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South Carolina Homeowners Insurance Quotes (2022)
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Edited by John Leach
Updated February 25, 2022
Average Cost of Home Insurance in South Carolina
According to 2021 rates, the average cost of homeowners insurance in South Carolina is $2026 per year and $169 per month. South Carolina homeowners insurance rates are $628 per year more then the national average and about 45% more annually. When compared to the other US states that makes the cost of homeowners insurance in South Carolina the 7th most expensive in the country, based on 2021 data.
For shoppers, the best way to find a homeowners insurance policy in South Carolina is to evaluate all of the quotes from individual insurance providers and then decide on the policy that fits your requirements and budget level. Fortunately finding the right homeowners insurance coverage is easy with a tool like Insurify.
Insurify provides easy and fast home insurance quote comparisons for all kinds of homeowners nationwide. Insurify has helped thousands of customers receive accurate homeowners quotes for your property in South Carolina in minutes.
| South Carolina Average Homeowners Insurance Rates The car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations on this page are derived from Insurify’s proprietary database of over 4 million car insurance applications from ZIP codes across the United States. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of the various factors car insurance providers take into account while setting rates to provide readers insight into how car insurance quotes are priced. | |
|---|---|
| Average Cost Per Month | $169 |
| Average Annual Premium | $2026 |
| State Rank (Most Expensive) | 7th |
Cheapest Home Insurance Companies in South Carolina
For homeowners in South Carolina, it's important that you evaluate all of your potential insurance options to ensure you are finding the best rate. Comparing the right insurance companies will allow you to get the best possible insurance rate for your home.
To simplify comparing companies, Insurify has analyzed rates from top insurance providers in South Carolina. The following are the best insurance rates from carriers that offer homeowners insurance in South Carolina.
| Cheapest Companies | Quotes The car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations on this page are derived from Insurify’s proprietary database of over 4 million car insurance applications from ZIP codes across the United States. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of the various factors car insurance providers take into account while setting rates to provide readers insight into how car insurance quotes are priced. |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,215 |
| Chubb | $790 |
| Nationwide | $1,841 |
| State Farm | $1,458 |
| Travelers | $3,761 |
How to Get Affordable Home Insurance in South Carolina
Buying a home is a huge financial commitment, and, inevitably, the decision to do so involves some level of risk. While this is unavoidable, homeowners can take steps to minimize this risk and protect their property from unforeseen disasters.
The first step in protecting oneself is purchasing homeowners insurance. Though not required by law, home insurance protects your personal belongings from natural disasters or theft. Different coverage options are available for different property types, locations, and other factors.
For more specific location information, check out our Columbia homeowner insurance guide.
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South Carolina Homeowners Insurance Rates by Company
Home insurance rates will differ from customer to customer based on the specific insurance products purchased, the bundling of those products, and the risk profile of the property being insured.
Insurance companies decide a customer’s risk profile based on ZIP code–specific variables like the number of nearby claims that have been filed, local crime rates, property values, and weather patterns. For this reason, premiums can vary by city and even neighborhood.
Rates in South Carolina can be relatively high or low compared to the national average; it all depends on where you live. Here are the ZIP codes in South Carolina where home insurance is the most and least expensive.
Average Annual Home Insurance Premium in South Carolina by Company
Average prices for standard homeowners insurance for a 7-15 year old home, $200,000 in coverage
Chubb$790
State Farm$1,458
Nationwide$1,841
USAA$1,998
Allstate$2,215
Travelers$3,761
Home Insurance Rates in South Carolina Cities
Home insurance rates will differ from customer to customer based on the specific insurance products purchased, the bundling of those products, and the risk profile of the property being insured.
Insurance companies decide a customer’s risk profile based on ZIP code–specific variables like the number of nearby claims that have been filed, local crime rates, property values, and weather patterns. For this reason, premiums can vary by city and even neighborhood.
Rates in South Carolina can be relatively high or low compared to the national average; it all depends on where you live. Here are the ZIP codes in South Carolina where home insurance is the most and least expensive.
| County | Average Annual Cost The car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations on this page are derived from Insurify’s proprietary database of over 4 million car insurance applications from ZIP codes across the United States. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of the various factors car insurance providers take into account while setting rates to provide readers insight into how car insurance quotes are priced. |
|---|---|
| Charleston County | $2,951 |
| Greenville County | $1,117 |
| Horry County | $2,338 |
| Lexington County | $1,609 |
| Richland County | $2,535 |
| Spartanburg County | $1,427 |
| York County | $2,451 |
What does home insurance cover in South Carolina?
