Nationwide provides the cheapest full coverage car insurance in South Carolina at about $1,183 a year. Your specific rates may vary, but the average full coverage car insurance premium in South Carolina is $158 per month, according to Insure.com’s 2022 rate analysis.

Car insurance is a legal requirement in most states, and South Carolina is no exception. South Carolina drivers are required to carry at least the minimum amount of liability coverage—$25,000 of personal property coverage per person, $25,000 for bodily injury per person and $50,000 for bodily injury per accident.

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However, many drivers choose to purchase full coverage car insurance, which provides additional protection in the event of an accident.

What is full coverage car insurance in South Carolina?

Full coverage car insurance includes bodily injury and property damage liability coverage, as well as comprehensive and collision coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Collision insurance covers your vehicle if it’s damaged or destroyed in an accident, while comprehensive insurance provides protection against damage that is caused by something other than collisions such as weather or theft.

If you lease or finance your car in South Carolina, your lender may ask you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance beyond the state-mandated liability coverage. Every state except New Hampshire and Virginia requires drivers to get liability coverage, while comprehensive and collision coverage are optional. However, in Virginia, you have to pay an uninsured motorist fee of $500.

Average full coverage car insurance cost in South Carolina

Full coverage insurance costs more than minimum liability insurance, but the extra cost is worth it for most drivers. Average cost of full coverage car insurance in South Carolina is 13% more than the national average cost of full coverage insurance in the U.S.

There are different full coverage limits that a driver can purchase. However, Insure.com editors recommend that every driver should carry 100/300/100 coverage limits.

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Cheapest full coverage car insurance rate in South Carolina by company

Nationwide offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance in South Carolina an average of $1,183 per year. It’s 38% less expensive than the average full coverage car insurance cost in South Carolina. The rates will vary based on factors such as your driving history, age, ZIP Code and the make and model of your car.

When shopping for auto insurance, compare rates from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Below are the annual rates for car insurance from major insurance companies.

 

Company Full coverage insurance cost
Nationwide $1,183
Auto-Owners $1,322
USAA $1,348
Travelers $1,397
Geico $1,457
State Farm $1,524
Progressive $1,751
Allstate $2,089
American Family $2,500
Farmers Insurance $4,374

 

Full coverage car insurance cost in South Carolina by ZIP code

Full coverage car insurance premiums vary significantly by ZIP code. Insurance companies consider factors such as the crime rate in an area, the number of claims filed, types of claims filed to determine annual premiums. Below are the least and most expensive ZIP codes for full coverage car insurance.

Most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in South Carolina

Drivers living in the ZIP code 29933 pay the highest premiums at about $2,398 a year. ZIP codes with a higher number of car thefts or vandalism also tend to have higher car insurance rates.

Find below the most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in South Carolina.

 

ZIP code Full coverage insurance cost
29933 $2,398
29921 $2,374
29913 $2,356
29433 $2,352
29810 $2,339
29918 $2,330
29827 $2,289
29939 $2,283
29911 $2,282
29944 $2,281

 

Least expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in South Carolina

29665 ZIP code in South Carolina has the cheapest full coverage auto insurance cost at an average price of $1,495 annually. Know the least expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in South Carolina below.

 

ZIP code Full coverage insurance cost
29665 $1,495
29672 $1,497
29630 $1,507
29691 $1,512
29678 $1,527
29631 $1,530
29676 $1,532
29696 $1,535
29693 $1,570
29632 $1,574

 

South Carolina full coverage car insurance rate by age

Young drivers in South Carolina tend to pay higher insurance rates than adult drivers because they are more likely to get into accidents and file claims on their insurance policy. A 16-year-old driver pays 284% more than a 40-year-old mature driver in South Carolina, based on Insure.com’s analysis.

