Average Cost of Car Insurance in South Carolina: What Drivers Pay Per Month, in Charleston and Greenville, and What Moves Your Quote

South Carolina drivers spent an average of $1,367 per insured vehicle on car insurance in 2023, or about $114 a month when you divide by 12, according to the NAIC Auto Insurance Database Report (opens in a new tab). A policy carrying liability, collision and comprehensive together averaged about $1,517 a year, or about $126 a month. These are statewide averages, not quotes. South Carolina requires 25/50/25 bodily injury and property damage liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage, and your own price depends on factors such as your driving record, territory, age, vehicle, vehicle use, prior insurance and claims, according to the South Carolina Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab).

How much is car insurance per month in South Carolina?

Dividing the NAIC's 2023 annual averages by 12 gives about $114 a month for the average expenditure and about $126 a month for a policy with liability, collision and comprehensive. Those monthly figures are arithmetic on annual averages. They aren't monthly installment quotes, and they don't include any payment-plan charges your insurer adds.

The statewide average rose from $1,205 in 2022 to $1,367 in 2023, an increase of about 13.4%, according to the NAIC report (opens in a new tab). If a renewal came in higher than last year's, that statewide rise is part of the background, though your own change depends on your policy.

Average expenditure or "full coverage": which number fits your quote?

The NAIC publishes two different measures, and they answer different questions. The average expenditure is what insured vehicles actually spent on average. It reflects the coverage people bought, and not every insured vehicle carries collision and comprehensive, so it isn't the simple sum of the three coverage averages and it isn't a pure minimum-liability figure either.

The combined average premium adds the average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums together. It describes a policy carrying all three, which is close to what many people mean by "full coverage." If your quote includes collision and comprehensive, the $1,517 figure is the closer comparison. If you carry liability and uninsured motorist coverage only, compare your quote with the liability average instead, keeping in mind that your driver, vehicle and territory still set the price.

Is car insurance expensive in South Carolina?

By the NAIC's 2023 figures, South Carolina sits above the national average and in the upper third of states. Its $1,367 average expenditure was about 7% higher than the national average of $1,282, and South Carolina ranked 15th among 51 jurisdictions, where first is the most expensive. Its combined average premium of about $1,517 also topped the national figure of $1,439.

State averages differ for many reasons. The single greatest influence on rating is claim frequency, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab), and the NAIC (opens in a new tab) points to traffic conditions, medical and repair costs, crime, economic conditions and state laws. Our article on the average cost of car insurance in North Carolina gives that state's figures.

What coverage does South Carolina require?

Every South Carolina auto policy must carry liability limits of at least $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage, under S.C. Code § 38-77-140 (opens in a new tab). It must also include uninsured motorist coverage at no less than those limits, under S.C. Code § 38-77-150 (opens in a new tab). Uninsured motorist property damage typically has a $200 deductible, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab).

Underinsured motorist coverage must be offered, but you aren't required to buy it. South Carolina is also a tort-liability state, so the at-fault driver's liability coverage pays the other side's covered damages, according to the Department of Insurance auto FAQ (opens in a new tab). Our article on South Carolina car insurance requirements covers each rule.

What does "full coverage" include?

"Full coverage" isn't a single coverage set by South Carolina law. It usually means liability plus collision and comprehensive. Collision pays for physical damage to your car when it collides with an object, such as a tree or another car, and comprehensive pays for damage from almost all other causes, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab).

Collision and comprehensive aren't required by law, but your lender may require them. Other optional coverages include underinsured motorist, medical payments, rental reimbursement and towing and labor. Each one changes the price, so a quote is only comparable to another quote that carries the same list. Our article on comprehensive vs collision insurance explains those two coverages.

Why can Charleston, Greenville, Columbia and the Grand Strand differ?

The area where you live is one of the rating factors South Carolina insurers use, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab). Claim frequency, driving records, vehicle use, the vehicles people drive and prior claims all feed into rating, and those can vary between urban, suburban, coastal and inland areas.

That's why a Charleston quote and a Greenville quote for the same driver and car can differ, and why a statewide average says little about one ZIP code. To see what your own area does to the price, ask the agency to rate the exact address where the car is garaged, then compare quotes that use identical drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles and use.

What changes an individual quote?

The Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab) lists the common factors that may affect your rate:

• Driving record.
• The area where you live.
• Gender and age.
• Marital status.
• Prior insurance coverage.
• Vehicle use.
• Vehicle make and model.
• Prior insurance claims.

Credit can also play a part. Credit scoring may be used to rate individual insureds among tiers, but it can't be the sole factor, and insurers must file the factors they use to score risks, the methodology behind each factor and the weight given to each, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab). Our article on whether your credit score affects car insurance covers credit-based insurance scores in general.

Your driving record is easy to check before you shop. The SCDMV offers a free online summary of your driving record points, and you can buy a three-year or ten-year record online, according to the SCDMV (opens in a new tab). A full report costs $10, and you can request one by mail with SCDMV Form MV-70. Traffic convictions are posted to your record, and the effect on a premium depends on the insurer's filed rating plan and your classification.

