Key Takeaways
- National General, Progressive and Dairyland offer some of the cheapest car insurance in South Carolina.
- The average cost of minimum coverage in South Carolina is around $200 per month.
- Compare quotes from multiple insurers to find cheap car insurance in South Carolina.
If you need cheap auto insurance in South Carolina, check out insurers like National General, Progressive and Dairyland. These companies offer some of the most affordable car insurance quotes in South Carolina, according to Jerry’s data.
You’ll need a policy in South Carolina to drive legally, but also to stay financially protected on the road. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the state averages two collisions every hour involving distracted drivers .
Here are some of the cheapest quotes in South Carolina for minimum and full coverage, plus rates by age, driving history and credit score.
Cheap minimum coverage in South Carolina
Minimum coverage is the absolute cheapest car insurance policy you can get, but it won’t pay for damage to your car if you’re at fault in an accident. These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for minimum coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Trexis | $61 | $732 |
| Safeco | $169 | $2,027 |
| Progressive | $178 | $2,134 |
| National General | $235 | $2,822 |
| Dairyland | $253 | $3,030 |
| The General | $267 | $3,200 |
| Assurance America | $271 | $3,254 |
| Bristol West | $284 | $3,403 |
| Gainsco | $313 | $3,760 |
| Root | $316 | $3,787 |
Minimum car insurance requirements in South Carolina
At minimum, drivers in South Carolina must have these coverages to drive legally:
- $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person.
- $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident.
- $25,000 in property damage liability.
- $25,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury per person.
- $50,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident.
- $25,000 in uninsured motorist property damage per accident.
More: Cheap car insurance in Columbia, South Carolina
Cheap full coverage car insurance in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for full coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Trexis | $195 | $2,336 |
| Progressive | $265 | $3,177 |
| Safeco | $277 | $3,326 |
| National General | $377 | $4,530 |
| Assurance America | $382 | $4,584 |
| The General | $445 | $5,344 |
| Dairyland | $493 | $5,917 |
| Electric | $493 | $5,918 |
| Bristol West | $538 | $6,461 |
| Root | $544 | $6,531 |
More: Car insurance in South Carolina cities
Minimum vs. full coverage in South Carolina
Minimum coverage pays only for others’ injuries and property damage if you cause a crash, but won’t cover damage to your own car.
Full coverage pays for damage to your own car, regardless of who caused the accident. Here is what full coverage typically includes, and what it covers:
- Liability insurance: Pays for injuries or property damage you cause in an accident.
- Collision coverage: Pays for damage to your vehicle from an accident, regardless of who is found responsible. This coverage typically has a deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage: Pays for vehicle damage caused by a non-collision event like weather and theft.
If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, the lender will require
Average car insurance costs for young drivers in South Carolina
Young drivers typically pay more for car insurance because they have less experience on the road, and are more likely to cause an accident.
Below are the average costs of car insurance in South Carolina for drivers between 18 and 24.
|
Age Group
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| 18-20 | $584 | $7,003 |
| 21-24 | $466 | $5,589 |
Cheap minimum coverage in South Carolina for a 20-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 20-year-olds with minimum coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $329 | $3,950 |
| Safeco | $345 | $4,141 |
| Root | $348 | $4,181 |
| Dairyland | $352 | $4,218 |
| First Acceptance | $375 | $4,498 |
Cheap full coverage in South Carolina for a 20-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 20-year-olds with full coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $488 | $5,860 |
| Dairyland | $585 | $7,022 |
| Assurance America | $681 | $8,169 |
| Root | $781 | $9,366 |
| National General | $813 | $9,756 |
Average auto insurance costs for mature drivers in South Carolina (25-54)
As drivers age and get more driving experience, the cost of car insurance usually decreases. Below are the average costs of car insurance for drivers in South Carolina between the ages of 25 to 54.
|
Age Group
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | $346 | $4,149 |
| 35-44 | $293 | $3,520 |
| 45-54 | $272 | $3,264 |
Cheapest minimum coverage in South Carolina for a 35-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 35-year-olds with minimum coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Safeco | $183 | $2,201 |
| Progressive | $184 | $2,213 |
| Dairyland | $223 | $2,671 |
| National General | $228 | $2,738 |
| The General | $254 | $3,044 |
Cheapest full coverage in South Carolina for a 35-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 35-year-olds with full coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Safeco | $244 | $2,933 |
| Progressive | $286 | $3,438 |
| National General | $316 | $3,796 |
| Assurance America | $393 | $4,722 |
| Root | $463 | $5,555 |
Average car insurance costs for older drivers in South Carolina (55+)
Car insurance typically reaches its most affordable for drivers around age 55, but tends to creep back up for senior drivers.
