Cheap South Carolina Car Insurance – Quotes Analysis For The Palmetto State Drivers
We love everything about South Carolina, from Myrtle Beach to the inland. There’s just something about the South that really speaks to us here at Insurance Geek – we love to work with our southern customers and have experience setting up drivers in every state with affordable insurance across the board.
There are currently 3.5 million licensed drivers in South Carolina, which means a greater potential for collision on the road. When you’re out there behind the wheel, it’s important to have the peace of mind you deserve by knowing that you have the right South Carolina auto insurance policy to keep you and your family safe.
That is where we come in – don’t let the law catch you without proper auto insurance coverage!
South Carolina Insurance Minimum Required Coverage
Every state has some type of auto insurance minimum, and South Carolina is no different. Below, we discuss South Carolina’s minimum coverages and the coverage amounts we typically recommend to our clients who are looking to get more comprehensive coverage.
Bodily injury liability
For bodily injury liability or BI, South Carolina state minimum coverages include $25,000 in protection and $50,000 per accident. That means that if you injure someone else while you’re driving or an authorized user of your car injures someone, this type of liability insurance will kick in and cover you. That is also the case if you hit a pedestrian and cause bodily injury.
Property damage liability
South Carolina’s minimum requirements include $25,000 in property damage liability insurance, which includes damage that you may do to someone else’s vehicle or property with your car. We ordinarily recommend a more comprehensive coverage than that for Insurance Geek customers, so read on to find our minimum recommended coverage amounts.
Underinsured/Uninsured motorist coverage
Underinsured motorist coverage is a common topic for all interested in learning more about auto insurance in South Carolina. Some states force you to have underinsured minimum coverage, but South Carolina drivers are exempt from this rule.
We recommend that you take this affordable insurance, as there are some instances where you will take part in an accident where the other party doesn’t have insurance.
How Much Is South Carolina Auto Insurance Coverage?
Is there a mathematical equation when determining the car insurance premiums in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, you can expect to pay right around $1360 annually for the cheapest auto insurance, which is close to the average rates for auto insurance policies nationwide. This state also does require you to take out insurance in case if an uninsured vehicle hits you.
Note that this varies from person to person based on individual circumstances, the actual vehicle, whether the driver has a clean record or has recently got a speeding ticket, and more.
The most important factors when it comes to auto insurance in South Carolina will be listed below, so be sure to pay attention to this part:
Drivers’ Age
One of the circumstances is the age group in which you belong. Obviously, more experienced drivers will get lower premiums as they are seen by the companies as having less potential risk. The cheapest car insurance is only reserved for older drivers and those with more driving experience.
Young drivers and those who recently got their driver’s license can generally expect higher average rates for liability insurance, as they’re seen as less experienced and more prone to accidents.
Your Vehicle
Companies also look at the age of your car, what type of car it is, and even what color it is. Having low mileage on your car means the car will likely last longer, or there is less chance of operational defect, meaning that you will pay less for your premium and are less of a risk on the road.
If you choose to drive a sports car, don’t forget that owning a sports car will force you to pay more for car insurance in South Carolina.
Location
Expect higher insurance premiums if you live in one of the largest cities in South Carolina. Drivers in South Carolina tend to live in larger cities, so you will experience higher auto insurance rates if you live in one of these:
- Charleston
- Columbia
- North Charleston
- Mount Pleasant
- Rock Hill
- Greenville
- Summerville
Even minimum-coverage, cheapest auto insurance in South Carolina can get costly if you live in one of these cities, let alone full-coverage policies. Drivers in South Carolina, keep an eye on that!
Credit Score
When we compare rates, we regularly notice that drivers with poor credit scores usually have higher insurance rates. That’s right; you might land yourself higher insurance quotes if your credit score is overall bad.
Companies will look into your credit rating to determine the suitable premium for your insurance coverage in South Carolina. And a poor credit score will reflect badly on you and your general financial habits.
Driving Record
The cheapest car insurance in South Carolina is only reserved for good drivers that maintain a clean record, drive legally, and have remained accident-free. Recent citations and speeding tickets all negatively affect your overall driving record and lower your chance of scoring the cheapest auto insurance.
Discounts
The best way to save money while thinking about auto insurance in South Carolina is to bundle other policies with the same insurance company. Consider home or life insurance the next time you stop to compare quotes and to look into what discounts you might land for yourself and your family.
If you don’t have a recent at-fault accident, you will have a higher chance of obtaining various types of discounts.
Insurance Company
Depending on the insurance company you chose, you might be surprised by the average rates offered to you. They vary between companies – often, by a lot.
To ease your job, we offer you a calculator that estimates how much you will need to pay for insurance and generates free quotes depending on whether you want a minimum coverage or full-coverage policy.
Many factors go into building your policy, so make sure to talk to us about the ballpark premium you’re looking for – and we will take a look at your individual circumstances to see how we can get you there.
Get Cheapest South Carolina Insurance Quotes
Calculating the exact amount that you need to pay for your South Carolina car insurance isn’t as hard as you might think – but only if you have access to a tool that can help you with that.
