4.8out of 3,000+ reviews

Edited by Tanveen Vohra | Reviewed by licensed insurance agent, Amber Benka
Last Updated February 4, 2022
Why you can trust Insurify
South Carolina is notorious for being a difficult place to drive and North Charleston is a city that can certainly test your patience. It’s been noted that 48 hours of each week on the road is made up of huge traffic jams, and the city has been ranked as the 43rd most congested city in the nation. North Charleston’s population is only just over 100,000 people, yet it feels as if many more are on the road. It’s crucial for residents to enroll in robust auto insurance, as an accident can happen easily in this busy place.
Car Insurance in North Charleston, SC
Quick Facts
- The average cost of car insurance in North Charleston is $295 per month, or $3540 annually.
- Car insurance in North Charleston is $36 more than the average cost of car insurance in South Carolina.
- The cheapest car insurance provider in North Charleston on average is Kemper Preferred, but you should always compare quotes to find your best personal rate.
Quotes by Top Companies
Cheapest Car Insurance in North Charleston, SC
Insurance Provider in North Charleston | Quotes |
---|---|
Direct Auto | $92 /mo |
Allstate | $117 /mo |
State Farm | $122 /mo |
Progressive | $144 /mo |
Nationwide | $152 /mo |
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Best Car Insurance in North Charleston, SC
Best Companies | Score | Quotes |
---|---|---|
American Family | 89 | $258 /mo |
Liberty Mutual | 82 | $280 /mo |
Travelers | 80 | $171 /mo |
Average Car Insurance Cost
South Carolina Cities | |
---|---|
Columbia | $154/mo |
Charleston | $132/mo |
Mount Pleasant | $139/mo |
Rock Hill | $139/mo |
North Charleston | $125/mo |
South Carolina | $138/mo |
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.
North Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Driver Age
When it comes to monthly insurance premiums, companies often reward maturity with lower rates. This is undoubtedly true in the city of North Charleston. Here, teen drivers pay an average premium of $739 per month, more than three times the average cost for drivers in their 50s (who pay $237 on average). And although those in their 60s and 70s have had more time on the road, more advanced age groups can signal additional insurance risks and pay more in premiums than many drivers even 30 years their junior.
Driver's Age | Avg. Monthly Cost |
---|---|
teens | $740 |
20s | $414 |
30s | $331 |
40s | $292 |
50s | $238 |
60s | $269 |
70s | $295 |
80s | $190 |
North Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Driving and Accident History
Keep a clean driving record in North Charleston, and you’ll enjoy significantly better rates than those who aren’t as careful. Why? When you make driving mistakes, insurance companies recoup their losses by raising insurance rates—either because you’ve made a claim or because the chances of you making a claim in the future are now more significant. Auto insurance bills for those who speed or run through stop signs in North Charleston average out to $465 and $457, respectively. However, the careful driver pays as much as 57 percent less in premiums per month in this city.
Driving History | Avg. Monthly Cost |
---|---|
No Violation | $298 |
Speeding Ticket | $466 |
At-Fault Accident | $398 |
Failure to Stop for Red Light / Stop Sign | $458 |
North Charleston Car Insurance Rates by Credit Tier
Auto insurance companies charge you based on the amount of risk you are assigned. They determine risk by using all kinds of data, including your credit score. Why? Studies have found that the way you manage your money can accurately predict the likelihood of making an insurance claim. As the average car insurance rates in North Charleston demonstrate, drivers with excellent credit scores in North Charleston pay an average of $337 in car insurance premiums. In contrast, those with a poor credit score pay over $10 more monthly for the same coverage.
Credit Tier | Avg. Monthly Cost |
---|---|
Excellent | $339 |
Good | $326 |
Average | $334 |
Poor | $350 |
Find local North Charleston agents
McKenna Agency Inc
2154 N Center St,
Ste B 204, North Charleston , SC 29406HUB International Charleston
4401 Leeds Ave,
North Charleston, SC 29405-7554W C Wilbur & Company
1072 E Montague Ave,
North Charleston, SC 29405-4822The Ferguson Agency
9229 University Blvd.,
Ste A, North Charleston, SC 29406AssuredPartners of SC, LLC
3860 Faber Place Dr Ste 400,
North Charleston, SC 29405-8555M2R LLC
PO Box 70548,
North Charleston, SC 29415Insurance Office of America
4400 Leeds Ave Ste 470,
North Charleston, SC 29405-7572Robinson Auto Insurance
3353 Rivers Ave,
North Charleston, SC 29405Direct Auto Insurance
5500 Rivers Ave,
North Charleston, SC 29406Direct Auto Insurance
2110 Greenridge Rd Suite F,
North Charleston, SC 29406
North Charleston, SC DMV Information
As if traffic weren’t bad enough, trying to visit the DMV in North Charleston is also a time-consuming task. There’s just one office within the city limits and it’s open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exception of a 9:30 a.m. start time on Wednesdays. Residents who want to try their luck at another location can make a short drive to Charleston or Mount Pleasant.
