Comparing auto insurance in South Carolina is most useful when you account for state rules, local claims patterns, and the coverage options that protect your own vehicle as well as other drivers.
South Carolina pricing is shaped by required uninsured motorist coverage, coastal hurricane and tropical storm exposure, inland severe storms, flooding, hail, winter weather, rural roads, and growing traffic around Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Hilton Head. NOAA lists 101 billion-dollar weather and climate disaster events affecting South Carolina from 1980 through 2024, including 44 severe storm events, 25 tropical cyclone events, 13 drought events, 13 winter storm events, 3 flooding events, and 3 freeze events.
South Carolina premiums can vary between Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, Hilton Head, coastal counties, Upstate communities, Midlands suburbs, rural counties, and commuter corridors because traffic density, commute mileage, garaging ZIP code, hurricane and flood exposure, storm risk, theft risk, local claim patterns, vehicle type, driver history, prior insurance, and carrier pricing differ across the state.
25/50/25 + UM 25/50/25
$25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, $25,000 property damage liability, and uninsured motorist coverage equal to the same minimum 25/50/25 limits
At Fault
Offer/Rejection Rule
South Carolina does not require PIP for standard private passenger auto policies. South Carolina DOI lists medical payments coverage as optional coverage, along with rental reimbursement and towing/labor coverage.
Required
South Carolina requires uninsured motorist coverage equal to the minimum liability limits of 25/50/25, typically with a $200 deductible. Underinsured motorist coverage is similar but separate; insurers are required to offer UIM coverage, but drivers are not required to buy it.
Recent rate data estimates South Carolina annual auto insurance premiums at about $2,508 for full coverage and $734 for minimum coverage.
| Driver Profile | Estimated Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Clean record, 35, full coverage | ~$2,508/yr |
| Clean record, 35, minimum required coverage | ~$734/yr |
NerdWallet June 2026 South Carolina median annual rates for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record.
Source: NerdWallet 2026
Average premiums are estimates and are not quotes. Actual rates vary by ZIP code, garaging location, driver profile, driving record, credit-based insurance score where used, vehicle, coverage limits, deductibles, discounts, claims history, prior insurance, and carrier.
South Carolina minimum coverage focuses on required protection such as $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, $25,000 property damage liability, and uninsured motorist coverage equal to the same minimum 25/50/25 limits. Minimum coverage may satisfy state rules, but it usually does not repair or replace your own vehicle after many losses.
Some drivers need a financial-responsibility filing or high-risk auto insurance after serious violations, coverage lapses, or license-related issues. The form name, filing trigger, and required duration vary by state.
South Carolina uses SR-22 certificates in some uninsured-driving and financial responsibility situations. SCDMV says a driver found guilty of driving uninsured while owning the vehicle must have the insurance company file a Certificate of Insurance, also called SR-22, for three years starting with the date of suspension.
South Carolina SCDMV and DOI guidance reviewed for this page refers to SR-22 certificates, not FR-44. Do not publish FR-44 as a standard South Carolina requirement.
High-risk insurance may cost more, but comparing quotes can help you review available options.
Adding a teen driver to your South Carolina auto insurance policy typically increases premiums because newer drivers have less experience. Good student, driver training, safe driving, and household policy discounts may help reduce the cost when available.
Compare quotes when adding a teen driver because companies can rate household drivers and vehicles differently.
Insurance partners may offer various discounts to South Carolina drivers, including:
South Carolina drivers should ask about safe-driver, accident-free, good-student, multi-car, bundling, low-mileage, anti-theft, vehicle safety feature, defensive-driving, telematics, paperless billing, automatic payment, and pay-in-full discounts. South Carolina DOI specifically discusses good-student discounts for teen drivers, while other discounts vary by insurer.
Ask about available discounts when comparing quotes.
| Rank | Carrier | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm Group | 25.53% |
| 2 | Progressive Group | 22.90% |
| 3 | Allstate Insurance Group | 11.56% |
| 4 | United Services Automobile Association Group | 10.11% |
| 5 | Berkshire Hathaway Group | 8.85% |
| 6 | Travelers Group | 3.35% |
| 7 | Auto-Owners Group | 2.47% |
| 8 | Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Group | 2.41% |
| 9 | Liberty Mutual Group | 2.33% |
| 10 | Nationwide Corporation Group | 2.28% |
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners 2024
Carrier rankings are based on NAIC 2024 South Carolina total private passenger auto group-level direct written premium market share. These are insurance groups, not necessarily consumer-facing brand names or quote recommendations.
Find auto insurance in these major South Carolina cities:
The estimated average cost of car insurance in South Carolina is $2,508 per year for full coverage and $734 per year for minimum required coverage, based on NerdWallet’s June 2026 rate analysis for a 35-year-old driver with good credit and a clean driving record. Your actual premium can vary by ZIP code, garaging location, driving record, vehicle, coverage choices, deductibles, discounts, credit-based insurance score where used, prior insurance history, and carrier.
South Carolina requires at least 25/50/25 liability coverage: $25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 property damage liability. South Carolina also requires uninsured motorist coverage equal to the same minimum 25/50/25 limits.
PIP is not required in South Carolina. Medical payments coverage is optional. Uninsured motorist coverage is required at minimum 25/50/25 limits, while underinsured motorist coverage must be offered but is not required to purchase.
No. South Carolina insurers are required to offer underinsured motorist coverage, but drivers are not required to buy it. UIM can help when the at-fault driver has insurance but not enough to cover your injuries or property damage.
South Carolina may require an SR-22 certificate in some uninsured-driving and financial responsibility cases. An SR-22 is not a separate insurance policy; it is a certificate filed by an insurer to prove required coverage is in place.
Many insurance partners offer same-day coverage. Once you select a policy and complete the application, coverage can often begin immediately or on the date you specify.
South Carolina drivers can compare quotes, maintain continuous coverage, ask about good-student, safe-driver, accident-free, multi-car, bundling, low-mileage, anti-theft, safety-feature, defensive-driving, telematics, paperless billing, and payment-related discounts, and review deductibles before renewal.
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Coverage availability, pricing, and requirements vary by state and individual circumstances. The information on this page is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Check current state insurance department or DMV requirements before buying minimum-only coverage.
