Cheapest Auto Insurance in North Charleston, South Carolina (2024)
With a monthly liability-only rate of $66, USAA is the cheapest car insurance company in North Charleston.
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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Updated October 30, 2024
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Table of contents
The overall average cost of car insurance in North Charleston, South Carolina, is $294 per month. Drivers in North Charleston pay significantly more for auto insurance than the U.S. national average of $158 per month.
North Charleston’s coastal location means the city is susceptible to hurricanes and flooding, which makes the cost of car insurance more expensive than in areas with fewer weather risks.
Here’s what you need to know about comparing car insurance quotes and finding cheap car insurance in North Charleston.
Quick Facts
North Charleston drivers pay an average of $235 per month for liability-only coverage and $352 per month for full coverage.
The average teen in North Charleston pays $421 per month for car insurance.
USAA, Auto-Owners, and State Farm offer the cheapest liability-only policies in North Charleston.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in North Charleston
North Charleston, South Carolina, drivers have many options for car insurance. But the best insurance company for you depends on your unique driver profile, coverage needs, and budget. The three insurers below are a good place to start your search.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Best for ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 9.4 | $90 | $51 | Military families |
| Auto-Owners | 8.5 | $97 | $55 | Customizable coverage |
| State Farm | 9.3 | $100 | $57 | Discounts |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Best insurer for military families: USAA
USAACompare personalized, real-time quotes
| User Reviews | 3.6 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.4/10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $66/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $115/mo |
For drivers stationed at one of the military bases near North Charleston, USAA is a great choice for car insurance. USAA exclusively sells car insurance to active-duty and retired service members and their immediate family members. USAA has the lowest car insurance rates in North Charleston and offers a variety of discounts for additional savings.
The company also has some of the best third-party ratings for overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction, as well as superior financial strength.
Pros
Safe drivers can save up to 30% with the SafePilot program
Highly rated mobile app
Cons
Only available to active-duty military members, veterans, and their families
Few add-on coverages
Read more driver reviews of USAA
Kent - October 29, 2024
Verified
Excellent
The insurance is a bit high.
Dorothy - October 29, 2024
Verified
Significant Increase in Policy Payment
Be cautious not to have an accident, as my policy payment increased by $300 a month.
Martin - October 29, 2024
Verified
My Opinion
They have always been there when I've needed them. They're not the cheapest, but I've never been denied a claim.
…
Best insurer for customizable coverage: Auto-Owners
Auto-OwnersCompare personalized, real-time quotes
| User Reviews | 3.8 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.5/10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $71/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $124/mo |
Auto-Owners is the best car insurance company in North Charleston for drivers who want to customize their auto policy. The company offers a big selection of endorsements, including gap insurance, diminished value coverage, additional expense coverage, accident forgiveness, a common loss deductible, rental car coverage, and several others.
Auto-Owners also offers excellent discounts. But it conducts business through independent agents, so customers can’t get a quote or purchase a policy online.
Pros
Good selection of available endorsements
Many available discounts
Cons
Can’t buy a policy online
Below-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in the Southeast region
Read more driver reviews of Auto-Owners
Ronald W - October 29, 2024
Verified
They Cancelled Our Home Insurance
We had no problem with Auto-Owners regarding our auto insurance. However, we were disappointed when Auto-Owners cancelled our home insurance. They stopped all home insurance in 'fire prone areas'.
Martha - October 28, 2024
Verified
Good
The premiums keep increasing.
Lawrence - October 24, 2024
Verified
Honest Answers to Questions
Please refer to my answers to the previous questions.
…
Best insurer for discounts: State Farm
State FarmCompare personalized, real-time quotes
| User Reviews | 3.2 |
|---|---|
| IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.3/10 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $74/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $128/mo |
Drivers in North Charleston pay above-average rates for car insurance, but State Farm offers a big selection of discounts that can help you save money. State Farm has more than 10 discounts available in South Carolina, with savings for good students, accident-free clients, taking a driver training course, insuring multiple vehicles, insuring a car with safety features, and more.
The company also has two safe driver rewards programs that offer savings when you enroll and demonstrate good driving habits.
Pros
Many discounts for additional savings
Above-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction rating in the Southeast region
Cons
Few available endorsements
Traditional gap insurance not available
Read more driver reviews of State Farm
Jannie - October 29, 2024
Verified
Good
The insurance is higher than other companies' policies.
Marsha - October 29, 2024
Verified
Friendly agents!
