Car Insurance Cost in Charleston, SC – 2025 Rates + Comparisons

• Charleston car insurance rates average $2,358 per year, or around $197 per month.
• Car insurance rates for a few popular models in Charleston include the Toyota Tacoma at $199 per month, Chevrolet Equinox at $181, and Tesla Model 3 at $231.
• Compact SUV models like the Ford Bronco Sport, Subaru Crosstrek, and Toyota Corolla Cross get the nod for cheap car insurance in Charleston.
• Vehicles with segment-leading car insurance rates in Charleston include the Acura Integra, Kia K5, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Nissan Titan.

How much does car insurance cost in Charleston?

Average car insurance rates in Charleston cost $2,358 per year, or around $197 per month. When compared to the national average rate, Charleston car insurance cost is 3.5% more expensive per year.

The average car insurance expense in South Carolina is $2,238 per year, so Charleston, SC, drivers pay an average of $120 more per year than the overall South Carolina state-wide average rate. The average cost of auto insurance in Charleston compared to other South Carolina cities is $40 per year cheaper than in North Charleston, $32 per year more expensive than in Rock Hill, and $118 per year more expensive than in Mount Pleasant.

The next chart summarizes average auto insurance cost in Charleston, South Carolina, broken out based on a variety of driver ages and risk profiles. Rates are averaged for all 2024 vehicle models including luxury vehicles.

Average rates in the previous chart range from $1,960 per year for a middle-aged driver who receives many policy discounts to $5,424 per year for a 20-year-old driver who has a few accidents and violations and has to buy a high risk policy. The rate we use to compare the cost between models and locations is the 40-year-old safe driver rate, which has an average cost of $2,358 per year in Charleston.

As a monthly rate, average car insurance cost in Charleston ranges from $163 to $452 for the same deductible limits and driver ages shown in the prior chart.

Car insurance rates are priced differently for everyone and are impacted by a lot of factors. The possibility of a wide range of rates stresses the need for accurate auto insurance quotes when searching online for a cheaper policy.

Driver age makes a big difference in the price you pay for auto insurance, so the list below details how age impacts cost by showing the difference in average car insurance rates for driver ages from 16 to 60.

Charleston, South Carolina, car insurance cost by driver age

• 16-year-old rated driver – $8,402 per year or $700 per month
• 17-year-old rated driver – $8,142 per year or $679 per month
• 18-year-old rated driver – $7,296 per year or $608 per month
• 19-year-old rated driver – $6,646 per year or $554 per month
• 20-year-old rated driver – $4,750 per year or $396 per month
• 30-year-old rated driver – $2,516 per year or $210 per month
• 40-year-old rated driver – $2,358 per year or $197 per month
• 50-year-old rated driver – $2,090 per year or $174 per month
• 60-year-old rated driver – $1,958 per year or $163 per month

The previous rates shown for insuring teenage drivers were based on the rated driver being male. The chart below goes into more detail regarding the cost of insuring teen drivers and breaks out car insurance cost for teens by gender. Females are usually a little cheaper to insure, especially in the teen years.

Car insurance for a 16-year-old female in Charleston costs an average of $554 less per year than the cost for a male driver, while at age 19, the difference is narrower but is still $1,027 per year cheaper for females.

Insuring Charleston’s favorite cars, trucks, and SUVs

The previously referenced car insurance rates are the average cost across all 2024 model year vehicles, which is practical when making broad comparisons such as the average cost difference for different locations or driver risk profiles.

But for more useful cost comparisons, the cost data will be more precise if we use rates for the specific model of vehicle being insured. In the next few sections, we get into much more detail for specific models, but for now, a few of the most popular models will be used to find out how car insurance rates compare in Charleston.

The next chart displays the cost of car insurance in Charleston for some of the most popular cars, trucks, and SUVs. Later in this article, we’ll explore rates for some of these models in more detail.

The vehicles that are popular in Charleston tend to be compact and midsize cars like the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Camry and compact and midsize SUVs like the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, and Chevy Traverse.

A few additional popular models from other segments include luxury cars like the Tesla Model S, Acura ILX, and Lexus ES 350, luxury SUVs like the Infiniti QX60, Acura MDX, and Cadillac XT5, and pickup trucks like the Ford F-150, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Ranger.

We will get into rates for many more vehicles a little later in this article, but first, let’s look at the key concepts that we covered in the earlier charts and data.

