Cheap Insurance.com has put together information, expert tips, and car insurance quote comparisons to help find cheap car insurance in South Carolina.
Consider visiting South Carolina if you are looking for a state that is fun and relaxed. As a matter of fact, it’s nickname is the Palmetto State, which comes from its large population of Palmetto trees.
Whenever you are on vacation or a business trip, or reside in South Carolina, you must carry certain amounts of car insurance coverage.
We have found that on average, the cost of a minimum liability car insurance policy in South Carolina is $240.92 per month.
To help find cheap car insurance in South Carolina, we’ve compared car insurance quotes in these South Carolina counties:
- Greenville County.
- Richland County.
- Charleston County.
- Horry County.
- Spartanburg County.
Because the cost of cheap car insurance quotes are dependent on your individual driving profile, we’ve simultaneously compared cheap auto insurance in South Carolina for these types of drivers:
- Good drivers (those with a clean driving record).
- Young drivers (those aged between 16 and 25).
- Bad drivers (those with a history of traffic violations).
Is South Carolina an At-Fault Insurance State?
South Carolina is an “at-fault” state, which means that drivers are financially responsible for any accident they cause.
Every driver in South Carolina must carry the following required insurance minimums on all registered vehicles:
- Property damage: $25,000 per accident.
- Bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $25,000 per accident with a $200 deductible.
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Key Point: What Is the Difference Between Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage? Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)
Underinsured Motorist Coverage
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What Happens if You Drive without Vehicle Insurance in South Carolina?
It’s illegal to drive without vehicle insurance in South Carolina. Fine for first offense, for example :
- An uninsured motorist fee of $550.
- A $200 fine or 30 days in jail, or both.
- $5 per day for each day you went without insurance.
Your license and registration could be suspended until you can provide proof of car insurance coverage.
In addition, you will have to pay a fee of up to $400 to reinstate your license and registration.
For the second offense, you will be fined significantly and face up to 30 days in jail.
The state of South Carolina considers a second offense a criminal misdemeanor, therefore stays on your criminal record permanently.
Minimum Liability Automobile Insurance in South Carolina
Minimum liability automobile insurance, also known as state minimum car insurance. This is an insurance policy that provides financial protection. Drivers who harms someone else or their property while operating a vehicle.
Liability insurance only covers injuries or damages to third parties and their property. The driver’s injuries or property damages can be separately covered by other parts of their policy.
State minimum auto insurance is the least amount of car insurance coverage you must pay to cover any damages you cause, and it includes:
- Bodily injury liability coverage which covers other people’s physical damages in an accident.
- Property damage liability coverage which covers damages to the other driver’s property.
Failing to carry the minimum liability insurance required by your state can lead to expensive fine. You could be held personally liable if you cause an accident.
The low coverage limits could end up costing you more in the long run if you are the cause of an accident.
We have found that on average, a minimum liability automobile insurance quote in South Carolina is $240.92 per month.
Main Street America offers cheap car insurance in South Carolina for minimum liability coverage, which costs on average $177.25 per month.
Cheap Minimum Liability Automobile Insurance Quotes in South Carolina |
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| Provider | Greenville County | Richland County | Charleston County | Horry County | Spartanburg County | Average |
| Bristol West | $185.00 | $221.00 | $203.00 | $219.00 | $207.00 | $207.00 |
| Liberty Mutual | $219.00 | $232.00 | $223.00 | $218.00 | $223.00 | $223.00 |
| Main Street America | $181.00 | $209.00 | N/A | $142.00 | $177.00 | $177.25 |
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Assurance America |
$199.00 | $233.00 | $206.00 | N/A | $212.00 | $212.50 |
| GAINSCO | $205.00 | $422.00 | $241.00 | N/A | $289.00 | $289.25 |
| The General | $301.00 | $381.00 | $328.00 | N/A | $336.00 | $336.50 |
Find Cheap Insurance Quotes For Comprehensive Auto Insurance in South Carolina
Comprehensive insurance covers damages to your vehicle resulting from theft, natural disasters, or an accident with an animal.
