120+ more*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Columbia, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on May 12, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Columbia, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on May 12, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
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Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
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30+ years in financial services
Clinical Professor of Finance, University of San Diego
Updated
In Columbia, the average cost of car insurance is $177 per month for liability-only insurance and $287 for full coverage. Rates in Columbia are on par with the city of Charleston but higher than the nearby suburb of Lexington.
Columbia has a higher population and more traffic than Lexington, which can lead to more accidents and higher insurance rates.
Columbia also has a younger population, with 26% of drivers ranging from 20 to 29 years old.[1] Insurers consider younger drivers to be a higher risk, which can drive up South Carolina insurance costs.
Insurance rates in Columbia are higher than the state and national averages. USAA offers the cheapest liability-only car insurance coverage, with an average rate of $81 per month. USAA has the cheapest full-coverage policies, with an average monthly rate of $133.
State-minimum liability requirements in South Carolina include $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability and $25,000 for property damage liability.[2]
But many streets and intersections in Columbia are prone to flooding during heavy rains, so you might want to consider a full-coverage policy to protect against severe weather events like flooding.
The following table shows the cheapest liability and full-coverage car insurance rates in Columbia.
Insurance Company  | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $81 | $133 |
| Auto-Owners | $87 | $142 |
| State Farm | $90 | $145 |
| GEICO | $126 | $190 |
| Nationwide | $133 | $214 |
| Allstate | $141 | $228 |
| Travelers | $152 | $245 |
| Progressive | $156 | $228 |
| Safeco | $165 | $206 |
| State Auto | $184 | $297 |
| National General | $187 | $276 |
| Root | $190 | $278 |
| Direct Auto | $194 | $278 |
| Dairyland | $210 | $416 |
| The General | $216 | $453 |
| GAINSCO | $219 | $399 |
| Liberty Mutual | $219 | $346 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $229 | $317 |
| First Acceptance | $250 | $388 |
| Bristol West | $302 | $497 |
Average car insurance rates differ between cities in South Carolina. Aiken has some of the cheapest insurance rates in South Carolina, while North Charleston has the most expensive. Aiken has a smaller and older population than Columbia, while North Charleston has a higher population density and is located closer to the coast, which can lead to higher insurance premiums.
The table below shows average monthly rates for different cities in South Carolina.
City | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Aiken | $179 |
| Anderson | $183 |
| Charleston | $235 |
| Columbia | $232 |
| Florence | $232 |
| Fort Mill | $185 |
| Greenville | $199 |
| Greer | $184 |
| Lancaster | $228 |
| Lexington | $202 |
| Myrtle Beach | $201 |
| North Charleston | $249 |
| Rock Hill | $206 |
| Spartanburg | $199 |
| Summerville | $236 |
Pay your first week’s premium and get immediate proof of insurance
Columbia is exposed to several weather events, including severe storms, tornadoes, and flash floods. Many of Columbia’s streets and intersections, such as Adger and Devine, Blossom and Henderson, and Blossom and Pickens, are at risk of flooding during heavy rain events.[3] During storms, you should avoid flooded areas and never try to drive through flooded roadways.
While Columbia’s average commute time of 18 minutes is lower than the state and national average, drivers still experience congestion. To help with flow and traffic safety, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has implemented the Carolina Crossroads Project, which aims to improve 14 miles of the I-20, I-26, and I-126 corridor in Columbia.
This project will rebuild Columbia’s “Malfunction Junction,” one of the main interchange areas, located at I-20/I-26 and I-26/I-126. This is a multi-year project that began in 2021 and is planned to run into mid-2030.[4]
When it comes to parking in Columbia, the city enforces street parking from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday. Free parking is available on all approved public holidays. You can also find on-street meter parking from $1.50 an hour, $25 per day, $100 per week, or $400 per month. In addition to street parking, there’s also hourly and monthly parking decks.[5]
A clean driving record can result in lower rates, while a driving history that includes speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or a conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) can increase your premiums.
The city of Columbia is the 12th most dangerous metro area for pedestrians in the nation, according to research from Smart Growth American and the National Complete Streest Coalition. Nearly 6% of Columbia drivers have been in an accident, according to Insurify data. Some of the main contributors to car crashes include busy intersections, impaired driving, distracted driving, and young drivers.
The following table shows average monthly quotes for Columbia drivers with different driving records.
Driving Record | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $232 |
| Speeding ticket | $274 |
| At-fault accident | $294 |
| DUI | $374 |
Columbia is home to many schools, including the University of South Carolina and Columbia College, making it a hub for post-secondary students. This may help explain Columbia’s young population, with a median age of 28 years old.
Around 26% of Columbia drivers fall between the ages of 20 and 29. Since teens and younger drivers are more expensive to insure, this may help explain why Columbia’s car insurance rates are higher than in some neighboring cities and suburbs.
The table below highlights the average monthly quotes for Columbia drivers of different ages.
Age | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Teens | $324 |
| 20s | $224 |
| 30s | $182 |
| 40s | $178 |
| 50s | $169 |
| 60s | $153 |
| 70+ | $161 |
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Columbia, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on May 12, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Columbia, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on May 12, 2026. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Having the right car insurance coverage can provide peace of mind. To help you find the best rates and the right coverage options for your needs, check out answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about car insurance in Columbia.
The average cost of car insurance in Columbia is $177 per month for liability coverage and $287 per month for a full-coverage insurance policy, according to Insurify data.
USAA offers the cheapest car insurance in Columbia, with an average monthly liability rate of $81.
The average cost of car insurance in South Carolina is $208 per month. Adding extra coverage options, including uninsured motorist coverage or medical payments coverage, can increase your premiums.
Several factors affect car insurance rates in Columbia, including your age, gender, location, credit, and driving history. The type of coverage, your coverage limits, and your deductible can all affect your rates. To find the best price, compare quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Yes, an agent at an insurance agency can help you find car insurance discounts in Columbia. Common discounts include multi-car, safe driving, good student, and bundling discounts, which combine homeowners, life insurance, or renters insurance with auto insurance coverage.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 190 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Featured in
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 20461358
Featured in
30+ years in financial services
Clinical Professor of Finance, University of San Diego
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.