Car insurance is key to protecting your personal finances. But with so many options, it isn’t always easy to determine which company offers the best car insurance in South Carolina. Here’s a closer look at which companies offer the cheapest rates for several common driver profiles.
- Cheapest for typical drivers: Progressive
- Cheapest for drivers with prior accidents: Progressive
- Cheapest for drivers with no prior speeding tickets: Safeco
- Cheapest for Teen drivers: Progressive
- Cheapest for senior drivers: Travelers
- Cheapest for drivers with higher liability coverage: Travelers
“Safe Harbor ran our auto insurance through 30 carriers and was able to save us over $2K a year!”
– Mike K. (Oct 2023)
Cheapest for typical drivers
Progressive charges female drivers about $1,397 per year on average while men pay about $1,358 per year. This is based on the profile of 35-year-old drivers with clean records. Progressive’s rates are quite a bit under the state average, which is $2,259 per year for women and $2,292 per year for men.
Cheapest for drivers with prior accidents
Progressive also offered low-cost insurance in South Carolina to adults with a single accident on their record. While the state average annual premium for these drivers is $3,189, Progressive policyholders only pay about $1,868 per year on average.
Cheapest for drivers with no prior speeding tickets
Drivers with no prior speeding tickets see their South Carolina auto insurance premium rise to $2,881 per year on average. But those who choose Safeco can get coverage for about $1,496 per year on average.
Cheapest for Teen drivers
Teen drivers pay a whopping $5,689 per year on average for South Carolina auto insurance. But teens who choose Progressive can get the same coverage for about $2,849 per year.
South Carolina auto insurance laws
Here are some South Carolina car insurance laws all drivers should be familiar with:
South Carolina is an at-fault state
In at-fault states like South Carolina, the driver who is found to be responsible for the accident pays for the medical bills for all parties involved. This is different from no-fault states where each driver bills their own insurer for medical expenses.
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Consequences for driving without car insurance in South Carolina
Drivers who choose not to purchase South Carolina auto insurance must either pay a $550 annual uninsured motorist fee or risk the following consequences:
- Suspension of driver’s license
- Suspension of vehicle registration with $550 reinstatement fee
- Fines of up to $200 with an additional daily fine of $5 until adequate insurance coverage is purchased
- Imprisonment of up to six months
- $200 license and registration reinstatement fee
South Carolina minimum coverage requirements
Drivers in South Carolina must carry at least the following car insurance coverage:
Bodily injury liability
South Carolina drivers must have at least:
- $25,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident
Property damage liability
In addition, drivers must have at least $25,000 of property damage liability coverage.
How to get cheap auto insurance in South Carolina
Drivers looking to score the cheapest car insurance in South Carolina should do the following:
- Use a Broker: A broker like Safe Harbor Insurance Advisors will shop around to find you the best coverage and premium. We have over 30 carriers to find you the best car insurance for your lifestyle.
- Grab all available discounts: While many insurers automatically apply discounts to qualifying drivers’ premiums, there are some discounts drivers may need to opt into, like driver monitoring programs. Enrolling in one of these is one option for drivers willing to prove their safe habits.
- Raise the deductible: Choosing a higher deductible usually reduces auto insurance premiums.
State minimum coverage has a lot of holes
South Carolina’s minimum coverage doesn’t include any coverage for the policyholder’s vehicle. Drivers who don’t want to get stuck paying for vehicle repairs out of their own pocket should consider adding collision and comprehensive insurance coverage to their policy as well. Collision coverage kicks in if the driver causes an accident or gets in a single-car accident. Collision coverage protects against animal-vehicle collisions, theft, vandalism, bad weather, and more.