How much is car insurance in South Carolina per month?

Drivers in South Carolina need $25,000 of bodily injury liability insurance per person (up to $50,000 per accident) and $25,000 of property damage liability insurance. South Carolina also requires uninsured motorist protection. UM replaces the liability coverage an at-fault driver should’ve had and pays for your costs up to your policy limits.… read full answer

Here’s How Much Car Insurance Drivers Need in South Carolina:

If you lease or finance your car, you may be required to carry coverage types that are not mandatory under South Carolina law. Lenders usually require comprehensive and collision insurance. Collision insurance covers repairs to your car when you hit another car or object. If the damage to your vehicle was caused by something other than a collision—like a natural disaster, vandalism, falling objects, or animals—it is most likely covered by comprehensive insurance. Lenders may also require gap insurance, which covers the difference between what you owe on your loan or lease and what the vehicle was worth if it gets stolen or totaled.

Even if you’re not required to carry these optional coverage types, you may still need them. You can learn more about when to drop optional coverage and the penalties for driving without insurance in South Carolina to make sure you’re paying for the coverage you need.

Car insurance in South Carolina is expensive because drivers are required to have personal injury protection and some drivers can legally drive uninsured if they pay a fee to the state. In South Carolina, you can expect to pay approximately $4,557 per year for full coverage car insurance or $1,701 per year for minimum coverage. Car insurance in South Carolina is more expensive than the national average, which is around $2,000 annually for … read full answerfull coverage and about $700 per year for minimum coverage.

The cost of car insurance is steadily increasing, too, both in South Carolina and nationwide. As the cost of providing insurance goes up, the premiums insurers charge also rise. All insured drivers share the increasing cost of insurance. That is why your rates tend to go up every time your policy is renewed, regardless of whether any individual factors—like your driving record or location—have changed.

There are several unique reasons why car insurance goes up every year in South Carolina, too, even if your details remain the same.

Top Reasons Car Insurance Is Expensive in South Carolina

• People in South Carolina are driving more. As a result, the number of accidents, claims, and payouts is rising, too. For example, there were approximately 962 fatal crashes in 2020 in South Carolina, versus 911 fatal crashes in 2015.
• Auto repairs are getting more expensive. Vehicles today cost more to repair due to the added technology and features. For example, a National Association of Insurance Commissioners study found that the average cost of vehicle repairs was around 8% higher in 2018 than it was in 2014.
• People in South Carolina drive uninsured. As the cost of car insurance continues to rise, more drivers take the risk of driving without car insurance. In 2019, 11% of drivers lacked even minimum liability insurance in South Carolina. The cost of uninsured drivers is passed on to consumers through higher premiums.
• Healthcare in South Carolina is getting more expensive. Car insurance companies are hit hardest when paying out claims involving medical bills, and it’s not getting any cheaper. Healthcare spending increases by an average of 6.6% every year in South Carolina.
• South Carolina is experiencing more severe weather. In South Carolina, weather events like severe storms, tropical cyclones, and serious winter weather are becoming increasingly common. These weather events cause insurers to pay out a higher number of claims, which tend to be more expensive and less predictable. As a result, they have to raise rates to keep pace.

However, there could be other issues elevating your rates.

If your driving record is clean and your rates are still high, your car insurance might be expensive because of your:

Age. Drivers under 25 and older than 65 pay more for auto coverage because they are statistically more likely to be involved in serious and fatal accidents. In South Carolina, 16-year-old drivers pay an average of $3,871 per year, 25-year-old drivers pay an average of $996 per year, and people over 65 pay an average of $852 per year.

Location and driving patterns. Population-dense cities have higher premiums than rural areas because city living usually means more accidents, more property crime, and more frequent claims. In South Carolina, the most expensive locations for insurance are Charleston, Goose Creek, and North Charleston. You can also expect rates to change based on your driving patterns—long commutes or regular driving in high-risk areas can cost you.

Financial responsibility. In South Carolina, drivers with no credit pay 67% more on their premiums than drivers with excellent credit. You can also demonstrate financial responsibility by maintaining minimum car insurance with no gaps in coverage. Letting your coverage lapse could result in a higher rate when you get your next policy.

Claims history. Numerous recent claims can drive up your premiums. That's one reason why it sometimes makes sense to pay out of pocket rather than file a claim, especially if a claim won’t get you much more than your deductible.

How to Get Cheaper Car Insurance in South Carolina

Multiple factors affect the cost of car insurance. Some things you can’t control, but you do have a say in most of the contributing factors. Driving safely, obeying traffic laws, and keeping a clean driving record are the best ways to keep your insurance costs down.

Other than that, the best way to lower your car insurance costs is to compare rates from at least three insurance companies. Ideally, you should check your rates every 6-12 months, when you renew your policy. But at a minimum, be sure to check your record and shop for rates every three to five years, since you may be able to get a lower rate if a traffic violation falls off your record.

