Cheap South Carolina Car Insurance

Finding the right policy for your budget can be tricky, but luckily it’s not impossible. Let’s check out a few ways to save on your South Carolina car insurance so your vacation fund remains intact.

Car insurance in South Carolina will vary from person to person and policy to policy, as premiums will vary based and various different factors. The cheapest premiums may only be available for those who know where to find them, but luckily, we do. We’ll provide some tools you can use to lower your premiums even further than the state average.

In South Carolina, the average full coverage policy costs about $1,640 annually, or about $30 cheaper than the national average of $1,670 annually. However, the cheapest auto insurance in South Carolina will be a policy that meets the state’s required coverage limit but doesn’t exceed it.

The minimum amount of coverage drivers in the state must carry is $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, $25,000 in property damage liability per accident (25/50/25 liability coverage), and the same 25/50/25 limit of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM).

Those who lease or finance their vehicles may be legally required to carry a full coverage policy with comprehensive and collision coverages as a part of their legally binding contract with their lender or leaser. 

A policy with the minimum coverage required by state law may be referred to as a liability-only or minimum coverage policy. Typically, these policies only have about half the coverage of a full coverage policy, so they are often half the cost in premiums. This means a minimum coverage policy in the Palmetto State may cost only about $820 annually. However, it’s crucial to remember that policies differ from driver to driver, so while one driver may be eligible for the state average rate, another may not.

Whether you need of low-income car insurance in South Carolina or just a regular old full coverage policy that won’t break the bank, the cheapest insurers will likely be State Farm, Geico, and Travelers. Each insurer offers competitively low base rates below the state average of $1,640 annually for a full coverage policy.

Binding a policy with one of these cheap insurance companies in South Carolina will help you ensure you aren’t overpaying for your policy. If you can’t bind a policy with one of the top insurers in the state, your net best option for an affordable policy is a non-standard insurer. Typically those with a poor driving record or insurance history struggle to bind policies with standard insurers, so they must seek out a non-standard one that specializes in insuring high-risk drivers. 

Finding cheap car insurance in South Carolina isn’t too tough, considering the average full coverage policy in the state costs about $1,640 annually, nearly on par with the national average rate. It’s crucial to always maintain at least the minimum amount of coverage by law. However, a minimum coverage policy may not always ensure your safety or the safety of your passengers.

If you’re interested in having a full coverage policy but still want to stretch your dollar as far as it’ll go, your best bet is to get a full coverage policy from one of the state’s top insurers. By offering plenty of coverage options, lower-than-average base rates, and several opportunities for discounts, drivers are sure to find affordable insurance in South Carolina with one of these insurers. 

With discounts applied and stacked, the premiums associated with a full coverage policy become much more manageable. Many insurers, especially the well-known ones, offer two types of discounts: criteria-based and enrollment-based. A criteria-based discount will require the policyholder to inherently meet a set of criteria. In contrast, an enrollment-based discount will require the policyholder to take an active role in their savings.

For example, some insurers offer criteria-based discounts for students who earn good grades in school, policyholders who bundle more than one insurance product through the same insurer, or those who insure multiple cars on one policy.

In recent years, insurers have started to offer enrollment-based discount programs that often yield more significant savings than criteria-based discounts, sometimes up to 20% off one’s premiums. For example, some insurers offer safe driving classes in which policyholders may enroll to receive a discount upon passing. Other insurers may offer a usage-based discount program in which policyholders consent to tracking and sending their driving data to their insurer via a telematics device to earn savings based on their safe choices behind the wheel. Some insurers may even offer a pay-per-mile program for drivers that drive less than the national average of 12,000 miles annually. 

Stacking multiple discounts onto a full coverage policy is is a good way to achieve cheap auto insurance in South Carolina. While there may be a bit of sticker shock associated with the premiums for a full coverage policy, investing in your safety in various accident scenarios is worth every penny. 

The best car insurance rates in South Carolina will vary from driver to driver, as every policyholder pays different premiums depending on their unique characteristics. Insurers use both driving and non-driving factors about each driver to help determine their rates. These factors help insurers determine the risk they take by binding a policy with a driver. If a driver is considered high-risk, an insurer believes they’re at higher-than-average risk of filing a claim.

Insurers may use a range of factors to determine a policyholder’s premiums. For example, insurers may use one’s driving history, insurance record, age, gender, or ZIP code, among several other factors, to determine one’s rate. Even those with a good driving record may have higher premiums, depending on their non-driving characteristics. Drivers who live in densely populated ZIP codes may end up paying higher premiums than those in rural or suburban areas, even with a clean record and a history of consistently paying premiums on time. 

While finding low-cost auto insurance in South Carolina is possible for all types of drivers, it’s essential to remember that these factors could contribute to your higher-than-average premiums. However, it’s more likely for one’s driving factors to carry a heavier weight in premium determination, like one’s driving record and insurance history. Drivers with a history of driving without insurance or with an SR-22 on file may expect to pay premiums double or triple the state average. 

While some of your unique characteristics may be working against you to raise your premiums, don’t lose hope for savings just yet. There are still a few ways high-risk drivers can lower their premiums. 

If you’re interested in saving even more than the cheapest full coverage car insurance in South Carolina allows, the best policy for you will likely be a minimum coverage policy with the minimum limits of liability and UM coverages. While a minimum coverage policy may cost only about $840 annually in premiums, policyholders only get about half the coverage compared to a full coverage policy.

While it can be tempting to forgo a full coverage policy or a policy in general, the risk of financial ruin is often not worth the short-term savings. A full coverage policy can be costly, especially if you’re considered a high-risk driver. Still, it’s far easier to budget for a set premium rate than for a worst-case accident scenario. 

While the lowest auto insurance rates in South Carolina are typically on par with the national average of $1,670 annually for a full coverage policy, the Palmetto State is not the cheapest for car insurance. Data suggests that Maine is the cheapest state for car insurance this year, with full coverage premiums averaging about $1,020 annually, or about 40% less than the national average. 

Louisiana is the most expensive state for car insurance this year, with the average full coverage premium costing about $2,800 annually, or about 40% higher than the national average. As for South Carolina, the average premium falls right in line with the national average, at about $1,640 annually for a full coverage policy.

If you’re searching for the best price on auto insurance in South Carolina, the best way to see all your options in one place is to get and compare quotes online. By getting and comparing quotes from several insurers, you can see all the different policies and rates for which you’re eligible, allowing you to see just how far you can stretch your dollar.

Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place for quote comparison. Here at Clovered, we have a free quoting tool you can use to get your unique quotes in just minutes. If you prefer to speak to a professional about your quote or have any additional questions about auto insurance in the Palmetto State, one of our licensed agents would be happy to assist you at 833-255-4117 or agent@clovered.com.