Below are the average costs of car insurance for drivers in South Carolina 55 and older.
|
Age Group
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| 55-64 | $262 | $3,142 |
| 65+ | $269 | $3,223 |
Cheapest minimum coverage in South Carolina for a 65-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 65-year-olds with minimum coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $100 | $1,204 |
| Safeco | $108 | $1,298 |
| National General | $153 | $1,842 |
| Assurance America | $201 | $2,406 |
| The General | $202 | $2,423 |
Cheapest full coverage in South Carolina for a 65-year-old
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for 65-year-olds with full coverage, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $170 | $2,039 |
| Safeco | $224 | $2,687 |
| National General | $245 | $2,941 |
| Dairyland | $262 | $3,146 |
| Assurance America | $319 | $3,825 |
Cheapest car insurance in South Carolina by driving history
Your driving history is a big factor that insurers use to determine how much you’ll pay for an auto policy. Drivers with clean records usually pay less than those with violations like speeding tickets or at-fault accidents.
Cheap car insurance for drivers with clean records in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with clean driving histories, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Embark General | $106 | $1,272 |
| Anchor General | $155 | $1,863 |
| Trexis | $195 | $2,336 |
| Progressive | $204 | $2,452 |
| The General | $231 | $2,773 |
Cheapest car insurance with a speeding ticket in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with a speeding ticket, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Trexis | $36 | $429 |
| Progressive | $248 | $2,974 |
| Safeco | $306 | $3,673 |
| The General | $307 | $3,686 |
| National General | $344 | $4,134 |
Cheapest car insurance after an at-fault accident with no injury in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with an at-fault accident with no injury, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Bluefire | $100 | $1,205 |
| Aspen | $121 | $1,453 |
| Embark General | $236 | $2,834 |
| Progressive | $263 | $3,159 |
| Safeco | $273 | $3,281 |
Cheapest auto insurance after an at-fault accident with injury in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with an at-fault accident with injury, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Safeco | $207 | $2,481 |
| The General | $256 | $3,074 |
| Progressive | $269 | $3,225 |
| Root | $276 | $3,312 |
| Dairyland | $396 | $4,756 |
Cheapest car insurance with a DUI in South Carolina
These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with a DUI, according to Jerry’s data.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Safeco | $132 | $1,588 |
| Progressive | $263 | $3,156 |
| National General | $439 | $5,265 |
| Dairyland | $445 | $5,343 |
| The General | $460 | $5,515 |
Average auto insurance costs for South Carolina drivers with other violations
Below are average car insurance costs in South Carolina for other driving violations.
|
Violation Summary
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Careless Driving | $396 | $4,752 |
| Defective Equipment | $317 | $3,810 |
| Driving on Sus. License | $285 | $3,419 |
| Eluding Police | $296 | $3,549 |
| Failure to Obey Traffic Sign | $336 | $4,036 |
Cheapest auto insurance for low credit scores in South Carolina
Drivers in South Carolina with low credit scores typically pay more for car insurance than those with higher scores. These are the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina for drivers with a credit score below 550.
|
Insurance Company
|
Avg Monthly Quote
|
Avg Annual Quote
|
|---|---|---|
| Trexis | $86 | $1,036 |
| Anchor General | $179 | $2,152 |
| Safeco | $237 | $2,842 |
| Progressive | $241 | $2,896 |
| The General | $268 | $3,210 |
More: How a credit-based insurance score works
How to find cheap car insurance in South Carolina
It’s wise to compare quotes from multiple insurers at least once a year to ensure you’re paying the best rate. Don’t assume your current insurer is the cheapest, even if it was when you first bought your policy.
You can also try these tips to lower your premium:
- Ask your current insurer or agent about discounts.
- Take a defensive driving course.
- Install a telematic device in your vehicle or on your phone.
- Practice safe driving habits.
- Bundle your home and auto insurance policies with the same insurer.
- Pay your policy in full.
More: Best car insurance companies
Methodology
Data included in this analysis comes from policies that Jerry has quoted within the last 18 months. Jerry services 48 states and offers a range of insurance companies to choose from.
Ben Moore is a writer and editor at Jerry and an auto insurance expert. He previously worked as a writer, editor and content strategist on NerdWallet’s auto insurance team for five years. His work has been published in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, MarketWatch, Nasdaq and Yahoo News. He also served as a NerdWallet spokesperson, with appearances on local broadcast television and quotes in Martha Stewart and Real Simple magazine.
Ben has an extensive background in digital marketing, working on affiliate and programmatic advertising campaigns for brands like Cabela’s, H&R Block and Sears. He holds a bachelors degree in marketing from Olivet Nazarene University.
Annie is a writer and editor at Jerry and has more than a decade of experience writing and editing digital content. Before joining Jerry, she was an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet, where she covered loans. Previously, she worked at USAA and newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, California, and Texas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