Check out their prices!
Linda - October 29, 2024
Verified
I also have my homeowners insurance with them. I had a fire in my hot water heater and a year later, someone stayed in my house while I was gone for 2 months. I came home to a floating kitchen floor. After these incidents, StateFarm cancelled my policy.
I also have my homeowners insurance with them. I had a fire in my hot water heater and a year later, someone stayed in my house while I was gone for 2 months. I came home to a floating kitchen floor. After these incidents, StateFarm cancelled my policy.
…
How to get the cheapest car insurance in North Charleston
You have a variety of ways to get cheap car insurance in North Charleston. Here are some tips for reducing your car insurance costs:[1]
Choose higher deductibles. For collision and comprehensive coverage, which require deductibles, choosing a higher deductible amount will lower your monthly premium.
Take advantage of discounts. Most car insurance companies in North Charleston offer discounts that can help reduce your car insurance costs.
Bundle your policies. You can often get a generous discount for bundling multiple insurance products, like car insurance with home insurance, renters insurance, or life insurance.
Get new car insurance quotes. Get new quotes every time your policy renews, or after a major event, like getting into an accident or adding a teen driver to your policy, to make sure you’re always paying the lowest rate possible.
Shop around. Car insurance companies charge different rates for the same type and amount of coverage. Compare quotes from a few insurers to find the best rate for your situation.
Find Cheap Car Insurance in North Charleston
Monthly liability quotes start at $66
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Cheapest liability-only car insurance in North Charleston: USAA
Liability-only insurance covers your financial responsibilities when you cause an accident that results in someone else’s injuries or property damage. It doesn’t provide any insurance coverage for your injuries or your vehicle after an accident.
In North Charleston, the average cost of liability-only insurance is $235 per month. But some companies have cheaper rates than others. In the table below, you can see which companies have the cheapest car insurance in North Charleston for liability-only insurance.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Sunday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| USAA | $66 |
| Auto-Owners | $71 |
| State Farm | $74 |
| GEICO | $79 |
| Nationwide | $108 |
| Safeco | $111 |
| Allstate | $115 |
| Travelers | $124 |
| Progressive | $144 |
| State Auto | $149 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $160 |
| Direct Auto | $181 |
| Liberty Mutual | $204 |
| Dairyland | $207 |
| National General | $232 |
| The General | $232 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $276 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in North Charleston: USAA
Full-coverage car insurance provides more protection than liability-only insurance. It usually provides higher coverage limits for liability insurance, plus collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, and medical payments insurance. Full coverage kicks in when you get into an accident and need to pay for your medical bills or vehicle repairs.
The average monthly premium for full-coverage car insurance in North Charleston is $352. If you shop around, you may find insurers that offer lower rates. Below, you can see the cheapest companies for full-coverage insurance in North Charleston.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Sunday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| USAA | $115 |
| Auto-Owners | $124 |
| State Farm | $128 |
| GEICO | $137 |
| Safeco | $182 |
| Nationwide | $187 |
| Allstate | $199 |
| Travelers | $214 |
| Progressive | $228 |
| State Auto | $236 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $250 |
| Direct Auto | $311 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $324 |
| National General | $340 |
| Liberty Mutual | $373 |
| The General | $436 |
| Dairyland | $452 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Cheapest recent rates near North Charleston, South Carolina
Recent North Charleston, South Carolina car insurance prices for Hyundai, Chevrolet, GMC , and more.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around North Charleston, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 30, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around North Charleston, South Carolina within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 30, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Car insurance requirements in South Carolina
Car insurance is a legal requirement in South Carolina. Vehicle owners must carry liability insurance and uninsured motorist liability insurance with minimum-coverage limits of 25/50/25.[2] But insurance experts typically recommend purchasing more liability insurance than the minimum that’s required.
When it comes to car insurance laws, South Carolina is an at-fault state. In the event of an accident, the at-fault driver is responsible for compensating the other person for their bodily injuries and property damage losses.
Coverage ▲▼ | Minimum Requirements ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
In addition to the required coverages, many drivers in South Carolina can benefit from adding optional coverages to their policy. Some of the most common add-on coverage options include:
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage applies when you get into an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough car insurance to cover your losses in full.
Accident forgiveness coverage
Some car insurance companies offer accident forgiveness coverage, which waives your first at-fault collision so it doesn’t cause your premium to go up.