How much more does a teen or new driver cost?

Age and driving record are rating factors, so adding a young or newly licensed driver changes the household's price. The effect depends on the insurer, the driver, the vehicle and the coverage, so the useful number is the one an agency gives you for your own household.

Discounts can offset part of it. The Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab) lists good student, driver education, safety device, anti-theft, low mileage, claim-free renewal, multi-vehicle and auto and home package discounts. Under S.C. Code § 38-73-737 (opens in a new tab), liability and collision premiums for a youthful operator, a driver under 25 rated in a youthful driver class, are subject to an appropriate credit after an approved driver's education course.

Ask the agency to price the same household with and without the new driver, and to name each discount applied and the proof it needs, such as a course certificate or a report card.

Can you pay monthly, and what does it cost?

Monthly payment is common, but it isn't free. You add to the cost of your insurance when you pay on an installment plan, because you're paying for the convenience of not paying the whole premium at once, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab). Financing the premium through your agent, a premium finance company, a bank or a credit union can cost much more, and a finance company can charge extra for late payment. Even if you cancel or forget to pay, you still owe the finance charges and the premium for coverage you already had.

Missed payments carry their own risk. There is no required grace period for a renewal premium, and an unpaid policy expires at the end of its term, according to the auto FAQ (opens in a new tab). An insurer can cancel a new policy without cause during the first 90 days under S.C. Code § 38-77-121 (opens in a new tab), and S.C. Code § 38-77-120 (opens in a new tab) requires a written notice at least 15 days before a cancellation or nonrenewal takes effect.

What happens to the price after a lapse?

A lapse can cost money before it costs anything on a premium. When coverage ends, the SCDMV can require electronic insurance verification within 20 business days and suspend your driving privilege, plate and registration if it doesn't arrive, with up to $400 to reinstate, according to the SCDMV (opens in a new tab). A conviction for driving a vehicle you own without insurance adds a $700 uninsured motorist fee and an SR-22 filing for three years. Our article on driving without insurance in South Carolina covers those steps.

Fees paid by uninsured drivers do have a use. They go into the Uninsured Motorist Fund, which the Director of Insurance distributes each year among insurers writing auto liability coverage, in proportion to each insurer's South Carolina liability premium, and the purpose of the Fund is to reduce the cost of uninsured motorist coverage, according to SCDOI Bulletin 2025-03 (opens in a new tab), dated February 25, 2025.

How to compare quotes fairly

A price comparison only works when every agent or company gets the same information, according to the Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab). An agent's quote also isn't binding on the company, because the policy is rated under the insurer's own rules and rates, according to the auto FAQ (opens in a new tab). Which company charges you the least depends on your details, so the way to find out is to give identical information to several agencies.

Bring the same details to every agency:

• Driver's license information for each household driver.
• The vehicle identification number and vehicle details.
• The garaging address and ZIP code.
• Vehicle use, annual mileage and any commuting or business use.
• Your current declarations page, with its limits and deductibles.
• Your driving record and claims history.
• Proof of driver education or good-student eligibility.
• Your lender's or leasing company's requirements.

Then ask each agency the same questions:

• Are the liability and uninsured motorist limits identical across these quotes?
• Are collision and comprehensive included, and are the deductibles the same?
• Are all household drivers and vehicles listed?
• Is business, commuting, delivery or rideshare use rated correctly?
• Which discounts apply, and what proof do they need?
• What installment, finance, late or policy fees apply?
• What happens if a payment is missed?
• Are you and the insurer licensed in South Carolina?
• What notice applies if the policy is canceled or not renewed?

Use the South Carolina insurance license lookup (opens in a new tab) or the Department of Insurance's Insurance Locator (opens in a new tab) to confirm a license. For a complaint about a premium or a cancellation, the Office of Consumer Services (opens in a new tab) takes complaints at 803-737-6180, and insurance entities have 7 days to respond to the department. Riskado's directory lists South Carolina insurance agencies by city and by category, and our article on how to choose an insurance agent covers what to ask before you pick one.

Frequently asked questions

How much is full coverage in South Carolina?

A policy with liability, collision and comprehensive averaged about $1,517 a year in 2023, or about $126 a month, according to the NAIC (opens in a new tab). Collision and comprehensive add about $386 and $251 to the average liability premium of $879.

Why is my quote different from the state average?

A statewide average doesn't reflect your drivers, vehicle, territory, limits, deductibles, use, claims, prior insurance or credit-based insurance score. Your quote is rated under the insurer's filed rules for your exact situation.

Does paying monthly change the price?

It can. The Department of Insurance (opens in a new tab) says installment plans add to the cost, and premium financing can cost much more. Ask each agency for the total cost under each payment option.

Is an agent's quote the final price?

No. An agent's quote isn't binding on the company, which rates the policy under its own rules and rates, according to the auto FAQ (opens in a new tab). Ask the agency when the price becomes final and what could change it before the policy is issued.