Compare South Carolina car insurance quotes by ZIP code before choosing a policy. State law requires registered vehicles to maintain qualifying financial security, including minimum liability and uninsured motorist coverage, and the former option to register as an uninsured motorist by paying a fee ended in 2024. Compare equivalent limits, deductibles, and optional physical-damage coverage so you can judge price and protection together.
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 auto insurance pricing can vary materially by territory and claim frequency, while optional comprehensive coverage can matter for coastal and severe-weather exposure. South Carolina DOI's 2025 Coastal Property Report recorded 17,027 personal-auto claims related to Hurricane Helene and $107,880,592 in paid personal-auto losses, illustrating how a major storm can generate substantial vehicle claims across the state.
Car insurance rates in South Carolina vary by ZIP code or approved rating territory, driving record, age, prior coverage, vehicle use and annual mileage, vehicle, claims history, coverage choices, deductibles, and insurer. Compare South Carolina car insurance quotes using the same limits and deductibles so prices are meaningfully comparable.
25/50/25 liability + UM 25/50/25
$25,000 bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident, $25,000 property damage liability per accident, plus uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage at the same minimum 25/50/25 limits
At Fault
Not required
South Carolina does not require PIP as part of the state minimum private-passenger auto insurance package. Medical Payments and other first-party coverages may be available depending on the insurer and policy, but the state-required baseline is liability plus uninsured motorist coverage.
Required UM 25/50/25; UIM optional
South Carolina requires uninsured motorist coverage at least equal to the minimum liability limits of 25/50/25. South Carolina DOI says uninsured motorist property damage typically carries a $200 deductible. Underinsured motorist coverage is separate: insurers must offer UIM, but drivers are not required to purchase it.
Recent rate data estimates South Carolina annual auto insurance premiums at about $2,328 ($194/month) for full coverage and $868 ($72/month) for minimum coverage.
| Driver Profile | Estimated Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| State average: full coverage benchmark | ~$2,328/yr ($194/mo) |
| State average: minimum coverage benchmark | ~$868/yr ($72/mo) |
| Lowest sampled insurer: American National, full coverage | ~$1,050/yr ($88/mo) |
| Lowest sampled insurer: American National, minimum coverage | ~$360/yr ($30/mo) |
Forbes Advisor / Quadrant Information Services 2026 standardized South Carolina statewide rate analysis.
Source: Forbes Advisor / Quadrant Information Services 2026
Average premiums are estimates, not quotes. Actual South Carolina car insurance rates vary by ZIP code or rating territory, driving record, age, prior insurance, vehicle use and mileage, vehicle make and model, claims history, credit-based insurance score where used, coverage limits, deductibles, discounts, and carrier.
NerdWallet's August 2026 analysis of 12 insurers found American National had the lowest sampled South Carolina full-coverage rate at about $1,050 per year ($88 per month) and the lowest sampled minimum-coverage rate at about $360 per year ($30 per month). These are modeled sample rates, not guaranteed quotes or proof that one insurer will be cheapest for every driver.
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 per accident, plus uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage at 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.
South Carolina does not legally require comprehensive or collision coverage, although a lender or lessor may require them. Comprehensive can protect the insured vehicle against losses such as flooding, theft, vandalism, falling objects, severe-weather damage, animal strikes, and broken glass; collision generally covers crashes with vehicles or objects. Liability-only minimum coverage does not pay to repair the policyholder's own vehicle after those types of 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 an owner convicted of driving an uninsured vehicle must have an insurer file an SR-22 for three years starting with the date of suspension. An SR-22 is a proof-of-insurance filing, not a separate type of policy.
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.
The Associated Auto Insurers Plan of South Carolina (AAIPSC) is a residual-market option for eligible applicants who cannot obtain automobile insurance voluntarily. AIPSO says applicants must certify that they tried and failed to obtain South Carolina auto insurance within the preceding 60 days. The Plan assigns eligible risks to participating insurers. It is not an income-based subsidy and is not necessarily the cheapest option.
Source: Associated Auto Insurers Plan of South Carolina
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 shopping for affordable auto insurance should ask about discounts that the South Carolina Department of Insurance highlights, including multi-vehicle, driver-education, good-student, vehicle safety-device, anti-theft, low-mileage, good-driver or renewal, and auto/home package discounts. Availability and eligibility 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 use the NAIC 2024 South Carolina total private passenger auto group-level direct written premium market-share report. NAIC's public publications catalog still lists 2024 Property/Casualty as its latest free annual market-share report as of this update. Market share measures premium volume; it is not a quality ranking and does not identify the cheapest insurer for an individual driver.
Find auto insurance in these major South Carolina cities:
Forbes Advisor's 2026 standardized state analysis estimates South Carolina car insurance at about $2,328 per year, or $194 per month, for full coverage and $868 per year, or $72 per month, for state-minimum coverage. These are modeled statewide benchmarks, not quotes; your actual price can vary by ZIP code or rating territory, driving history, vehicle, coverage, deductibles, prior insurance, discounts, and insurer.
