Car Insurance in South Carolina: 2026 Rates & Requirements

South Carolina keeps a standard 25/50/25 minimum with mandatory uninsured motorist coverage added on, and the state has seen above-average premium growth in recent years tied to hurricane exposure and rising litigation activity along the coast.

Minimum Insurance Requirements in South Carolina

South Carolina requires drivers to carry at least $25,000/50,000 in bodily injury liability (per person / per accident) and $25,000 in property damage liability. South Carolina also requires uninsured motorist coverage, at the same $25,000/$50,000 limits as bodily injury liability. South Carolina is an at-fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the accident, through their liability coverage, pays for the other party's injuries and property damage. These are legal minimums, not a safety net for your own finances — most independent advisors recommend carrying meaningfully higher limits than the state requires, especially if you own a home or have savings to protect.

What Drives the Cost of Car Insurance in South Carolina

The Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach areas carry higher premiums than the state's smaller inland cities and rural counties, from denser traffic and higher accident and theft rates. South Carolina's coastal counties face real hurricane and flood exposure, which drives up comprehensive coverage costs in those areas specifically. The state has also seen elevated auto-related litigation activity in recent years, a factor commonly cited across the Southeast when explaining above-average rate increases.

Get Your Own South Carolina Estimate

The figures above are state averages for a 35-year-old driver with a clean record and full coverage — useful as a benchmark, but your own rate depends on your exact ZIP code, vehicle, driving history, and coverage choices. Run your own free, no-signup estimate below, pre-filled for South Carolina.