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Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Charleston, SC (August 2022)
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Edited by Tanveen Vohra | Reviewed by licensed insurance agent, Amber Benka
Last Updated February 4, 2022
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Welcome to Charleston. All American City.
Car travel is the main mode of transportation for over 130,000 Charleston residents.
Finding the right car insurance policy for you and your lifestyle is an important step towards safe driving in Charleston. Search and save on the best car insurance policies in Charlreston today.
Car Insurance in Charleston, SC
The average cost of South Carolina car insurance will vary from city to city and between insurance companies. Insurify analyzed the latest insurance rates in Charleston, SC to find you the cheapest quotes in the area.
Quick Facts
- The average cost of car insurance in Charleston is $271 per month, or $3252 annually.
- Car insurance in Charleston is $12 more than the average cost of car insurance in South Carolina.
- The cheapest car insurance provider in Charleston on average is Kemper Preferred, but you should always compare quotes to find your best personal rate.
Quotes by Top Companies
Direct Auto$85
State Farm$109
Allstate$117
Progressive$133
Nationwide$138
Cheapest Car Insurance in Charleston, SC
The cost of car insurance can vary depending on the insurance provider. That’s because every insurance provider values information like your driving history and your credit score a little bit differently. Although the following car insurance companies offer the cheapest auto insurance premiums on average, it’s always important to compare quotes. Use Insurify to find your best rate today!
| Insurance Provider in Charleston | Quotes |
|---|---|
| Direct Auto | $85 /mo |
| State Farm | $109 /mo |
| Allstate | $117 /mo |
| Progressive | $133 /mo |
| Nationwide | $138 /mo |
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Best Car Insurance in Charleston, SC
The Insurify Composite Score is calculated by analyzing multiple factors that indicate the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings, Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys, mobile app reviews, and user-generated company reviews. The following are the top rated companies that offer car insurance in Charleston. For the complete list, see Insurify's best car insurance companies.
| Best Companies | Score | Quotes |
|---|---|---|
| American Family | 89 | $251 /mo |
| Safeco | 86 | $313 /mo |
| Liberty Mutual | 82 | $249 /mo |
| Travelers | 80 | $180 /mo |
See More: Best Car Insurance Companies
Average Car Insurance Cost
| South Carolina Cities | |
|---|---|
| Columbia | $154/mo |
| North Charleston | $125/mo |
| Mount Pleasant | $139/mo |
| Rock Hill | $139/mo |
| Charleston | $132/mo |
| South Carolina | $138/mo |
North Charleston$125
Charleston$132
Average for SC$138
Mount Pleasant$139
Rock Hill$139
Columbia$154
Click here to learn about car insurance quotes and save on your current policy.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in South Carolina
All motor vehicles operated or parked on South Carolina roadways are required to be insured. Proof of insurance must be carried in your car at all times and must be available when:
- Requested by law enforcement
- Renewing vehicle registration
- The vehicle is involved in a car accident
The minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in South Carolina[1] are:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
As a major part of your liability insurance, bodily injury coverage covers medical bills for people other than the policyholder who are injured during an accident. South Carolina is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who is responsible for the collision is also responsible for paying for any resulting expenses, either through their car insurance provider or out of pocket.
- $25,000 per accident for property damage
If it’s determined that an insured driver is at fault for an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to the property of the other involved parties. Additionally, property damage coverage can cover legal costs if the insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following the accident.
- $25,000 per person for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury
- $25,000 per accident for uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays for costs caused by a driver with little or no insurance after a car accident. In South Carolina, drivers are requred to purchase this coverage for both bodily injury and property damage.
Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Driver Age
Drivers in Charleston with minimal experience behind the wheel find that they pay the most for car insurance, as those under the age of 20 are charged an average of $670. Once residents reach their 20s, rates drop considerably with savings of about $300. Premiums continue to steadily decline as Charleston drivers get older; however, those in their 80s often pay slightly more than other seniors, with rates right around $300.
| Driver's Age | Avg. Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| teens | $671 |
| 20s | $379 |
| 30s | $301 |
| 40s | $305 |
| 50s | $375 |
| 60s | $246 |
| 70s | $234 |
| 80s | $301 |
Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Driving and Accident History
Motorists in Charleston looking to pay the lowest rates for their car insurance should make an effort to keep their driving records free from any incidents. Those who manage this pay around $311, while motorists caught speeding see their rates jumping up to $400. An at-fault accident will affect one’s premiums similarly, and failing to stop at an intersection provides the biggest financial hit, with prices moving up to $453 on average.
| Driving History | Avg. Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| No Violation | $312 |
| Speeding Ticket | $401 |
| At-Fault Accident | $395 |
| Failure to Stop for Red Light / Stop Sign | $454 |
Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Credit Tier
Residents in Charleston tend to have good or average credit and pay around $291 and $349, respectively, for their car insurance coverage. Surprisingly, falling into a different credit tier won’t make much of a difference in this city, as rates are determined by a range of other factors. Individuals with poor credit are often charged $370, while those who fall into the excellent category see their premiums average at $348.