Roadside assistance coverage
Roadside assistance coverage pays for basic roadside repairs and services, like flat-tire changes, fuel delivery, and towing.
Rental car reimbursement coverage
If your car needs repair after a covered incident, rental car reimbursement will cover the cost of a rental vehicle.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Drivers with incidents on their record — such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and other moving violations — often pay higher insurance rates than people with a clean record.[3] Insurers view drivers with violations as riskier to insure and generally charge them more for car insurance. The most serious infractions, like driving under the influence (DUI), usually have the biggest effect on the cost of car insurance.
In the table below, you can see how different driving incidents affect your car insurance rates.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Sunday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record ▲▼ | With Speeding Ticket ▲▼ | With At-Fault Accident ▲▼ | With DUI ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $66 | $84 | $87 | $107 |
| Auto-Owners | $71 | $91 | $94 | $115 |
| State Farm | $74 | $94 | $97 | $120 |
| GEICO | $79 | $101 | $105 | $128 |
| Nationwide | $108 | $139 | $144 | $175 |
| Safeco | $111 | $144 | $143 | $180 |
| Allstate | $115 | $147 | $152 | $186 |
| Travelers | $124 | $160 | $165 | $201 |
| Progressive | $144 | $184 | $193 | $233 |
| State Auto | $149 | $207 | $216 | $241 |
| Direct Auto | $181 | $231 | $244 | $293 |
| Liberty Mutual | $204 | $282 | $289 | $330 |
| Dairyland | $207 | $265 | $272 | $335 |
| National General | $232 | $298 | $309 | $375 |
| The General | $232 | $300 | $312 | $375 |
| AssuranceAmerica | $276 | $357 | $362 | $447 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Average cost of car insurance by age
One of the biggest factors that can affect car insurance rates is your age. Teen drivers typically pay the highest rates for auto insurance because they lack experience on the road.
Rates usually start to decrease around age 35 and increase again at age 70. Like young adults, older drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents and make driving errors that can lead to collisions. [4] [5]
Below, you can see the average cost of car insurance for drivers in different age groups in North Charleston.
Age ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
|---|---|
| Teens | $662 |
| 20s | $444 |
| 30s | $339 |
| 40s | $310 |
| 50s | $283 |
| 60s | $283 |
| 70s | $300 |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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North Charleston car insurance quotes by credit tier
In South Carolina, car insurance companies are allowed to consider a driver’s credit history when calculating car insurance premiums. A driver’s credit score is used to predict how likely they are to file insurance claims.[6] In general, drivers with excellent or good credit scores pay less for car insurance than people with poor credit scores.
The chart below shows average monthly car insurance rates for North Charleston drivers by credit tier.
Rates by Credit Tier
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
North Charleston car insurance FAQs
Check out Insurify’s guide on how to get cheap car insurance, and use the additional information below as you research your car insurance coverage options in North Charleston.
How much is car insurance in North Charleston?
Car insurance in North Charleston costs an average of $235 per month for liability-only coverage and $352 per month for full coverage, according to Insurify data.
Which companies have the cheapest car insurance in North Charleston?
With a liability-only rate of $66 per month, USAA is the cheapest car insurance company in North Charleston. Auto-Owners and State Farm also offer cheap liability coverage, with monthly rates of $71 and $74, respectively.
But the cheapest car insurance for you will depend on a variety of factors, including your age, ZIP code, type of car you drive, and chosen coverage levels.
What are the best car insurance companies in North Charleston?
With above-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction ratings, a high Insurify Quality (IQ) Score, and an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, State Farm is the best car insurance company in North Charleston.
Other top insurers to consider include Auto-Owners and USAA.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Related articles
More cities in South Carolina
Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "How to save money on car insurance."
- South Carolina Department of Insurance. "Automobile Insurance."
- Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts."
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Older Adult Drivers."
- Insurance Information Institute. "INSURANCE HANDBOOK Introduction Insurance Basics Regulatory and Financial Environment McCarran-Ferguson Act Insurance Accounting Credit Scoring Reinsurance Insurance Fraud Economic and Financial Data Insurance and Disasters Liability Insurance Issues Brief History Appendices PUBLICATIONS A Firm Foundation: How Insurance Supports the Economy Commercial Insurance Triple-I Insurance Facts Insurance Handbook Insuring Your Business: Small Business Owners' Guide to Insurance I.I.I. Store I.I.I. Software Online Brochures Background on: Credit Scoring."
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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