The average South Carolina driver spends about $1,022 per year on car insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
As you're shopping for car insurance coverage, you might notice that prices vary widely. Each car insurance company prices its premiums differently, weighing a variety of factors that influence your cost of coverage. Things like your age, gender, years of driving experience, and more can all influence the price you'll pay for coverage.
That said, it's important to compare prices and policies to save. You'll want to get quotes from several different companies and compare them to make sure that you're getting the best price for you.
The most popular car insurance companies in South Carolina
The following are the most popular car insurance companies in South Carolina, based on the percentage of insured South Carolina drivers who use them:
| Company | Market share (%) |
| State Farm | 21.20 |
| GEICO | 13.99 |
| Progressive | 12.30 |
| Allstate | 11.49 |
| USAA* | 9.78 |
| Nationwide | 4.86 |
| Travelers | 4.72 |
| Liberty Mutual | 4.60 |
| Southern Farm Bureau Casualty | 3.02 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance | 2.19 |
| MGA Insurance | 1.83 |
| State Auto | 0.95 |
| The Hartford | 0.89 |
| Sentry | 0.88 |
| American Family | 0.84 |
| MetLife | 0.74 |
| AssuranceAmerica | 0.68 |
| National General Holdings | 0.52 |
| American National | 0.52 |
| Horace Mann | 0.50 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
The best car insurance in South Carolina based on customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with car insurance providers may factor into your decision. According to J.D. Power, a consumer research company that surveys customers, these are the top car insurance companies in the Southeast region (which includes South Carolina):
- Farm Bureau Insurance TN
- Erie Insurance
- Alfa Insurance
- GEICO
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- North Carolina Farm Bureau
- Kentucky Farm Bureau
- Region Average
- Progressive
- Allstate
- Safeco
- State Farm
- Farmers
- National General
- Nationwide
- Travelers
- Liberty Mutual
- MetLife
The best cheap car insurance in South Carolina based on credit score
Consumer Reports gathered premium pricing formulas from every car insurance company in each state. It found that three companies came out on top for three tiers of credit. Here are the average premiums the data shows for the typical single adult driver.
People with excellent credit scores , FICO score 800-850, can expect to see some of the lowest rates, on average:
- USAA car insurance: $796 per year
- State Farm mutual car insurance: $1,020 per year
- Amica car insurance: $1,172 per year
Drivers with good credit, FICO score 670-739, will find that their best options are USAA and State Farm, on average:
- USAA car insurance: $907 per year
- State Farm car insurance: $1,228 per year
- GEICO car insurance: $1,367 per year
Drivers with poor credit, FICO score 300-579, will pay the most for car insurance, on average. Here are the three most affordable companies for this credit range:
- USAA car insurance: $2,071 per year
- GEICO car insurance: $2,219 per year
- State Farm car insurance: $2,237 per year
The best car insurance for drivers with a clean record
For a driver in South Carolina age 25 or older with no accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| Travelers | $152 |
| Nationwide | $163 |
| GEICO | $163 |
| State Farm | $168 |
| Progressive | $169 |
| USAA* | $172 |
| Root | $182 |
| Liberty Mutual | $187 |
| Allstate | $213 |
| Safeco | $219 |
| Esurance | $239 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 2,187 policyholders in the state of South Carolina
Best car insurance for one or more accidents on record
For a driver in South Carolina age 25 or older, with one or more accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| Bristol West | $120 |
| State Farm | $167 |
| GEICO | $190 |
| Progressive | $215 |
| Esurance | $237 |
| Allstate | $255 |
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 2,187 policyholders in the state of South Carolina
South Carolina car insurance rates by city
Below is the estimated average annual premium of auto insurance policies per household in South Carolina's most populous cities:
| City | Average annual insurance premium |
| Charleston | $1,411 |
| Columbia | $1,311 |
| North Charleston | $1,286 |
| Mount Pleasant | $1,564 |
| Rock Hill | $1,339 |
| Greenville | $1,364 |
| Summerville | $1,413 |
| Goose Creek | $1,470 |
| Sumter | $1,249 |
| Hilton Head Island | $1,468 |
| Spartanburg | $1,247 |
| Florence | $1,344 |
| Myrtle Beach | $1,270 |
| Aiken | $1,327 |
| Greer | $1,406 |
| Anderson | $1,256 |
| Mauldin | $1,472 |
| Socastee | $1,304 |
| Taylors | $1,404 |
| Lexington | $1,502 |
| Greenwood | $1,162 |
| North Augusta | $1,351 |
| Wade Hampton | $1,379 |
| Simpsonville | $1,464 |
| Bluffton | $1,510 |
| Conway | $1,262 |
| Easley | $1,377 |
| St. Andrews | $1,229 |
| Hanahan | $1,422 |
| North Myrtle Beach | $1,329 |
| Five Forks | $1,719 |
| Red Hill | $1,300 |
| Fort Mill | $1,539 |
| Ladson | $1,477 |
| West Columbia | $1,284 |
| Gantt | $1,258 |
| Seven Oaks | $1,388 |
| Berea | $1,238 |
| Dentsville | $1,263 |
| Clemson | $1,311 |
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Who gets the best cheap car insurance in South Carolina?
As the numbers above show, the drivers with the best credit scores are likely to see the lowest costs of coverage. Raising your credit score could be a big help in lowering your rate. But, with so many factors going into your costs for coverage and each insurance company weighing those factors differently, the best way to get a good deal is to shop around.
To do this, you'll want to get quotes from several different companies. Once you have several quotes, compare them, and don't just focus on the premium— the amount you pay for your policy. You'll want to look for the policy that gives you the most coverage types and limits for your money. Also, look at the deductible, or the amount you'll be responsible for paying if you get into an accident. The policy with the most coverage, the lowest deductible, and the most affordable premium is generally the best policy for you.
Ronda Lee is an associate editor for insurance at Personal Finance Insider covering life, auto, homeowners, and renters insurance for consumers. She is also a licensed attorney who practiced litigation and insurance defense.