Car Insurance Cost in Charleston, SC – 2024 Rates + Comparisons

• Charleston car insurance rates average $1,748 per year, or around $146 per month.
• Car insurance rates for a few popular models in Charleston include the Toyota Tacoma at $148 per month, Chevrolet Equinox at $134, and Tesla Model 3 at $171.
• 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, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Nissan Titan.

How much does car insurance cost in Charleston?

Average car insurance rates in Charleston cost $1,748 per year, or around $146 per month. When compared to the national average rate, Charleston car insurance cost is 7.4% cheaper per year.

The average car insurance expense in South Carolina is $1,626 per year, so Charleston, SC, drivers pay an average of $122 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, $34 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 $1,454 per year for a middle-aged driver who receives many policy discounts to $4,022 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 $1,748 per year in Charleston.

As a monthly rate, average car insurance cost in Charleston ranges from $121 to $335 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 – $6,228 per year or $519 per month
• 17-year-old rated driver – $6,034 per year or $503 per month
• 18-year-old rated driver – $5,409 per year or $451 per month
• 19-year-old rated driver – $4,925 per year or $410 per month
• 20-year-old rated driver – $3,522 per year or $294 per month
• 30-year-old rated driver – $1,868 per year or $156 per month
• 40-year-old rated driver – $1,748 per year or $146 per month
• 50-year-old rated driver – $1,550 per year or $129 per month
• 60-year-old rated driver – $1,452 per year or $121 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 $408 less per year than the cost for a male driver, while at age 19, the difference is narrower but is still $760 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 $1,654 less per year than a 20-year-old driver, $1,868 compared to $3,522.
• Average cost per month ranges from $121 to $519 – 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 $4,165 to $6,228 per year to insure a teenage driver in Charleston.
• Charleston auto insurance rates are more expensive than the South Carolina state average – $1,748 (Charleston average) compared to $1,626 (South Carolina average)
• Lower deductible auto insurance is more expensive than high deductible – A 40-year-old driver pays an average of $566 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 $1,420 or less per year, or $118 per month, for a full coverage policy.

Additional models that are highly ranked in the cost comparison table are the Nissan Murano, Subaru Outback, 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 $125 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 $1,802 per year for full coverage insurance to the BMW M8 at $2,946 per year, a difference of $1,144 within that segment.

Also, in the midsize truck segment, the average insurance cost ranges from the Chevrolet Colorado at $1,498 per year up to the Rivian R1T at $2,180 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 $1,608 or less per year, or around $134 per month.

Not the cheapest, but still in the top 10, are models like the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Honda Accord, with an average cost to insure of $1,698 per year or less.

Some additional models that make the list include the Subaru Legacy, Nissan Versa, Toyota Crown, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda 3, which average between $1,698 and $1,810 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 $127 per month, depending on your location and insurance company.

The cheapest compact car to insure in Charleston is the Toyota GR Corolla at $1,520 per year. For midsize cars, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has the best rates at $1,608 per year. And for full-size non-luxury cars, the Chrysler 300 has the most affordable rates at $1,662 per year.

The table below ranks the cars with the lowest-cost insurance rates in Charleston, starting with the Toyota GR Corolla at $1,520 per year and ending with the Mazda 3 at $1,810 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 $1,292 to $1,394 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 $1,434 per year or less.

Some additional models on the list include the Buick Envista, Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V, and Volkswagen Tiguan, which cost between $1,434 and $1,522 per year to insure in Charleston.

Car insurance in Charleston for this segment for an average middle-age driver starts at an average of $108 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 $1,292 per year. For midsize models, the Honda Passport is the cheapest model to insure at $1,394 per year. And for full-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe is most affordable to insure at $1,644 per year.

The table below ranks the SUVs with the lowest-cost insurance in Charleston, starting with the Subaru Crosstrek at $1,292 per year ($108 per month) and ending with the Honda HR-V at $1,522 per year ($127 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 $1,498 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 $1,800 per year or less.

As a cost per month, car insurance on this segment in Charleston for the average driver starts at around $125 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 $125 per month and ending with the Ram Truck at $169 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 $1,556 per year, the BMW 330i at $1,782 per year, and the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 at $1,802 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 $1,840 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 $1,840 and $1,962 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 $130 per month, depending on where you live.

The most budget-friendly small luxury car to insure in Charleston is the Acura Integra at $1,556 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is the cheapest model to insure at $1,802 per year. And for large luxury cars, the Audi A5 has the most affordable rates at $2,072 per year.

The table below ranks the twenty cars with the most affordable car insurance in Charleston, starting with the Acura Integra at $130 per month and ending with the Audi S3 at $164 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 $1,462 per year. Second place is the Lexus NX 250 at $1,548 per year, and the third cheapest is the Cadillac XT4, at an average of $1,580 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 $1,688 per year or less.

Car insurance rates in Charleston for this segment for the average driver can cost as low as $122 per month, depending on your location.

The cheapest small luxury SUV to insure in Charleston is the Acura RDX at $1,462 per year. For midsize 2024 models, the Jaguar E-Pace is cheapest to insure at $1,636 per year. And for full-size models, the Infiniti QX80 has the best rates at $1,962 per year.

The table below ranks the luxury SUVs with the cheapest car insurance in Charleston, starting with the Acura RDX at $1,462 per year and ending with the Lexus NX 350 at $1,756 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 $1,620 per year. Second place is the Toyota GR86 at $1,844 per year, the third most affordable is the Ford Mustang, at an average of $1,920 per year, and the fourth cheapest is the BMW Z4, costing an average of $1,932 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 $2,090 per year or less.

Additional models on the list include the BMW M4, BMW M3, Jaguar F-Type, and Chevrolet Corvette, which cost between $2,090 and $2,962 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 $135 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 $1,620 per year and ending with the Porsche Taycan at $2,962 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 $1,960 per year (about $163 per month) and has a range of $1,624 to $4,520 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 $1,704 per year (about $142 per month) and has a range of $1,414 to $3,906 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 $1,572 per year ($131 per month) and ranges from $1,306 to $3,592 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 $1,704 per year (about $142 per month) and has a range of $1,414 to $3,938 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 $1,632 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 $52 and $170 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 $274 per year versus a slightly lower credit score between 670-739. Conversely, a lower credit score could cost as much as $318 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 $846 per year for a 30-year-old driver and even $430 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.