DUI Car Insurance in South Carolina (2025)
Drivers in South Carolina with a DUI pay an average of $274 per month for car insurance.
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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Edited byBecky Helzer
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Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
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Table of contents
South Carolina drivers with a DUI (driving under the influence) conviction on their record usually pay higher rates than drivers with a clean record. The cheapest average car insurance premium for drivers with a DUI in South Carolina is $91 per month for a liability-only policy.
A DUI is a serious offense, and drivers with a DUI typically face higher premiums because insurers consider them a high risk. If convicted of driving under the influence in South Carolina, you’ll have to file an SR-22 certificate with the state to show you have at least the state-minimum insurance coverage.
Keep reading to learn how to get affordable insurance after a DUI.
Quick Facts
USAA is the cheapest car insurance company, on average, for South Carolina drivers with a DUI.
Drivers in South Carolina can face jail time and/or imprisonment, as well as license suspension, after a DUI conviction.[1]
In South Carolina, a DUI conviction stays on your driving record for 10 years and your criminal record permanently.
Cheapest car insurance quotes after a DUI in South Carolina
The cheapest car insurance company in South Carolina for drivers with a DUI is USAA.
The following table shows the companies with the cheapest insurance rates for South Carolina drivers with a DUI conviction on their record.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, June 5 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company  | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| USAA | $91 |
| Auto-Owners | $99 |
| State Farm | $100 |
| Nationwide | $148 |
| Allstate | $157 |
| Progressive | $164 |
| Travelers | $169 |
| State Auto | $205 |
| GEICO | $225 |
| Safeco | $241 |
| National General | $254 |
| Direct Auto | $258 |
| Root | $277 |
| Dairyland | $293 |
| The General | $305 |
| Liberty Mutual | $318 |
| Bristol West | $371 |
| GAINSCO | $383 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $406 |
| Hugo | $491 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Find Cheap Car Insurance in South Carolina
Monthly liability rates start at $91 for drivers with a DUI
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How a DUI affects car insurance rates in South Carolina
A DUI conviction can significantly affect your insurance rate.[2] Insurify data shows that South Carolina drivers with a DUI pay about 45% more for liability-only insurance than drivers with a clean record.
The table below shows the difference in average premiums for drivers with and without a DUI in South Carolina.
With DUI | Without DUI | |
|---|---|---|
| Average driver | $274 | $174 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
How to get car insurance with a DUI in South Carolina
Having a DUI on your record makes you a high-risk driver. Obtaining coverage can be difficult, and you’ll likely pay a higher premium. The following steps can help if you’re shopping for car insurance in South Carolina after a DUI:
1. Find a company that will insure you
Not all car insurance companies in South Carolina insure drivers with a DUI. You may need to seek coverage from a company specializing in non-standard car insurance that will file an SR-22 for you.
2. Choose your coverage
Select the types of car insurance you want.[3] A policy with state-minimum coverage is the cheapest one you can get, but it provides limited protection. A full-coverage policy is more expensive, but it covers your car if you’re in an accident.
3. Select a deductible
Choose a deductible you can comfortably afford if you need to file a claim. Picking a higher deductible lowers your monthly premium, but a lower deductible reduces out-of-pocket costs if you file a claim.[4]
4. Compare several quotes
It’s wise to compare quotes from several insurers to find the cheapest car insurance in South Carolina with a DUI. Many insurers provide online quotes, or you can use a comparison tool to compare rates from multiple insurers with one application.
5. Purchase a policy
Once you find a company with the best coverage at an affordable price, you can buy the policy. Your coverage begins when you pay the first month’s premium.
DUI laws in South Carolina
In South Carolina, a DUI conviction stays on your driving record for 10 years and your criminal record permanently. After 10 years, the DUI drops from your record, and your car insurance rates may decrease, assuming you have no other convictions during that time.
The state automatically suspends your license if you get a DUI in South Carolina. You’ll need an SR-22 — a certificate proving you carry the minimum insurance coverage South Carolina requires — to reinstate your license.
A DUI conviction in South Carolina can lead to the following penalties:
Fine of up to $400 ($992 with assessments and surcharges) and/or imprisonment of 48 hours to 30 days
License suspension for six months
Fine between $2,100 and $5,100 ($10,744 with assessments and surcharges) and imprisonment of five days to one year
License suspension for one year
Fine between $3,800 and $6,300 ($13,234 with assessments and surcharges) and imprisonment of 60 days to three years
License suspension for two years
For a third offense within five years of the first DUI, the state will suspend your license for four years. The state will seize your vehicle if a third or subsequent DUI happens within 10 years of the first offense.
Imprisonment of one to five years
Permanent revocation of your driver’s license
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Minimum car insurance requirements in South Carolina
South Carolina requires its drivers to carry personal liability insurance with the following minimum coverage limits:[5]
$25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
$50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
$25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident
DUI car insurance in South Carolina FAQs
If you’re shopping for the best car insurance in South Carolina with a DUI, the following information can help you choose the best policy.
What is the cheapest car insurance company in South Carolina after a DUI?
USAA is the cheapest car insurance company in South Carolina for drivers with a DUI. Its average rate for drivers with a DUI is $91 per month for liability-only coverage.
How long will a DUI affect your car insurance premium?
A DUI stays on your driving record for 10 years in South Carolina. During those 10 years, your car insurance premium will be more expensive than before the DUI.
How much is DUI insurance in South Carolina?
The average total cost of DUI insurance in South Carolina is $339 per month. To compare, the average cost of car insurance in South Carolina for a driver with a clean record is $215 per month.
How does SR-22 insurance work in South Carolina?
South Carolina drivers with a DUI must get SR-22 insurance to reinstate their driver’s license. Despite the name, SR-22 insurance isn’t a type of insurance. Rather, it’s a certificate verifying that you carry the minimum amount of insurance coverage legally required in the state.
What is the cheapest SR-22 insurance?
Since an SR-22 isn’t insurance, it doesn’t have a premium. If you need an SR-22, you’ll pay a flat fee for your insurance company to file the form on your behalf. It costs around $25 each year to file an SR-22, but the cost varies by insurer.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 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 50+ 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:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
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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Sources
- South Carolina Department of Public Safety. "SC Laws Relative to Impaired Driving."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What if I can't find auto coverage?."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Auto insurance basics—understanding your coverage."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Understanding your insurance deductibles."
- South Carolina Department of Insurance. "Automobile Insurance."
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Elizabeth has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.