There are several types of home insurance. Specific terms of insurance policies may vary by state, but in general, the standard policy types are as follows:
The simplest and least comprehensive type of homeowners insurance.
Provides coverage for a handful of potential problems including:
- Natural disasters (storms, fires, wind lightning, volcanic eruption)
- Explosions
- Theft
- Damage from vehicles
- Civil commotion
Broad form homeowners insurance policies include all basic form coverage, plus:
- Protection from falling objects
- Damage from the weight of ice, snow, or sleet
- Freezing of household systems including HVAC and pipes
- Sudden and accidental damage to pipes and other household systems from artificially generated electrical current
- Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
- HO-2 policies typically cover both dwelling protection and personal property.
- In some cases, broad form coverage may also include liability coverage. However, it still only covers the specific damages listed in the policy.
- The most common form of homeowners insurance is known as a “special form” policy.
- While HO-1 and HO-2 policies are “named peril” policies (meaning they only cover dangers that are specifically listed in the policy), HO-3 policies are “open peril” policies meaning they’ll cover all dangers except those specifically excluded in the policy documents.
- HO-4 policies, also known as renters insurance, are for people who lease rather than own their homes.
- Tenant’s form policies typically cover all the same dangers as HO-2 policies.
- Tenant’s form policies typically cover all the same dangers as HO-2 policies.
- These policies include personal property coverage and liability coverage but don’t cover the physical structure of the house.
- Some HO-4 policies may also include loss of use coverage for the tenants.
- Comprehensive form policies are usually the broadest and provide the highest level of coverage; not surprisingly, they also tend to be the most expensive type of homeowners insurance policies.
- The biggest difference between HO-3 and HO-5 policies is that most HO-3 policies are “actual cash value” policies, whereas typically HO-5 policies are “replacement cost value” policies.
- An actual cash value policy will only reimburse you for the actual value of a damaged or destroyed item, while a replacement cost value policy will reimburse you for however much it would cost to completely replace or repair the damaged or destroyed item (up to the coverage limits on the policy).
- HO-5 policies also provide personal property coverage against a wider range of dangers than the typical HO-3 policy. Many HO-5 policies also have extra coverage for high-value personal property such as jewelry and artwork.
- Not surprisingly, condo form insurance is for condominium owners. HO-6 policies generally protect against the same types of dangers as HO-3 policies.
- They provide dwelling protection coverage with a twist: HO-6 policies cover the walls, floors, and ceiling of the condo unit but not the rest of the building.
- These policies also include personal property and liability coverage and may include loss of use coverage.
- If you own a mobile home or manufactured home, you likely have an HO-7 policy.
- Mobile home form policies are typically identical to HO-3 policies, except they’re designed specifically for mobile and manufactured homes.
- Like HO-3 policies, they provide dwelling protection coverage, other structures coverage, personal property coverage, liability coverage, and possibly loss of use coverage as well.
- HO-7 policies generally only protect the home when it’s stationary; if you plan to move your mobile or manufactured home, you’ll need to get a special policy to cover it while it’s in transit.
- Older homes have generally been built to less stringent code standards than recently built homes, and so insurers have designed a specialized type of homeowners insurance policy for them.
- HO-8 policies often only cover the basic perils listed in HO-1 policies and generally apply to homes that are registered landmarks or otherwise deemed historic homes.
- Owners of registered landmarks are typically forbidden from making the updates to HVAC, electrical, and other parts of the home to enable them to qualify for a standard HO-3 policy, so an HO-8 policy is often the only option for them.
For more detailed South Carolina city level guides, check out these below.
Mobile Home Insurance Coverage in South Carolina
Mobile homes make up a higher percentage of total households in South Carolina than in any other state except New Mexico. In fact, there were nearly 300,000 occupied mobile homes in the state in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Unfortunately, given their vulnerability to extreme weather events, mobile homes are considered a higher risk by home insurance companies and can be difficult to insure. A standard home insurance policy will not cover a mobile home. Instead, you’ll need a specialized policy. Not all providers offer these policies and those that do sometimes do so only through affiliates.
Whichever company you choose, remember that a standard policy usually will cover your home only while it is stationary. If you want to be protected during transit, you’ll need to buy additional coverage.