Comprehensive insurance covers the maximum amount based on the actual cash value of your vehicle, minus the deductible you have selected.
While collision coverage pays for repairs to your vehicle after a car accident, comprehensive insurance generally protects your vehicle for perils other than collision.
Examples of damages to your car that are covered by a comprehensive insurance policy, for example:
- Vandalism.
- A broken windshield.
- Theft of the car or of car parts.
- Rodent damage.
- Fire, floods, tornadoes, hailstorms, and hurricanes.
- Falling objects.
- Collision with a deer or other large animals.
We found that the two inexpensive car insurance quotes for South Carolina to point out are:
- Main Street America with average rates of $140.40.
- Allstate with average rates of $218.00
Inexpensive Full Coverage Auto Insurance in South Carolina |
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| Provider | Greenville County | Richland County | Charleston County | Horry County | Spartanburg County | Average |
| Bristol West | $235.00 | $280.00 | $262.00 | $281.00 | $264.00 | $264.40 |
| Liberty Mutual | $279.00 | $307.00 | $294.00 | $296.00 | $294.00 | $294.00 |
| Main Street America | $132.00 | $150.00 | $135.00 | $142.00 | $143.00 | $140.40 |
| Travelers | $197.00 | $322.00 | $244.00 | $278.00 | $260.00 | $260.20 |
| Allstate | $200.00 | $235.00 | $227.00 | $210.00 | $218.00 | $218.00 |
Inexpensive Car Insurance Quotes in South Carolina for Drivers with Clean Driving Records
The best way to prevent an increase in your annual premium is to maintain a clean driving record free of traffic violations and accidents.
Insurance companies regard drivers with a clean record as reliable and usually offer them more affordable auto insurance quotes.
Drivers with a clean driving record are in a good position to find cheap car insurance quotes. Car insurance companies consider good drivers to be people who, to point out:
- Not been the cause of any car accidents.
- No traffic offenses.
- A good credit score.
- No speeding tickets.
- Have no reckless driving charges.
- Have no DUI convictions.
Many automobile insurance companies offer a good driver discount for car insurance quotes, hence saving you even more money.
Some car insurance companies will offer an additional discount if you have completed an accredited defensive driving course.
We’ve compared average auto insurance quotes offered in South Carolina for good drivers. The two best cheap car insurance quotes from companies for good drivers are basically:
- Main Street America with average rates of $132.60 per month.
- Allstate with average rates of $198.60 per month.
Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in South Carolina |
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| Provider | Greenville County | Richland County | Charleston County | Horry County | Spartanburg County | Average |
| Bristol West | $208.00 | $248.00 | $229.00 | $247.00 | $233.00 | $233.00 |
| Liberty Mutual | $242.00 | $261.00 | $250.00 | $248.00 | $250.00 | $250.20 |
| Main Street America | $125.00 | $143.00 | $129.00 | $134.00 | $132.00 | $132.60 |
| Travelers | $179.00 | $292.00 | $218.00 | $245.00 | $233.00 | $233.40 |
| Allstate | $183.00 | $215.00 | $207.00 | $190.00 | $198.00 | $198.60 |
Affordable Insurance in South Carolina for High-Risk Drivers
Drivers with incidents on their record such as an at-fault accident or a DUI (driving under the influence) often pay higher insurance rates.
Drivers with prior traffic violations are regarded by insurance companies as being a higher risk to insure than those who have a clean traffic record.
Insurance companies believe high-risk drivers are more likely to make future claims against their auto insurance policy.
Some of the offenses that may lead to someone being considered a high-risk driver include:
- Reckless driving.
- Speeding tickets.
- Being found at-fault in a major accident.
- Having too many points on your driving record.
- Driving without meeting the minimum liability coverage requirements.
- Unpaid insurance policy premiums.
- A poor credit rating.
