How to find the cheapest car insurance quotes in Charleston

Drivers in Charleston, South Carolina pay an average of $148 per month for full coverage car insurance and $137 for minimum liability coverage.

The best way to find an affordable auto insurance policy close to or below the average rate in Charleston is to shop around. Comparing quotes from multiple providers ensures you’ll always find the best rates for the coverage you need. Jerry offers simple tools that have helped thousands of South Carolina drivers take control of their car insurance costs via quick quote comparison.

Best car insurance companies in Charleston

No South Carolina car insurance company offers the cheapest rates for every driver—and the cheapest company isn’t always the best. Customer service, claims handling records, and the ease of sign-up also impact whether an insurance provider is a good fit for your profile. 

To help real drivers sort through insurers, Jerry conducted a vast nationwide insurance shopping survey—the largest in the United States—to target all the factors that matter to policyholders, from cost to customer satisfaction. We found that while big-name insurers like State Farm and GEICO often offer low prices, they tend to fare worse in customer ratings than smaller insurers like Auto-Owners, State Auto, and Travelers. 

Here’s how Charleston drivers ranked different insurance providers on a scale of 0 to 5. 

Best cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston

South Carolina auto insurance requirements include liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage. Sticking to minimum coverage means keeping your payments low—but it also leaves you exposed to serious financial risks. Let’s take a closer look at your cheapest options for low and full coverage policies in Charleston.

Cheap minimum liability insurance quotes in Charleston

State law mandates that all drivers in Charleston must have a car insurance policy that meets the following coverage limits: 

• $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 of property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person 
• $50,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per accident 
• $25,000 of uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident 

South Carolina also offers the option to pay an annual $600 uninsured motorist fee to the Department of Motor Vehicles instead of purchasing insurance, but driving with no coverage is extremely risky.  

If you’re comfortable with the risks of only carrying minimum coverage, Jerry has a great track record with finding affordable minimum coverage rates for Charleston drivers. 

Do you need more than minimum coverage in Charleston?

The short answer is: probably. South Carolina’s car insurance requirements don’t provide enough liability coverage to protect you in the event of a serious accident, and your income and assets could be subject to lawsuits if you’re unlucky enough to get in one. 

Even more important, minimum coverage won’t pay for damage to your vehicle in most circumstances, including any cases of theft, vandalism, or weather damage. Upgrading your policy to include comprehensive and collision coverage along with higher liability limits won’t cost much extra—and it’s a real game changer when it comes to your financial situation. 

Cheap full coverage car insurance quotes in Charleston

Full coverage car insurance is the gold standard when it comes to protecting your car, and it doesn’t need to break the bank. 

Comprehensive and collision coverage, along with liability and uninsured motorist coverage, are key components of a full coverage policy. 

Collision coverage takes care of the repair or replacement expenses if your vehicle is damaged from an accident with another vehicle or stationary object
Comprehensive coverage helps cover the cost of repair or replacement if your vehicle is stolen or damaged due to non-collision incidents.

You’ll need these coverages to satisfy lender requirements if you have an active auto loan or lease, but they’re a good idea for anyone who can’t afford to replace their car out of pocket. 

Take a look at the full coverage rates Jerry’s found for Charleston drivers in the past. 

Working with an insurance broker like Jerry doesn’t just cut down on the legwork involved in finding a good car insurance policy. It’s also the best way to access insights from industry insiders, like our 100+ licensed insurance agents.

Average cost of car insurance in Charleston 

Jerry analyzed real insurance quotes from dozens of insurance providers in Charleston and found that the average cost of full coverage insurance is $148 per month, or $1,770 per year. Minimum liability coverage, on the other hand, costs an average of $137 per month or $1,642 per year. 

It’s important to remember that average rates are just that—averages! Half of the drivers in Charleston pay more than the average, while 50% of drivers can expect to find lower rates. Every individual’s insurance premiums are based on a wide range of personal factors, from vehicle type and ZIP code to age, claims records, and driving experience. 

Car insurance quotes in Charleston by rating factors 

Car insurance companies calculate rates using the following key factors: 

• Driving record: Having car accidents or violations on your driving history can prompt insurers to surcharge your policy to account for the added risk. 
• Demographics: Your age, marital status, and even gender can impact how much you pay for insurance. 
• Location: Where you live within Charleston shapes the risk associated with your driver profile. 
• Mileage: Policyholders who don’t drive much pay a little less for coverage than regular drivers with heavy commutes. 
• Vehicle: Small, safe SUVs tend to have the best rates, while sports cars and luxury rides cost more to insure. 
• Credit: Good credit can keep your insurance rates low in South Carolina, where insurers are authorized to base your premiums in part on your credit history. 

Cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston after driving violations

Your South Carolina driving record has an outsized impact on your car insurance costs. For insurance companies, an applicant’s driving record is a decent picture of the risk level they present. 

Some common violations that could increase your insurance rates include:

• Speeding
• DUIs
• At fault accidents 
• Reckless driving 
• Driving on a suspended license
• Driving without insurance

Cheapest car insurance in Charleston after speeding ticket

A speeding ticket might not have a huge impact on your car insurance rates—but repeated tickets or serious speeding violations will. A South Carolina speeding ticket typically raises car insurance rates for three to five years—and the faster you were going, the greater the impact on your rates.

Cheapest car insurance in Charleston after DUI

A DUI on your driving record is a more serious problem for car insurance premiums. In South Carolina, DUI convictions stay on your traffic record for 10 years and could raise your insurance rates for that entire period.

If you have one or more DUIs on your record, it’s important to find an insurance provider that doesn’t unduly penalize these offenses. Jerry’s free quote comparison tool is a simple way to find rates like the ones shown below, which real drivers found through our app.