In South Carolina, the most expensive policies cost roughly $3,454 per year, and the least expensive coverage costs around $544 per year, when all driver profile information is the same. That means you could save as much as $2,911 simply by shopping around. Be sure to confirm you’re getting all the discounts you’re eligible for, too.

The penalties for driving without insurance in South Carolina include fines, suspension of license and registration, and high-risk insurance requirements. You can avoid these consequences by meeting South Carolina’s proof of financial responsibility requirements. South Carolina requires that all drivers have at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage, up to $50,000 per accident, along with $25,000 in liability coverage for property damage.… read full answer

Purchasing South Carolina’s minimum liability car insurance coverage is the easiest way to satisfy the financial responsibility requirement. Drivers in South Carolina pay an average of $572 per year to maintain the minimum amount of coverage. That’s nothing compared to the consequences of driving without insurance, especially if you get into an accident.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in South Carolina

Not having car insurance and not being able to prove that you have it are two different violations. If you have insurance but cannot prove it when you get pulled over or at the scene of an accident, you are guilty of an “administrative violation,” similar to a seat-belt ticket. Your citation might be dismissed if you can provide the court with proof of valid insurance for the date of the citation within 20 business days.

Driving without car insurance at all is much more serious, and the penalties are more severe. In addition to the legal consequences, you can also expect your car insurance premium to go up. A single conviction for driving without insurance raises annual premiums by an average of 11%, or $144, in South Carolina.

What happens if you get into a car accident without insurance in South Carolina?

If you get into an accident while driving without insurance in South Carolina, you will be cited and all the penalties for driving without insurance will apply, no matter who is at fault. Driving uninsured can make it difficult to be compensated for damages if you are not at fault and can have long-lasting and life-changing consequences if you are at fault.

If the accident is your fault, you’ll have to pay for all the damages out of your own pocket. In addition to the legal consequences for driving without insurance, you could easily be responsible for tens of thousands of dollars or more in damage to your vehicle, the other driver’s repair and hospital bills, and your own medical care. Both the other driver and their insurance company can sue you and have future wages and savings garnished to pay for damages. You could face mounting debt or even bankruptcy, especially if the other driver doesn’t carry uninsured motorist coverage or personal injury protection.

Even if the accident is not your fault, driving without insurance leaves you vulnerable to expensive hospital and repair bills. South Carolina is an at-fault state. In at-fault states, the other driver is usually responsible for damage to your car and any medical treatment you may need—assuming the other driver is found completely at-fault. South Carolina uses a modified comparative negligence system, which means you may not be able to recover all the costs associated with the accident if you are found partially responsible for causing it.

Driving uninsured doesn’t negate the other driver’s fault entirely, but you’re almost certainly going to be penalized and unable to recover everything you would be entitled to if you had insurance.

You can get car insurance in South Carolina, even if you are…

Uninsured: Unless you’re a newly licensed driver, having a history of driving without insurance or lapses in coverage is a risk to insurers. To insurance companies, it’s similar to a bad driving record, which is why drivers who let their insurance lapse for 60 days pay about 9% more than the average premium in South Carolina.

USAA, State Farm, Nationwide, and Geico tend to have the lowest rates for drivers who want to regain coverage.

Driving someone else’s car: It’s not illegal to drive someone else’s car if you do not have insurance, but non-owner car insurance can protect you if you don’t have a car but still drive regularly. If you borrow a car from someone living in your own home, you should be listed on the car owner’s policy. But you may want to explore non-owner coverage if you need to reinstate a driver’s license, you rent or borrow cars frequently, or you want to maintain continuous auto coverage between vehicles.

Geico, State Farm, Nationwide, and The General good places to shop if you need non-driver car insurance.

High-Risk: If you’re a high-risk driver who has been denied coverage from traditional insurance companies, check out South Carolina’s assigned risk program. Whether you require an assigned risk program or still qualify for high-risk insurance from conventional providers, you’ll pay more. In South Carolina, drivers with just two speeding tickets pay an average of 17% more on their annual car insurance premiums, for example.

Depending on your driving record and the seriousness of your infractions, you could pay even more. Still, even though rates may be higher, at least you can drive legally and avoid more penalties.

Final Thoughts: How to avoid driving without insurance in South Carolina

To avoid the penalties of driving without insurance, shop around for at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage, up to $50,000 per accident, along with $25,000 in liability coverage for property damage of liability coverage from three or more car insurance companies. In South Carolina, you can find basic liability auto insurance for around $572 per year if you have a clean driving record. The consequences of driving without insurance are ultimately more costly than purchasing minimum auto insurance coverage.

No matter what your unique needs are, the best way to get accurate quotes and the best prices is to comparison shop.