• Car insurance rates fall considerably between ages 20 and 30 – The average 30-year-old Charleston driver will pay $2,234 less per year than a 20-year-old driver, $2,516 compared to $4,750.
• Average cost per month ranges from $163 to $700 – That is the average car insurance price range for insured drivers age 16 to 60 in Charleston, South Carolina.
• Insuring a teenager is not cheap – Average cost can range from $5,619 to $8,402 per year to insure a teenage driver in Charleston.
• Charleston auto insurance rates are more expensive than the South Carolina state average – $2,358 (Charleston average) compared to $2,238 (South Carolina average)
• Lower deductible auto insurance is more expensive than high deductible – A 40-year-old driver pays an average of $766 more per year for $250 deductibles compared to $1,000 deductibles.

What are the cheapest vehicles to insure in Charleston, SC?

When rates are compared for all models, the vehicles with the cheapest average car insurance prices in Charleston, SC, tend to be compact SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek, Kia Soul, and Buick Envision. Average auto insurance rates for those small SUVs cost $1,916 or less per year, or $160 per month, for a full coverage policy.

Additional models that are highly ranked in the cost comparison table are the Nissan Murano, Honda CR-V, Buick Encore, and Buick Envista.

The average rates are slightly more for those models than the crossover SUVs at the top of the rankings, but they still have an average insurance cost of $171 or less per month.

The next table breaks down the 20 cheapest vehicles to insure in Charleston, ordered by cost.

A table of 20 vehicle models with cheap Charleston car insurance really is not a great way to present a detailed summary of the cost of auto insurance. A more efficient way to group and analyze rates in a logical manner is to organize them by automotive segment.

The next section illustrates the average cost of car insurance for each vehicle segment. The rates shown should give you a better idea of the automotive segments that have the overall cheapest Charleston auto insurance rates. After the chart, the next six sections rank the top 20 cheapest models in the most popular automotive segments.

Auto insurance rates by automotive segment

If you’re shopping for a new or used vehicle, it is useful to know which kinds of vehicles have more favorable car insurance rates.

To illustrate this, some common questions are if compact SUVs are cheaper to insure than minivans or which size car has more affordable insurance.

The chart below shows the average cost of car insurance rates in Charleston for different vehicle segments. From an overal segment perspective, small SUVs and midsize pickups tend to have the cheapest rates, while luxury models and sports cars tend to have the highest average insurance cost.

Average rates for different segments are handy to form a general comparison, but insurance rates for specific models range greatly within each vehicle category displayed in the previous chart.

For example, in the midsize luxury car segment, average Charleston insurance rates range from the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 at $2,428 per year for full coverage insurance to the BMW M8 at $3,974 per year, a difference of $1,546 within that segment.

Also, in the midsize truck segment, the average insurance cost ranges from the Chevrolet Colorado at $2,080 per year up to the Rivian R1T at $2,942 per year.

In the next sections of the article, we will remove much of this variability by comparing the cost of car insurance in Charleston from the perspective of the vehicle model.

Cheapest cars to insure in Charleston

Ranking at the top for the cheapest Charleston car insurance rates in the sedan or hatchback segment are the Toyota GR Corolla, Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza, Nissan Leaf, and Nissan Sentra. Rates for these 2024 models average $2,168 or less per year, or around $181 per month.

Not the cheapest, but still in the top 10, are models like the Kia K5, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius, and Chevrolet Malibu, with an average cost to insure of $2,300 per year or less.

Some additional models that make the list include the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Jetta, Kia Forte, and Mazda 3, which average between $2,300 and $2,440 per year to insure in Charleston.

Car insurance rates for this segment in Charleston for an average middle-age driver starts at an average of $171 per month, depending on your location and insurance company.

The cheapest compact car to insure in Charleston is the Toyota GR Corolla at $2,050 per year. For midsize cars, the Kia K5 has the best rates at $2,274 per year. And for full-size non-luxury cars, the Chrysler 300 has the most affordable rates at $2,246 per year.

The table below ranks the cars with the lowest-cost insurance rates in Charleston, starting with the Toyota GR Corolla at $2,050 per year and ending with the Mazda 3 at $2,440 per year.

For all vehicle comparisons, see our guides for compact car insurance, midsize car insurance, and full-size car insurance.

Looking for rates for a different vehicle? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Charleston car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest SUV insurance rates in Charleston, SC

In our comparison, the top five cheapest SUVs to insure in Charleston are the Subaru Crosstrek, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Kia Soul, Nissan Kicks, and Honda Passport. Auto insurance rates for these vehicles range from $1,742 to $1,882 per year.

Additional models that have affordable insurance rates include the Buick Envision, Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-5, and Ford Bronco Sport, with average rates of $1,932 per year or less.

Some additional models on the list include the Buick Envista, Subaru Outback, Subaru Ascent, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which cost between $1,932 and $2,054 per year to insure in Charleston.

Car insurance in Charleston for this segment for an average middle-age driver starts at an average of $145 per month, depending on where you live and the company you use.

When rates are compared by vehicle size, the most budget-friendly compact SUV to insure in Charleston is the Subaru Crosstrek at $1,742 per year. For midsize models, the Honda Passport is the cheapest model to insure at $1,882 per year. And for full-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe is most affordable to insure at $2,216 per year.

The table below ranks the SUVs with the lowest-cost insurance in Charleston, starting with the Subaru Crosstrek at $1,742 per year ($145 per month) and ending with the Subaru Ascent at $2,054 per year ($171 per month).

For all vehicle comparisons, see our guides for compact SUV insurance, midsize SUV insurance, and full-size SUV insurance.

Don’t see your SUV in the table above? No sweat! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table above and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest pickup insurance rates in Charleston

The Chevrolet Colorado comes in at #1 as the most budget-friendly pickup truck to insure in Charleston, followed by the Nissan Titan, Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger, and Ford Maverick. The 2024 model costs an average of $2,080 per year for full-coverage auto insurance.

Some other pickups that have good average insurance rates include the Toyota Tacoma, Hyundai Santa Cruz, GMC Sierra 2500 HD, and GMC Canyon, with average rates of $2,428 per year or less.

As a cost per month, car insurance on this segment in Charleston for the average driver starts at around $173 per month, depending on where you live.

The next table ranks the pickups with the most affordable car insurance rates in Charleston, starting with the Chevrolet Colorado at $173 per month and ending with the Ram Truck at $227 per month.

See our comprehensive guides for midsize pickup insurance and large pickup insurance to view data for pickups not featured in the table.

Don’t see rates for your pickup? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free Charleston car insurance quotes from top-rated companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest luxury cars to insure in Charleston

The most affordable luxury cars to insure in Charleston are the Acura Integra at $2,096 per year, the BMW 330i at $2,402 per year, and the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 at $2,428 per year.

Some other luxury cars that rank well include the Lexus RC 300, Genesis G70, Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA35, and Lexus ES 350, with average rates of $2,480 per year or less.

Ranked in the lower half of the top 20, cars like the BMW 228i, BMW 230i, BMW 330e, Lexus ES 300h, and Lexus ES 250 average between $2,480 and $2,646 per year for full-coverage insurance in Charleston.

From a cost per month standpoint, car insurance rates on this segment in Charleston starts at an average of $175 per month, depending on where you live.

The most budget-friendly small luxury car to insure in Charleston is the Acura Integra at $2,096 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is the cheapest model to insure at $2,428 per year. And for large luxury cars, the Audi A5 has the most affordable rates at $2,804 per year.

The table below ranks the twenty cars with the most affordable car insurance in Charleston, starting with the Acura Integra at $175 per month and ending with the Audi S3 at $221 per month.

For more luxury car insurance comparisons, see our complete guide for luxury car insurance.

Don’t see insurance cost for your luxury car? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Charleston car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest luxury SUVs to insure in Charleston

Ranked at #1 in Charleston for the lowest-cost average insurance in the luxury SUV segment is the Acura RDX, coming in at $1,972 per year. Second place is the Lexus NX 250 at $2,088 per year, and the third cheapest is the Cadillac XT4, at an average of $2,128 per year.

Not the cheapest, but still very affordable, are SUVs like the Lincoln Corsair, Lexus UX 250h, Lexus NX 350h, and Lexus NX 450h, with average insurance cost of $2,276 per year or less.

Car insurance rates in Charleston for this segment for the average driver can cost as low as $164 per month, depending on your location.

The cheapest small luxury SUV to insure in Charleston is the Acura RDX at $1,972 per year. For midsize 2024 models, the Jaguar E-Pace is cheapest to insure at $2,206 per year. And for full-size models, the Infiniti QX80 has the best rates at $2,646 per year.

The table below ranks the luxury SUVs with the cheapest car insurance in Charleston, starting with the Acura RDX at $1,972 per year and ending with the Lexus RX 350 at $2,368 per year.

See our guide for luxury SUV insurance to view luxury vehicles not shown in the table.

Don’t see insurance rates for your luxury SUV? No problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Charleston car insurance quotes from top-rated auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest sports cars to insure in Charleston, South Carolina

Ranked at #1 in Charleston for cheapest average insurance in the sports car segment is the Mazda MX-5 Miata, with an average cost of $2,182 per year. Second place is the Toyota GR86 at $2,486 per year, the third most affordable is the Ford Mustang, at an average of $2,594 per year, and the fourth cheapest is the BMW Z4, costing an average of $2,606 per year.

Not the cheapest sports cars to insure, but still affordable, are cars like the Nissan Z, Subaru BRZ, Lexus RC F, and Toyota GR Supra, with average insurance cost of $2,820 per year or less.

Additional models on the list include the BMW M4, BMW M3, Jaguar F-Type, and Chevrolet Corvette, which cost between $2,820 and $3,998 per year to insure.

From a cost per month standpoint, car insurance rates on this segment in Charleston for a good driver starts at around $182 per month, depending on your location. The rate comparison table below ranks the sports cars with the lowest-cost average auto insurance rates in Charleston, starting with the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $2,182 per year and ending with the Porsche Taycan at $3,998 per year.

Need rates for a different vehicle? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table above and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from top auto insurance companies in Charleston.

Variability of auto insurance rates in Charleston, SC

To help illustrate the extent to which the cost of a car insurance policy can vary for different applicants (and also emphasize the importance of accurate rate quotes), the charts below have many different rates for four popular vehicles in Charleston: the Ford F150, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Rogue, and Honda Pilot.

The example for each vehicle uses different risk profiles to illustrate how rates can vary based on changes in the rated driver profile.

Ford F150 insurance rates

Car insurance for a Ford F150 in Charleston averages $2,640 per year (about $220 per month) and has a range of $2,190 to $6,096 annually.

The Ford F150 belongs to the full-size truck segment, and other models from that segment that are popular in Charleston, SC, include the Chevrolet Silverado, Ram Truck, and GMC Sierra.

Toyota Corolla insurance rates

Toyota Corolla insurance in Charleston averages $2,300 per year (about $192 per month) and has a range of $1,904 to $5,272 annually for the different driver risk profiles used in the next chart.

The Toyota Corolla is part of the compact car segment, and additional models from the same segment that are popular in Charleston, South Carolina, include the Nissan Sentra, Volkswagen Jetta, and Honda Civic.

Nissan Rogue insurance rates

Car insurance for a Nissan Rogue in Charleston averages $2,120 per year ($177 per month) and ranges from $1,760 to $4,846 for the driver ages and policy situations in the chart shown below.

The Nissan Rogue is part of the compact SUV segment, and additional models from the same segment that are popular in Charleston, SC, include the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester.

Honda Pilot insurance rates

Honda Pilot insurance in Charleston averages $2,296 per year (about $191 per month) and has a range of $1,908 to $5,310 annually.

The Honda Pilot is classified as a midsize SUV, and other similar models include the Ford Edge, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Highlander.

Money-saving tips for finding cheaper auto insurance

Drivers should always be looking to cut the monthly cost of car insurance So take a minute and read through the money-saving ideas in this next list and maybe you’ll be able to save some money on your next policy.

• Choose a vehicle with cheaper auto insurance rates. Vehicle type is one of the primary factors in the price you pay for car insurance. As an example, a Mazda CX-30 costs $2,200 less per year to insure in Charleston than a BMW i8. Lower performance vehicles save money.
• Your choice of occupation could lower your rates. Most auto insurance providers offer policy discounts for certain occupations like firefighters, engineers, architects, police officers and law enforcement, lawyers, and others. By working in a profession that qualifies for this discount, you may save between $71 and $229 on your annual auto insurance cost, depending on the level of coverage purchased.
• Clean up your credit to lower your rates. Having a credit score above 800 could save as much as $370 per year versus a slightly lower credit score between 670-739. Conversely, a lower credit score could cost as much as $429 more per year. Not all states use credit score as a rating factor, so check with your agent or company.
• Avoiding accidents keeps auto insurance rates low. Causing too many accidents will raise rates, possibly as much as $1,142 per year for a 30-year-old driver and even $578 per year for a 60-year-old driver. So drive safe and save money!
• Shop around anytime. Taking 5-10 minutes before every policy renewal to get free car insurance quotes could save you a significant amount. Rates change quite often and you can switch your coverage anytime.