| Credit Tier | Avg. Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Excellent | $349 |
| Good | $292 |
| Average | $350 |
| Poor | $371 |
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance South Carolina
Find local Charleston agents
Taylor Agency
147 Wappoo Creek Drive,
Charleston, SC 29412The Steadman Agency
40 Calhoun Street Suite 215,
Charleston, SC 29401Moulton & Sheally Insurance-Charleston
821 Orleans Rd,
Charleston, SC 29407C T Lowndes & Company
749 St Andrews Blvd,
Charleston, SC 29407Pinckney-Carter Company
1956 Remount Rd,
Charleston, SC 29406-3271Anderson Insurance Associates
3491 Shelby Ray Court ,
Charleston, SC 29414Harrell Insurance Agency
2000 Sam Rittenberg Blvd,
Charleston, SC 29407Pilothouse Insurance
1527 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.,
Ste. 204, Charleston, SC 29407McKenna Agency Inc
1032 Savannah Hwy,
Charleston, SC 29407Triest Agency
1052 Gardner Road,
Charleston, SC 29407
Charleston DMV Information
There is one major DMV outpost in the city of Charleston, located on Lockwood Boulevard. Here, residents can change their address, obtain a driver's license, and complete vehicle registrations. The DMV is open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM with special morning and evening hours on weekends. You may be able to skip the lines and access what you need via the online portal.
Public Transit in Charleston
CARTA, the Charleston Regional Transporation Authority, operates the public transportation system, offering residents and visitors several means of transport around the city. CARTA has bus stops around the city on nearly every block, connecting surrounding cities to downtown Charleston. And of course, Charleston offers ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, plus traditional taxis. Even with these services available, most Charleston Residents drive cars in and around the city.
How to get the best and cheapest car insurance in Charleston
As American drivers know too well, enough of their precious time is wasted sitting in traffic each year. There’s no need to waste more time finding the perfect auto insurance policy.
Use Insurify to find the best rates available by comparing dozens of insurance quotes in just a few seconds.
With an estimated 9.4 percent of vehicles driving uninsured throughout South Carolina, give yourself peace of mind with sufficient car insurance coverage. Don’t become just one more uninsured motorist—get quotes with Insurify to get the best coverage and rates for your car at a price that works for you.
FAQs - Charleston, SC Car Insurance
Driving uninsured puts yourself and the drivers and passengers in the cars around you in great danger. You should never drive uninsured. Penalties for driving uninsured are severe and may include driving privilege and vehicle registration suspensions, revocation of license plates, statutory fees, reinstatement fees, and South Carolina state SR-22 requirements. To legally drive in South Carolina, vehicles must carry liability insurance, even if they are just parked on the road. Bodily injury and property damage coverage are required as the minimum coverage in the state. Supplemental coverage for further protection in the case of an accident can be obtained in the form of comprehensive, collision, loan/lease payoff, medical payments, rental car reimbursements, roadside assistance, and uninsured motorist protection. Insurance agencies offer these options for further coverage in the case of an accident caused by or involving your vehicle. As insurance products become more comprehensive, so does the protection. While cheap auto insurance is what some drivers are in the market for, other drivers prefer to have the highest coverage. The best way to get the cheapest car insurance in Charleston and save on your auto insurance premium is to compare quotes from all companies in your area. Use a car insurance quotes comparison site like Insurify to compare up to 10+ real quotes for your specific driver profile and unlock savings and discounts. Rates can fluctuate greatly based on whether you're a safe driver or a high-risk one, but you should never overpay. Insurify provides the cheapest car insurance quotes and companies in your area in just a few seconds.
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Data scientists at Insurify analyzed over 40 million auto insurance rates across the United States to compile the car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations displayed on this page. The car insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers' vehicles, driving records, and demographic information. With these insights, Insurify is able to offer drivers insight into how their car insurance premiums are priced by companies.
Insurify Insights
How Charleston Drivers Measure Up
While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in Charleston, South Carolina below:
Methodology
Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how Charleston drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across South Carolina in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
Nissan Altima
Most Popular Car in Charleston
#11
City with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank in South Carolina
#8
City with the Most Moving Violations Rank in South Carolina
#12
City with the Most DUIs Rank in South Carolina
#37
City with the Most Suspended Licenses in South Carolina
While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. Charleston drivers rank 1 in the number of car accidents per driver across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #1
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with an accident: 15.21%
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. Charleston drivers rank 12 in the number of DUI’s per driver across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #12
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with a DUI: 1.5%
Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. Among all cities in South Carolina, Charleston drivers rank 11 in the number of reckless driving offenses per driver.
- Rank within state: #11
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with a reckless driving offense: 0.26%
The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-runs. Among all cities in South Carolina, Charleston drivers rank 36 in rude driving infractions.
- Rank within state: #36
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with a reckless driving violation: 0.83%
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and leave a permanent stain on your driving record. When compared to other cities in South Carolina, Charleston drivers rank 11 in the number of speeding infractions per driver.
- Rank within state: #11
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with a speeding ticket: 14.6%
Having a squeaky-clean driving record is an accomplishment to be proud of. Some cities have safer drivers than others; Charleston drivers rank 49 in clean driving records across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #49
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with clean record: 24.64%
As auto manufacturers increasingly turn towards producing greener car models, more and more motorists are embracing hybrids and EV’s. Charleston drivers rank 16 in hybrid and electric vehicle ownership across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #16
- Percent of drivers in Charleston with a hybrid/electric vehicle: 0.38%
Insurify Insights
Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.
Insurance Writer
Olivia Oksenhorn is an insurance writer at Insurify. With a special focus in auto insurance and personal finance, Olivia works to help policyholders make informed decisions about their insurance. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado. Before starting at Insurify, she worked as a writer and in newsrooms and nonprofits across Colorado, including Aspen Public Radio and the Aspen Sojourner. You can connect with Olivia on LinkedIn.
Learn MoreSources
- South Carolina Department of Insurance . "State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements." Accessed May 28, 2022