Cheapest car insurance in Charleston after an at-fault accident

Causing a car accident signals to your insurance company that you’re a higher risk than drivers with a clean record. Expect to pay higher rates for at least three years after an at-fault accident. 

Below are some real quotes that Charleston drivers found through Jerry with an at-fault accident on their driving record.

Cheapest car insurance in Charleston after other driving violations

South Carolina insurance companies also penalize offenses like reckless driving, driving without insurance, or driving on a suspended license. 

No matter what your record looks like, Jerry can help you track down the lowest rates for your profile. 

Cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston by age

Insurance companies prefer drivers with plenty of experience—which is why 16-year-olds pay more for auto coverage than any other group in Charleston. In general, drivers under age 25 pay elevated rates, as do seniors over age 75, while middle-aged drivers enjoy the sweet spot of low rates.

Cheapest car insurance in Charleston for young drivers

Teen drivers pay the highest rates for car insurance, thanks to a statistically high rate of serious accidents and violations. As you gain experience behind the wheel, your rates should begin to drop, but expect to pay higher prices until around the time you turn 25.

Cheapest car insurance in for Charleston senior drivers

Most seniors pay the lowest rates for car insurance thanks to decades of experience. If you’ve maintained a good driving record over the years, your 50s and 60s should bring the lowest premiums of your life.
But just like teens, senior drivers are at a higher risk of major accidents due to declining reflexes. Even if your record is generally clean, you may begin to see higher rates around your mid-70s to account for the rising risk of claims.

Cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston based on insurance history

Insurance companies like to see a long, unbroken history of insurance coverage from prospective applicants. If you’ve had any /car-insurance/insurance-lapse lapses in coverage—even if you didn’t own a car at the time—your risk profile increases, and so do your premiums. 

The good news: Jerry can find great auto insurance rates for drivers whose insurance history isn’t perfect. Check out the quotes below to see for yourself.

Cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston for drivers with poor credit

South Carolina law permits the use of credit-based insurance scores, which allow insurance companies to base insurance premiums partly on drivers’ credit history. A poor credit score (below 550) could cause your rates to increase by over 100% compared to drivers with great credit (700+).

Cheap car insurance quotes in Charleston for popular cars

Your insurance premium depends heavily on the car you’re insuring—especially if you have full coverage. Repair and replacement costs, theft rates, and safety features all play a part in setting your car’s insurance rate. 

Popular car models in Charleston, South Carolina include: 

• Honda CR-V
• Toyota RAV4
• Ford F-Series
• Ram 1500
• Chevrolet Silverado

Learn More: How to get car insurance before buying a car

How to lower car insurance costs in Charleston

1. Shop around and compare quotes

Every insurance company uses a slightly different set of calculations to set the cost of car insurance coverage—and those rules change frequently! The result: the lowest rate is always a moving target in the world of car insurance. 

To hit that target, enlist help from Jerry. As a licensed broker and a smart shopping app, Jerry can help you quickly narrow down the cheapest quotes for your profile at any given time—and with our automatic reshopping feature, you’ll always known when you become eligible for lower rates.

2. Hunt for car insurance discounts

Every insurance company offers car insurance discounts, but the amount and terms of each discount vary from provider to provider. Be on the lookout for: 

• Good driver discounts: Many providers offer a lower rate for drivers with no accidents or violations over a specified time period. 
• Telematics discounts: If you download your insurer’s safe driving tracking app, you could win an automatic discount, with additional discounts for safe driving. 
• Good student discounts: Are you a full-time student in either high school or college? Do you have a B average or better? You might qualify for a discount from your insurance company.
• Bundling discounts: When you purchase homeowners and auto insurance (or auto and renters) from the same company, you’ll typically qualify for discount rates on both policies.

3. Increase your deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage

If your policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage, raising the deductibles on that coverage will lower your rates. But it will make it more expensive to file a claim, so make this decision carefully to ensure you’re not making your coverage useless!

MEET OUR EXPERTS

R.E. Fulton

• Licensed Insurance Agent

R.E. Fulton is an expert insurance writer specializing in car ownership topics from car shopping and loan advice to insurance and repair guides. R.E.’s mission is to create unique and accessible content that helps readers to become more successful and independent car owners. R.E. has written and edited over 900 high-performing articles for Jerry, with an average of 1 million+ views. As a senior writer on Jerry’s editorial team, R.E. draws on over 10 years of experience as a professional writer and digital publishing specialist. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2021, R.E. worked as a writing coach at Columbia University, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the University of Rochester. They serve as a managing editor for peer-reviewed history publication Nursing Clio, where their work has appeared regularly since 2015.

Sarah Gray

Sarah Gray is an insurance writer with nearly a decade of experience in publishing and writing. Sarah specializes in writing articles that educate car owners and buyers on the full scope of car ownership—from shopping for and buying a new car to scrapping one that’s breathed its last and everything in between. Sarah has authored over 1,500 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from first-time buyer programs to how to get a salvage title for a totaled car. Prior to joining Jerry, Sarah was a full-time professor of English literature and composition with multiple academic writing publications.

Josh Damico

As Vice President of Insurance Operations at Jerry, Josh Damico leads teams across product development, operations and carrier relations, integrating Jerry’s smart and fast car insurance customer experience with that of traditional carriers to help customers find savings and coverage. Josh’s nearly 20 years of insurance-industry experience and knowledge generate partnerships with more than 55 name-brand and specialty insurance partners that enable Jerry to serve customers with all types of vehicle and policy needs.

Previously, Josh held executive roles at Geico, where he had vast regional oversight and leadership opportunities. In his most recent role as director of sales, servicing, and underwriting, Josh developed and executed profit and growth strategy for the New England states and New Jersey.

Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Medaille College.