Average Cost of Car Insurance in South Carolina for 2026

Full coverage in South Carolina costs $1,559 per year, $66 more than the $1,493 national average. Minimum coverage costs $790 per year, $64 more than the national $726. Both coverage types sit above the national average cost by similar dollar amounts, with minimum coverage running a larger percentage above average (12%) than full coverage (5%). South Carolina's rates reflect hurricane and flooding exposure along the coast and rising claim severity above the national average, as well as the requirement to carry uninsured motorist coverage.

State minimum liability costs $64 per month in South Carolina. Full coverage at 100/300/100 limits with a $1,000 deductible costs $126 per month, a $62 monthly difference. Adding comprehensive and collision to minimum liability costs $11 more per month at a $1,000 deductible ($75 per month total), covering your vehicle against South Carolina's hurricane damage, coastal flooding and hailstorms.

South Carolina's coverage table has one combination that costs more than our baseline 100/300/100 full coverage while providing less protection: the Minimum Liability + $0 Deductible at $128 per month, $2 more than full coverage at $126, while capping liability at the state minimum. At $2 per month to eliminate a $1,000 deductible, the break-even is more than 40 years without a claim. Two combinations appear cheaper than full coverage in our data but carry lower liability limits: the Minimum Liability + $250 Deductible at $118 per month and the 50/100/50 + $500 Deductible at $121 per month. These are averages, and your own quotes may differ, so it's worth comparing all three limit levels for your profile.

Full coverage ranges from $151 per month in North Charleston to $114 per month in Hilton Head Island, a $37 monthly difference across South Carolina's 10 most populous cities. That city range is narrower than the company range of $77 per month, meaning the insurer you choose shifts your rate more than which South Carolina city you live in.

North Charleston's $151 rate reflects port city traffic, commercial truck volume, elevated vehicle theft and urban congestion. Hilton Head Island's lower rate reflects a smaller residential population and reduced traffic density despite its coastal location. Charleston at $144 per month sits $7 below North Charleston despite sharing the same metro area. Columbia at $139 per month, the state capital, is $9 above the statewide average of $130.

North Charleston's rates are higher because of its port city traffic, commercial trucks, elevated vehicle theft and urban congestion. Greer's suburban character, lighter traffic, lower crime, puts it $36 per month below North Charleston.

Adding a 16-year-old male to a family policy costs $371 per month in South Carolina, $245 above the 40-year-old baseline of $126. A 16-year-old female costs $349 per month on a family policy, a $22 monthly difference that reflects South Carolina's use of gender as a rating factor. Drivers under 18 can't get their own individual policy, so the family plan rate is the only option for that age group.

That $22 gender difference at 16 narrows to $3 per month by age 25, nearly closing entirely. Family plan rates are lower than individual rates through the early 20s, when some companies start pricing individual policies competitively. Comparing both options at 19 and 20 is worth doing, since the crossover varies by company.

South Carolina penalizes not-at-fault accidents: a driver with one on record pays $138 per month versus $126 for a clean record, a $12 monthly increase ($144 per year). An at-fault accident adds $55 per month ($660 per year), a 44% surcharge over the clean-record baseline. A DUI adds $63 per month, raising full coverage from $126 to $189 per month and pushing annual costs to $2,264.

Speeding adds $31 per month ($372 per year). Violations affect rates for three to five years. Re-shopping at the three-year mark after any violation captures available market savings before your current insurer applies them at renewal. Drivers with a DUI or multiple violations may need to file an SR-22 certificate.

South Carolina drivers with bad credit pay $292 per month for full coverage compared to $128 for good credit, a $164 monthly difference that adds up to $1,968 more per year. That annual penalty exceeds South Carolina's entire minimum coverage cost ($790 per year) by $1,178, making credit the largest cost variable  larger than the company range ($77 per month), vehicle range ($67 per month) and DUI surcharge ($63 per month).

South Carolina permits insurers to use credit-based insurance scores when setting premiums. Improving your credit score reduces your rate at each renewal without any change to your coverage or driving behavior. Drivers with bad credit should re-shop every six to twelve months as their score improves, since insurers reprice at renewal rather than mid-term.

Insuring a Tesla Model Y in South Carolina costs $216 per month for full coverage compared to $149 for a Ford F-150, a $67 monthly difference equal to $804 per year. That vehicle range is narrower than the company range of $77 per month, which is notable: switching insurers can save more than switching from an EV to a conventional vehicle.

Mid-range vehicles cluster tightly: the Honda Accord ($161), Prius ($167), Camry ($170) and RAV4 ($172) span just $11 per month. The Tesla Model 3 at $191 per month is $19 above the RAV4, a step that reflects EV repair complexity. South Carolina's hurricane and coastal flooding exposure adds comprehensive risk for all vehicles. EVs carry additional battery and sensor repair costs that amplify claim severity when storm damage occurs. Drivers prioritizing lower premiums can save $67 per month by choosing a Ford F-150 over a Tesla Model Y, or $34 per month by choosing a Honda Civic over a Toyota RAV4.

Credit score and company choice produce the two largest premium swings in South Carolina: bad credit adds $164 per month over good credit, and American National at $62 per month costs $77 less per month than Progressive at $139 per month for identical coverage. South Carolina's $77 company range is wider than the vehicle range ($67 per month), city range ($37 per month) and DUI surcharge ($63 per month), making it the most consequential immediately actionable factor in the state.

Company choice is one of the few cost levers South Carolina drivers can pull immediately. American National at $62 per month and Progressive at $139 per month charge a $924 annual difference for the same driver with identical coverage. That's not a function of where you live or what you drive — it's purely which company you call.

Getting quotes from at least three companies is the fastest way to find out where the market prices your specific profile. Our rankings of the cheapest car insurance companies in South Carolina cover rate data across all available carriers, and our guide to the best car insurance in South Carolina weighs service and claims quality for drivers who want more than the lowest number.

South Carolina's car insurance costs vary widely between cities like North Charleston and smaller communities like Hilton Head Island and Greenville. These are the questions South Carolina drivers ask most about what affects their premiums.

We used this profile to determine auto insurance costs across all available ZIP codes and cities in the state:

• 40 years old
• Clean driving record
• Good credit
• 2012 Toyota Camry LE

Sections on cost by age and driving record use rates for those specific driver profiles, with all other factors held constant.

Minimum coverage is a state's minimum liability coverage. Full coverage is a policy with 100/300/100 liability limits and a $1,000 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage.