Deciphering which companies offer the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for good students involves a bit more work in order to find a policy that fits your budget. Each company uses a different method for determining rates in each state, so we need to take a look at the lowest cost auto insurance companies in South Carolina.
It’s important to know that South Carolina auto insurance rates are impacted by many things that control the policy price. Improving your credit score, having a teenage driver, or having an accident may generate price changes that can now make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance for Students
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The Hartford normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in South Carolina at around $768 annually. USAA, Auto-Owners, State Auto, and SC Farm Bureau Mutual also make the cut as some of the cheapest South Carolina insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you are currently insured with State Auto and switched to USAA, you might achieve annual savings of in the neighborhood of $112. Insureds with SC Farm Bureau Mutual could save as much as $271 a year, and Southern Farm Bureau policyholders might lower prices by up to $283 a year.
To find the cheapest auto insurance for good students in South Carolina for your vehicle, click here to start a quote or click several companies below for low rates.
Be aware that those premium estimates are averaged across all insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration a rate discount for good students. So the car insurance company that fits you best may not even be shown in the chart above. That point stresses why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own specific driver information and vehicle.
The make and model of vehicle you are buying coverage for is one of the largest considerations that determines whether or not you find the cheapest auto insurance for good students in South Carolina. Vehicles with lower performance, modern passenger safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models.
The next tables features insurance costs for the cheapest vehicles to insure in South Carolina.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Malibu LT | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
Ford Fusion SE 4-Dr Sedan | $4,110 | $2,055 | $343 |
Honda Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,228 | $1,614 | $269 |
Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $3,796 | $1,898 | $316 |
Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $4,072 | $2,036 | $339 |
Kia Optima LX | $4,124 | $2,062 | $344 |
Nissan Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $4,636 | $2,318 | $386 |
Toyota Corolla XLE | $4,072 | $2,036 | $339 |
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Prices above based on single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and South Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in South Carolina location which can decrease or increase premium rates greatly.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Acura RDX AWD | $3,502 | $1,751 | $292 |
Buick Enclave XL AWD | $4,146 | $2,073 | $346 |
Chevrolet Traverse LT 2WD | $3,304 | $1,652 | $275 |
Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $3,266 | $1,633 | $272 |
Ford Explorer Limited 4WD | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
GMC Acadia SL AWD | $3,598 | $1,799 | $300 |
Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $3,228 | $1,614 | $269 |
Honda Pilot EX 2WD | $3,636 | $1,818 | $303 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD | $4,110 | $2,055 | $343 |
Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD | $3,560 | $1,780 | $297 |
Nissan Pathfinder LE 2WD | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
Subaru Forester XT AWD | $3,814 | $1,907 | $318 |
Toyota 4Runner Sport 2WD | $3,304 | $1,652 | $275 |
Toyota Highlander SE 2WD | $3,872 | $1,936 | $323 |
Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $3,834 | $1,917 | $320 |
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Data based on single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and South Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can affect rates noticeably.
Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Cost | Semi-Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Crew Cab 2WD | $4,146 | $2,073 | $346 |
Chevrolet Silverado LT Regular Cab | $4,124 | $2,062 | $344 |
Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab Laramie 2WD | $4,420 | $2,210 | $368 |
Dodge Ram Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $4,436 | $2,218 | $370 |
Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 4WD | $3,598 | $1,799 | $300 |
Ford F-250 XLT Turbo Diesel 2WD | $4,672 | $2,336 | $389 |
GMC Canyon SLE Ext Cab Z71 4WD | $3,834 | $1,917 | $320 |
GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $4,936 | $2,468 | $411 |
GMC Sierra SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $4,110 | $2,055 | $343 |
Toyota Tundra Limited Crew MAX 4WD | $4,436 | $2,218 | $370 |
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Table data represents single female driver age 17, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and South Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in specific garaging location which can alter premiums noticeably.
One of the more important considerations that help determine insurance cost is where you live. Areas with more people like Summerville, North Charleston, and Goose Creek tend to pay slightly more, whereas cities that are not as densely populated have the luxury of lower rates.
The illustration below sorts the highest-priced places in South Carolina for good students to purchase a policy in.
Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
---|---|---|
1 | Summerville | $1,278 |
2 | Florence | $1,272 |
3 | North Charleston | $1,250 |
4 | Charleston | $1,247 |
5 | Goose Creek | $1,246 |
6 | Mount Pleasant | $1,225 |
7 | Sumter | $1,215 |
8 | Columbia | $1,213 |
9 | Myrtle Beach | $1,210 |
10 | Socastee | $1,199 |
11 | Hilton Head Island | $1,173 |
12 | Saint Andrews | $1,149 |
13 | Greenville | $1,144 |
14 | Greenwood | $1,132 |
15 | Aiken | $1,119 |
16 | North Augusta | $1,106 |
17 | Anderson | $1,094 |
18 | Spartanburg | $1,094 |
19 | Rock Hill | $1,091 |
20 | Wade Hampton | $1,090 |
21 | Taylors | $1,063 |
22 | Simpsonville | $1,050 |
23 | Greer | $1,045 |
24 | Mauldin | $1,040 |
25 | Easley | $1,035 |
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Annual rates are comparative as the specific zip code location can alter price quotes considerably.
The information below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles can change yearly insurance costs when quoting cheap insurance for good students. The costs are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
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As shown above, a 30-year-old driver could save $428 a year by switching from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $642 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the age 20 example, could shave as much as $1,266 each year just by choosing higher deductibles. When increasing deductibles, it will now be necessary to have plenty of money set aside to enable you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some people from using high deductibles.
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are a few penny-pinching ideas that can help South Carolina drivers buy cheaper auto insurance.
The last suggestion is particularly vital, as we noted in the prior information. Car insurance prices in South Carolina can change considerably in a year, so you should be ready to buy a policy from a new company if you find a better deal.
Sticking with a specific company is fine, but it’s not a great idea if that inflexibility results in costing you a considerable chunk of change every month. If you have a few minutes, now is a great time to compare rates to find cheaper insurance for good students.
Thanks to technology, there are a lot of ways to find affordable auto insurance in South Carolina, but the three most common methods are using an independent insurance agent, a captive (or exclusive) agency like Allstate or Auto-Owners, or from a direct company like Progressive or Geico.
You can use whichever method you prefer, but they differ slightly in how they give price quotes.
Independent agents are appointed by several companies and can do rate comparisons with every one. These agents are not required to write business for one company and can compare multiple rates, which may give you improved chances of finding a lower rate. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and you can remain with the same agent.
An agent who is captive is able to place business with one insurance company, two examples are Allstate or Farmers Insurance agents. Exclusive agents cannot compare rates from other companies, so if prices are high they cannot provide alternatives.
Direct auto insurance buyers do not use local agents and instead shop from a direct company like Progressive. Shopping for auto insurance direct can be good for drivers who do not have a complex risk profile and understand how their policy works.
So comparing independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct, which one works best to buy the cheapest auto insurance for good students in South Carolina? Most drivers assume that buying direct results in the cheapest rates since there is no need to pay agent commissions, but unfortunately, it’s not that cut and dried. We’d also like to say an independent agency saves the most money due to more options, but that’s not always true, either. In the right set of circumstances, the exclusive agents have very competitive rates that other companies cannot beat.
Because of the variability of auto insurance rates, the guaranteed way to buy the cheapest policy is to get quotes and compare the rates. Take some time and get rate quotes from all three to have a good selection of rates to choose from. For a list of companies offering online discounts, click here to view.