NerdWallet's August 2026 sample found American National had the lowest modeled rates among the insurers it analyzed, at about $1,050 per year for full coverage and $360 per year for minimum coverage. That does not mean American National will be cheapest for every driver. Compare multiple quotes using the same limits and deductibles.
Start with your South Carolina ZIP code and compare the same driver, vehicle, liability limits, UM/UIM selections, physical-damage coverages, and deductibles across insurers. Equivalent coverage makes it easier to see which quote is actually less expensive instead of comparing policies that protect you differently.
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 per accident. It also requires uninsured motorist bodily injury and property damage coverage at the same minimum 25/50/25 limits.
Yes. Registered vehicles must maintain qualifying financial security, normally an auto liability policy meeting South Carolina requirements. The former option to register a vehicle as uninsured by paying an uninsured-motorist fee ended effective July 1, 2024. Approved alternative forms of financial security may exist under state law, but ordinary drivers should not treat the former fee program as a current alternative to insurance.
Not under the former uninsured-registration program. South Carolina reserved the old uninsured-motorist registration section effective July 1, 2024, and directed DMV to ensure that no one remained registered as an uninsured motorist. Current law requires registered vehicles to maintain qualifying financial security.
PIP is not part of South Carolina's required minimum auto insurance package. Uninsured motorist coverage is required at minimum 25/50/25 limits. Underinsured motorist coverage must be offered by insurers but is optional for the driver to purchase.
No. South Carolina insurers must offer underinsured motorist coverage, but drivers are not required to buy it. UIM can help when an at-fault driver has insurance but not enough coverage to pay all covered injuries or property damage.
If an insurer reports a cancellation and SCDMV cannot confirm replacement coverage, SCDMV can require the insurer to electronically verify coverage within 20 business days. Without verification, the driving privilege, plate, and affected registration can be suspended. SCDMV says reinstatement after this process may cost up to $400, and state law also provides a $5-per-day lapse fine capped at $200 per vehicle for a first offense in the circumstances covered by Section 56-10-245.
For a first conviction under Section 56-10-520, operating an uninsured vehicle can carry a $100 to $200 fine or up to 30 days in jail. If the driver owns the uninsured vehicle, the license and registration are suspended until reinstatement requirements are met. South Carolina DOI set the Section 56-10-520 reinstatement fee at $700 for calendar year 2026. An owner convicted of driving uninsured must also have the insurer file an SR-22 for three years from the suspension date.
South Carolina law currently says a physical-damage coverage deductible or policy deductible does not apply to automobile safety glass. South Carolina DOI explains that comprehensive coverage can cover broken glass such as a windshield. This does not mean every driver automatically has free glass coverage; you still need applicable physical-damage coverage and the loss must be covered by the policy.
Full coverage usually means liability plus comprehensive and collision, although there is no single legal definition. Comprehensive can cover many non-collision losses such as flooding, theft, vandalism, falling objects, animal strikes, severe-weather damage, and broken glass. Collision generally pays for covered crash damage to your own vehicle. These coverages are optional by state law but may be required by a lender or lessor.
No separate statewide income-based low-cost auto insurance subsidy was verified for this update. Drivers should compare voluntary-market quotes and available discounts first. Eligible applicants who tried and failed to obtain South Carolina auto insurance within the preceding 60 days may be able to use the Associated Auto Insurers Plan of South Carolina, but that Plan is a residual market rather than an income subsidy and is not necessarily cheaper.
South Carolina is not uniformly expensive for every driver. Forbes Advisor's standardized 2026 full-coverage benchmark is $2,328 per year compared with $2,459 nationally. If your rate is much higher, South Carolina DOI identifies factors such as claim frequency, rating territory, driving record, vehicle use, vehicle type, prior coverage, and other approved rating factors as reasons premiums can vary.
South Carolina may require an SR-22 certificate in uninsured-driving and other financial-responsibility situations. SCDMV says an owner convicted of driving an uninsured vehicle must have an insurer file an SR-22 for three years from the date of suspension. The SR-22 is proof that required insurance is in place, not a separate insurance policy.
There is no single statewide SR-22 insurance price. Insurers set the policy premium based on the driver, violation history, vehicle, coverage, territory, and other rating factors, and a filing-related fee may apply. Do not confuse the insurer's SR-22-related cost with South Carolina's separate 2026 $700 reinstatement fee for an owner convicted of operating an uninsured vehicle.
In the NAIC 2024 group-level total private passenger auto market-share report, the five largest South Carolina groups were State Farm, Progressive, Allstate, United Services Automobile Association (USAA), and Berkshire Hathaway. Market share measures premium volume; it does not identify the cheapest or best insurer for an individual driver.
Same-day coverage may be available from some insurers if you complete the application, payment, and any required underwriting steps. Effective dates and availability vary by insurer, so verify that the policy is active before driving or canceling prior coverage.
Compare South Carolina auto insurance quotes periodically, maintain continuous coverage and a safe driving record, and ask about discounts. South Carolina DOI highlights multi-vehicle, driver-education, good-student, safety-device, anti-theft, low-mileage, good-driver or renewal, and auto/home package discounts, although eligibility varies by company.
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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.