Luckily for you, we at Insurance Geek treat our customers with dignity and respect – and we can show it first hand:
Free quotes are available by using our new quote calculator. We make it possible to compare quotes from the most successful insurance carriers, including Nationwide and Safeco.
Just by filling in some basic info, you will be able to compare quotes from the best insurance carriers, all of which are approved by the South Carolina Department of Insurance.
An average insurance company forces its clients to go through follow-up calls – we don’t operate like that. Give us your info, and we will find the best auto insurance products, lowest rates, and discounts for you!
Communicating between carriers and those interested in cheap car insurance is what we do best, so don’t worry:
Fill out our form, and you will immediately find yourself on a path to saving money and staying safe doing it!
What Does Coverage Car Insurance In South Carolina Include?
The state minimum isn’t the universal cost of car insurance in South Carolina; keep that in mind the next time that you search for a suitable auto policy.
Other types of coverage you may come across are:
Medical liability or PIP
PIP stands for personal injury protection. If you or passengers in your car sustain bodily injury in an accident, this type of coverage can help pay for your medical expenses. You may also be able to use this to pay for lost wages.
Uninsured insurance
If someone hits you or your car and they don’t have insurance – or they’re underinsured and don’t have enough insurance to cover your expenses – this type of protection on your own auto insurance policy will cover you.
Collision coverage
If you run into something, collision protection can help you pay for the damage on your own car. That includes hitting the curb, potholes, running into a parked car, hitting cars in motion – and just about anything else you can think of right now.
Comprehensive
Comprehensive insurance covers you if you hit a deer, if you have some type of ding, crack, or cosmetic defect on your car that needs fixing, like windshield damage, or in the event of theft.
We view comprehensive as must-have insurance – if you get caught in a hailstorm, comprehensive covers you.
Property damage liability coverage
Whenever you destroy the other driver’s property involved in the accident, property damage liability kicks in to help you out, as long as you have previously signed to be protected by this kind of coverage.
Bodily injury liability coverage
Injuring someone else in a car accident happens, regrettably, all the time. Some states don’t force you to accept this kind of bodily injury coverage. But in South Carolina, bodily injury minimum coverage is obligatory – as long as it is an at-fault accident.
How Much Coverage Do I Need In South Carolina?
We stated the South Carolina minimum insurance requirements above, but what you may actually need and what is best for your situation may be a little more coverage than the minimum amounts.
We typically advise customers to go by the 100/300/100 rule. Meaning, $100,000 in bodily injury protection, $100,000 in property damage protection and $300,000 max per accident.
That gives you plenty of coverage to make sure that you are taken care of in the event of an accident or injury, whether it involves other passengers in the car or not. This type of coverage can protect you and make you feel a little safer out on the road.
Are Discounts Possible?
Carriers love it when you bundle different lines of insurance, so bundling things like health, life, auto, boat, motorcycle, even business insurance can help you save over time. PIF, or paying your policy in full before it starts, is another great way to save a certain percentage discount in total.
Carriers also appreciate good driving. If you have a clean driving record, very few citations, or no accidents, or you’re willing to install a tracker in your car that will help the carrier monitor your driving for a certain period of time, you can get lower rates.
Anything from signing up for paperless billing to being willing to take a defensive driving class can help you here.
Calculate Top South Carolina Insurance Rates
In South Carolina, you don’t want to be on the road without insurance. Not only is it illegal – but even if you do have the state recommended minimum requirements, you may find that this is not enough insurance to protect you in the event of a major accident or some type of damage to your car.
It just makes sense to get the most comprehensive possible auto insurance you can afford, so you know you’re protected in the event of a major accident.
Auto insurance rates may not be as high as you think – we love helping our customers find policies that are not only affordable but will give them the best protection possible for their buck. You don’t have to spend the day researching auto insurance quotes in South Carolina, either.
Just fill out our form and we’ll get back to you with free insurance quotes, doing all the legwork for you.
FAQ: South Carolina Car Insurance
Q: What car insurance companies have the best cheap car insurance in South Carolina?
A: Safeco and Nationwide are the most popular and affordable South Carolina car insurance companies. Affordable premiums aren’t the only things that you can expect from those two – excellent customer satisfaction is also present at all times, which is proven by their Financial Strenght rating.
Q: How much is car insurance in South Carolina?
A: Regardless of your location within the borders of South Carolina, the average rate for car insurance is $1360 annually. Most average rates aren’t more expensive than this, but you can find those that are. Consider yourself lucky for living in South Carolina!
Final Words
Setting up your family with the best South Carolina car insurance is what we do. Most companies don’t bother with offering their clients free quotes – but here at Insurance Geek, we do our best to reach out to our clients and help them out with everything.
Getting the cheapest car insurance isn’t easy, especially if you’re unsure what comprehensive and collision coverage is or what kind of policy you need.
We make getting great value insurance coverage as simple as filling out a form or using a calculator. We’ll go to different carriers, get you their quotes, and help you find a policy that works for you.