The table below shows full coverage car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:

 

Age group Full coverage annual premiums
Teen drivers (age 16-19) $5,970
Young drivers (age 20-24) $3,197
Adult drivers (age 25-64) $1,965
Senior drivers (age 65+) $1,935

 

Read our Guide to car insurance for teens for more information

Car insurance rates in South Carolina by driver history

Your driving history is one of the main factors insurers look at when considering insurance rates. If you are responsible for a car accident or get convicted of a driving infraction, your auto insurance premiums will likely go up. However, if you have a clean driving record, insurance companies see you as a low-risk driver and you are likely to get cheap full coverage car insurance.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance after a speeding ticket in South Carolina

Getting a speeding ticket is never any fun. Not only will you have to pay a fine, but your insurance rates may go up. A single speeding ticket can increase your rates by 24% or $424 in South Carolina, based on Insure.com data.

But if you’re looking for affordable coverage, below are some insurers that offer cheap full-coverage car insurance after a speeding ticket.

 

Company Average annual premium New rate after incident % Increase $ Increase
Geico $1,334 $1,334 0% $0
Nationwide $1,151 $1,385 20% $234
State Farm $1,451 $1,559 7% $108
Auto-Owners $1,293 $1,592 23% $299
USAA $1,295 $1,596 23% $301
Travelers $1,432 $1,935 35% $502
Progressive $1,605 $2,031 27% $426
Allstate $2,045 $2,652 30% $608
American Family $2,265 $2,734 21% $469
Farmers $4,167 $5,465 31% $1,298

 

Cheapest full coverage car insurance after an accident in South Carolina

No one plans on getting into a car accident, but unfortunately, they happen. If you are in an accident and are at fault, you will probably see your car insurance premiums increase. However, this does not mean you can’t shop around to find the best rates.

State Farm offers the cheapest car insurance rates to drivers after an at-fault accident, at about $1721 a year. Below, you’ll see which companies have cheap car insurance for drivers with one accident on their record.

 

Company Average annual premium New rate after incident % Increase $ Increase
State Farm $1,451 $1,721 19% $269
Nationwide $1,151 $1,805 57% $654
Auto-Owners $1,293 $1,808 40% $515
Travelers $1,432 $1,888 32% $455
USAA $1,295 $1,921 48% $626
Geico $1,334 $1,925 44% $591
Progressive $1,605 $2,612 63% $1,007
American Family $2,265 $3,042 34% $777
Allstate $2,045 $3,352 64% $1,307
Farmers $4,167 $5,841 40% $1,674

 

Cheapest full coverage car insurance after a DUI conviction in South Carolina

If you’ve recently been convicted of a DUI, you may wonder how it will affect your car insurance rates. Most insurers will view you as a high-risk driver and will charge you higher rates.

The table below shows the insurance companies offering cheap car insurance rates to drivers after a DUI conviction.

 

Company Average annual premium New rate after incident % Increase $ Increase
State Farm $1,451 $1,559 7% $108
Progressive $1,605 $1,925 20% $320
Travelers $1,432 $2,058 44% $626
Nationwide $1,151 $2,199 91% $1,048
USAA $1,295 $2,399 85% $1,104
American Family $2,265 $2,581 14% $316
Auto-Owners $1,293 $2,676 107% $1,383
Allstate $2,045 $2,787 36% $743
Geico $1,334 $3,174 138% $1,840
Farmers $4,167 $5,262 26% $1,095

 

When it comes to car insurance, everyone is always looking for ways to save. However, skimping on coverage to save a few dollars now could end up costing you dearly down the road.

Make sure you’re adequately protected and take into account your specific needs before buying an auto insurance policy.

Source:

  • Insurance Information Institute. “What is auto insurance.” Accessed August 2022.

Methodology

Insure.com gathered the quotes with the help of Quadrant Information Institute. We collected full coverage car insurance rates from major insurance companies for multiple ZIP codes across South Carolina.

The full coverage rates are based on a sample driver profile of a 40-year-old man with a driving record and good credit score.