Public Transportation in North Charleston, SC
Given that North Charleston is a relatively small city compared to other major metropolitan areas, individuals without a vehicle will find that public transportation is minimal. The city is included in the greater Charleston Regional Transportation Authority system, so there might be some gaps in coverage depending on where you need to go. For consistent and reliable transportation, a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft is your best option.
How to get the best and cheapest car insurance in North Charleston, SC
Many people love living in North Charleston, as the area is rich in history and offers a number of things to do at any time of the year. However, driving in this city can be quite frustrating and even sometimes dangerous, as winter weather can create hazards on the road. If you do choose to drive in North Charleston, it’s recommended that you enroll in a robust car insurance policy in the event of an accident.
Keep in mind that full coverage doesn’t have to be expensive, as many people save more than they thought they would by using Insurify. Simply answer a few questions and you can compare quotes online from multiple insurance companies with ease. Insurance in North Charleston doesn’t have to be costly when you use Insurify!
FAQs - North Charleston, SC Car Insurance
Yes, if you are involved in a collision in South Carolina, it’s important to keep in mind that the state uses an at-fault system. This means that the insurance policy of the person who caused the accident will be utilized first to cover any damages or injuries. Residents of South Carolina find that they tend to pay at least the national average for auto insurance, if not more, depending on their unique circumstances. North Charleston rates can be higher than expected due to the number of accidents in the area. People trying to save money on car insurance should visit Insurify today and compare real-time quotes from multiple insurance companies. You’ll be able to see which discounts are applicable to your driving situation and can even enroll in a policy online.
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Methodology
The car insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify’s database of over 40 million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify’s data science team performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes will vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder’s driver history and their garaging address.
Insurify Insights
How North 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 North 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 North 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.
Honda Accord
Most Popular Car in North Charleston
#30
City with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank in South Carolina
#53
City with the Most Moving Violations Rank in South Carolina
#24
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. North Charleston drivers rank 6 in the number of car accidents per driver across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #6
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with an accident: 15.53%
- Drivers in North Charleston, SC with an accident in their driving history pay on average 30.64% more than drivers with a clean record
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and leave a permanent stain on your driving record. When compared to other cities in South Carolina, North Charleston drivers rank 30 in the number of speeding infractions per driver.
- Rank within state: #30
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with a speeding ticket: 14.06%
- Drivers in North Charleston, SC with a speeding ticket in their driving history pay on average 28.62% more than drivers with a clean record
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. North Charleston drivers rank 24 in the number of DUI’s per driver across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #24
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with a DUI: 1.47%
- Drivers in North Charleston, SC with a DUI in their driving history pay on average 18.18% more than drivers with a clean record
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, North Charleston drivers rank 11 in rude driving infractions.
- Rank within state: #11
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with a reckless driving violation: 1.87%
- Drivers in North Charleston, SC with a reckless driving violation in their driving history pay on average 22.22% more than drivers with a clean record.
Having a squeaky-clean driving record is an accomplishment to be proud of. Some cities have safer drivers than others; North Charleston drivers rank 21 in clean driving records across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #21
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with clean record: 74.23%
Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. North Charleston drivers rank 14 in failure to yield violations per driver across all cities in South Carolina.
- Rank within state: #14
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with a failure to yield violation: 0.54%
- Drivers in North Charleston, SC with a failure to yield violation in their driving history pay on average 0% more than drivers with a clean record
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, North Charleston drivers rank 25 in the number of reckless driving offenses per driver.
- Rank within state: #25
- Percent of drivers in North Charleston with a reckless driving offense: 0.13%
Some car models are just more popular than others and trends can vary from place to place. The most popular vehicle in North Charleston is the Honda Accord.
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.
Sources
- South Carolina Department of Insurance . "State Minimum Car Insurance Requirements." Accessed May 28, 2022