Windstorm and Flood Insurance in South Carolina
South Carolinians are no strangers to severe weather events. Hurricanes and floods are both common, and they’ll only become more so as the climate continues to warm. This fact was brought into tragic relief when the state was hit with a so-called “thousand-year flood” in 2015. According to the National Weather Service, the disaster cost the state 19 lives and $1.5 billion in flood damage.
How do you protect against such disasters? Contrary to popular belief, “hurricane insurance” is not the answer. In fact, it doesn’t even exist. Instead, storm damages are covered under two discrete hazards: “windstorm” and “flood.” If you live on or near a coastline, neither of these will likely be included in your standard homeowners insurance policy.
You can often purchase supplementary windstorm coverage either from your existing insurance provider or through a separate, state-sponsored program. You can purchase flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The law requires that property owners purchase flood insurance for some homes, especially those in high-risk areas.
Talk to your insurance agent to learn what options are available.
Special Home Insurance Situations in South Carolina
Unique elements of your home may affect homeowners insurance prices. Check out these quotes for some special situations that may impact your home insurance in South Carolina.
Cheapest Home Insurance for Houses With Swimming Pools in South Carolina
Swimming pools fall under a category called attractive nuisances. Sure, they offer a fun way to cool off during warm summer months, but they also pose a major injury risk. For that reason, having a swimming pool in your yard could increase rates.
| Insurance Company | Average Annual Premium The car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations on this page are derived from Insurify’s proprietary database of over 4 million car insurance applications from ZIP codes across the United States. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of the various factors car insurance providers take into account while setting rates to provide readers insight into how car insurance quotes are priced. |
|---|---|
| Nationwide | $851 |
| Homeowners of America | $850 |
| Universal | $819 |
| Cincinnati | $1,890 |
Cheapest Home Insurance for Houses Less Than 20 Years Old in South Carolina
The age of your home and its major systems may affect the policy rate you're quoted by insurance companies
| Insurance Company | Average Annual Premium The car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations on this page are derived from Insurify’s proprietary database of over 4 million car insurance applications from ZIP codes across the United States. Insurify’s data science team performs a comprehensive analysis of the various factors car insurance providers take into account while setting rates to provide readers insight into how car insurance quotes are priced. |
|---|---|
| American National P&C | $380 |
| Bankers | $407 |
| Encompass | $2,828 |
| USAA | $985 |
Save big on homeowners insurance in the Palmetto State.
How to Find the Cheapest Home Insurance in South Carolina
Just like with groceries or clothes, you can find a good bargain on home insurance. With a little research and the right tools, you’ll be on your way to big savings.
Use Insurify to compare home insurance quotes for your property in South Carolina.
Frequently Asked Questions
The average cost of homeowners insurance is higher in South Carolina than many other states—mainly due to its proximity to the coast. As discussed above, hurricanes and floods are commonplace, and insurance companies charge higher premiums to account for this risk. The only way to avoid paying this premium entirely is to avoid buying property close to the water. However, if an ocean view is non-negotiable, you can still save money by comparing quotes from multiple providers. Online tools like Insurify make it easy to find the best deal—no matter where you live.
The South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA) —commonly called the “wind pool”—is the residual property insurance market in South Carolina. State lawmakers established the pool in 1971 to provide wind and hail coverage for the state’s coastal property owners, many of whom had struggled to find coverage up until then. While the wind pool is a much-needed safety net for many, it’s not always the cheapest option. Officials recommend that homeowners consider all options before purchasing coverage through the pool. Online tools like Insurify make it easy to compare policies.
Insurance can be very expensive, especially if you live in a state that is prone to natural disasters. Fortunately, some state governments offer special incentives to reduce these risks and encourage people to invest in property within their borders.
In South Carolina, homeowners can claim an income tax credit of up to $1,250 if they spend more than five percent of their income on home insurance. Any unused credit can be carried forward for five years. This provision, known as the “Excess Insurance Premium Tax Credit,” applies only to state income tax and is only applicable to your legal residence.
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Editorial Manager
Tanveen Vohra is an editorial manager at Insurify specializing in writing about property and casualty insurance. Through her work, Tanveen helps consumers better understand the components of their insurance policies so they can make smarter purchase decisions.
Tanveen's work has been cited by CNBC, Fox Business, Business Insider, Fortune, and Market Watch, among others.
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