Cheap vehicle insurance in South Carolina for high-risk drivers is Liberty Mutual with average rates of $221.00 per month.
| Cheap Vehicle Insurance for Bad Drivers in South Carolina | ||||||
| Provider | Greenville County | Richland County | Charleston County | Horry County | Spartanburg County | Average |
| Liberty Mutual | $219.00 | $221.00 | $223.00 | N/A | $221.00 | $221.00 |
| Bristol West | $286.00 | $297.00 | $309.00 | N/A | $297.00 | $297.25 |
Inexpensive Auto Insurance in South Carolina for Young Drivers
Since young drivers have less experience behind the wheel, insurers tend to charge them higher insurance rates compared to more mature drivers.
A minimum coverage automobile insurance policy, though it is much cheaper, could ultimately cost more. A young driver gets into a serious accident thus has to pay for repairs over the insurance limit.
Good student and driver safety course discounts can help young drivers reduce their rates, as can staying on a parent’s policy for as long as possible.
We’ve compared cheap auto insurance quotes for young drivers to help save.
The cheapest insurance for young drivers is Main Street America and Assurance America, each with an average rate of $245.40 per month.
| Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Young Drivers in South Carolina | ||||||
| Provider | Greenville County | Richland County | Charleston County | Horry County | Spartanburg County | Average |
| Main Street America | $233.00 | $261.00 | $243.00 | $231.00 | $259.00 | $245.40 |
| Assurance America | $364.00 | $439.00 | $401.00 | $429.00 | $387.00 | $245.40 |
| GAINSCO | $429.00 | $617.00 | $503.00 | $501.00 | $518.00 | $513.60 |
| The General | $435.00 | $465.00 | $474.00 | $452.00 | $428.00 | $450.80 |
Need More Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes in Other States?
Out-of-state insurance is illegal in almost all U.S. states and is considered to be insurance fraud. This means that your car insurance must be registered in the state you live in.
If you plan to move from South Carolina, you will need to find cheap insurance in the state you move to and you usually have a 90-day grace period to do so.
Cheaper Automobile Insurance Quotes in South Carolina
Bristol West
Founded in 1973, Bristol West’s national footprint makes it one of the top ten biggest insurance companies in the U.S.
Bristol West was originally created to provide high-risk drivers with affordable insurance policies and has since expanded its services to all types of drivers.
Some of the benefits offered by Bristol West include:
- Multiple policy bundling discounts.
- Personalized car insurance policies.
- Rideshare coverage.
- Medical payments.
- Gap coverage.
- Towing and roadside assistance.
- Rental car reimbursement.
The General
The General is an auto insurance provider that operates in multiple states across the U.S.
The company was founded in 1963 and specializes in car insurance coverage for high-risk drivers.
The General Automobile is a subsidiary of PGC Holdings Corporation (PGC), which is an affiliate of American Family Insurance.
PGC has been writing automobile insurance in many states throughout the country for nearly 60 years. It is a leader in the low-cost auto insurance field and has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating of A+.
Vehicle Insurance in South Carolina FAQs
Is car insurance mandatory in South Carolina?
Yes, auto insurance is mandatory in South Carolina. You must have minimum liability insurance coverage of:
- Property damage: $25,000 per accident.
- Bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
- Underinsured motorist property damage: $25,000 per accident.
Is South Carolina an at-fault state?
Yes, South Carolina is an “at-fault” state. This means that if you are hurt in a car accident you can recover costs from the driver who caused the accident.
How much is cheap car insurance in my city in South Carolina?
Where you live affects your car insurance rates. Drivers who live in more populated areas are regarded as being more at risk of being involved in an accident than those who live in quieter, rural areas.
Shopping around for cheap automobile insurance is a smart way to identify savings before purchasing or renewing an auto policy.
Do car insurance quotes vary by county in South Carolina?
Yes, auto insurance quotes change depending on the location of the policyholder’s city or county.
Factors such as population density, crime rates, weather, and climate, determine risk levels which impact on insurance rates.
What is the average cost of low car insurance in South Carolina?
On average, South Carolina drivers pay $240.92 per month for minimum liability auto insurance.
Cheaper auto insurance quotes vary on a driver-by-driver basis, depending on driving history, credit history, personal information, decisions on bundling homeowner or renters insurance, and other policies with the same company
