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.
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| Insurance Provider in North Charleston | |
|---|---|
 Direct Auto | $92/mo |
 Allstate | $117/mo |
 State Farm | $122/mo |
Progressive | $144/mo |
 Nationwide | $152/mo |
| Best Companies | ||
|---|---|---|
 American Family | $258/mo | |
 Liberty Mutual | $280/mo | |
 Travelers | $171/mo |
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| Columbia | $154/mo |
| Charleston | $132/mo |
| Mount Pleasant | $139/mo |
| Rock Hill | $139/mo |
| North Charleston | $125/mo |
| South Carolina | $138/mo |
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 available when:
The minimum liability car insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in South Carolina are as follows:
Bodily injury liability coverage protects drivers if their car is involved in an accident that harms another individual. The minimum limits required by South Carolina state law are $25,000 for the death or injury of a single victim as a result of a car accident and $50,000 for the deaths or injuries of multiple victims. Insurance companies list this type of coverage as 25/50, referring to the dollar limitations of each minimum. If you’re in an accident, liability coverage will cover the cost of a legal proceeding as a result of a crash. Bodily injury coverage is part of the minimum coverage required by South Carolina law.
The state minimum amount of property damage liability coverage required in the state of South Carolina is $25,000. If an insured driver is determined to be at fault and held liable in a motor vehicle accident, this coverage pays for damage repair to another individual’s property. Property damage coverage will also pay for legal costs if an insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following an accident.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage are required in South Carolina. This coverage protects drivers who might incur damages from an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. If involved in an accident with an individual without sufficient coverage, insured drivers will still be covered. In South Carolina, the legally required level of Uninsured Motorist coverage is:
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 | |
|---|---|
| teens | $740 |
| 20s | $414 |
| 30s | $331 |
| 40s | $292 |
| 50s | $238 |
| 60s | $269 |
| 70s | $295 |
| 80s | $190 |
| Driving History | |
|---|---|
| No Violation | $298 |
| Speeding Ticket | $466 |
| At-Fault Accident | $398 |
| Failure to Stop for Red Light / Stop Sign | $458 |
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.
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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 Tie | |
|---|---|
| Excellent | $339 |
| Good | $326 |
| Average | $334 |
| Poor | $350 |
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance South Carolina
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.
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.
Drawing from their database of over 4 million car insurance shopper applications, the data scientists at Insurify have published various reports on driver behavior and car ownership — including how North Charleston drivers measure up to their fellow South Carolina motorists in the rankings above.
From driver performance across different geographical locations and demographics to patterns in motor vehicle ownership and auto insurance coverage, Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national and local rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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