or damages your car, uninsured motorist coverage pays for medical expenses and repairs, up to the policy limit.

• 

  Underinsured motorists coverage

  This pays for your injuries or car’s damage if the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance to compensate you for your medical care or repairs. South Carolina doesn’t require underinsured motorist coverage, but the state requires that insurance companies offer underinsured motorists coverage to drivers.

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South Carolina car insurance FAQs