Columbia, SC Car Insurance Cost – 2024 Cheapest Rates + Comparisons

• Columbia car insurance cost averages $1,720 per year for a full coverage insurance policy.
• Car insurance rates for a few popular models in Columbia include the Chevrolet Equinox at $1,582 per year, Jeep Wrangler at $1,962, and Mazda CX-5 at $1,402.
• Compact crossovers and SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek, Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Venue, and Chevrolet Trailblazer are the best options for cheap car insurance in Columbia.
• A few vehicles with segment-leading car insurance rates in Columbia include the Honda Passport ($1,370 per year), Chevrolet Colorado ($1,472 per year), Acura Integra ($1,528 per year), and Nissan Titan ($1,606 per year).

How much does car insurance cost in Columbia, SC?

Columbia car insurance costs an average of $1,720 per year, which is 9% less than the U.S. overall average rate of $1,883. The average cost per month for car insurance in Columbia is $143 for a policy that provides full coverage.

In the state of South Carolina, the average car insurance expense is $1,626 per year, so the cost in Columbia averages $94 more per year. The cost to insure a vehicle in Columbia compared to other South Carolina locations is approximately $68 per year less than in North Charleston, $90 per year more than in Mount Pleasant, and $28 per year cheaper than in Charleston.

Driver age has the biggest impact on the price you pay for auto insurance. The list below illustrates this point by showing the difference in average car insurance rates in Columbia for drivers from 16 to 60.

Columbia car insurance cost by driver age

• 16-year-old driver – $6,119 per year or $510 per month
• 17-year-old driver – $5,931 per year or $494 per month
• 18-year-old driver – $5,315 per year or $443 per month
• 19-year-old driver – $4,841 per year or $403 per month
• 20-year-old driver – $3,458 per year or $288 per month
• 30-year-old driver – $1,832 per year or $153 per month
• 40-year-old driver – $1,720 per year or $143 per month
• 50-year-old driver – $1,524 per year or $127 per month
• 60-year-old driver – $1,428 per year or $119 per month

The chart below shows average car insurance cost in Columbia for all 2024 models. Rates are averaged for all Columbia Zip Codes and shown by driver age and physical damage deductibles.

Average car insurance rates in the chart range from $1,206 per year for a high deductible policy for a 60-year-old driver to $4,022 per year for a 20-year-old driver with low physical damage deductibles.

When the rates shown in the chart are converted to monthly figures, the average cost of car insurance per month in Columbia ranges from $101 to $335.

Most popular vehicles in Columbia

The previously referenced car insurance rates are averaged for all 2024 vehicle models, which is suitable for making general comparisons like the cost difference between two locations.

Average auto insurance rates work very well when trying to find the answer to questions like “is car insurance cheaper in Columbia or Charleston?” or “is South Carolina car insurance cheaper than California?”.

For more complete auto insurance rate comparisons, however, we need to analyze the exact vehicle being insured. Each make and model has it’s own exposure profile for car insurance rating and this data makes it possible to perform cost comparisons.

This next chart shows average car insurance cost for popular cars, trucks, and SUVs cruising around Columbia.

Popular vehicles in Columbia tend to be compact and midsize sedans like the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, and Toyota Camry and compact and midsize SUVs like the Ford Escape and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Additional popular models from other vehicle segments include luxury SUVs like the Cadillac XT5 and BMW X5, luxury cars like the Infiniti Q50 and Acura ILX, and pickup trucks like the Ram 1500 and Toyota Tacoma.

We explore more auto insurance rates a little later in this article, but before we delve that deep, let’s go over the key concepts and comparisons that were presented so far.

• Insurance for teenagers can cost a lot – Cost ranges from $4,093 to $6,119 per year to insure a teenage driver in Columbia.
• Monthly car insurance cost ranges from $119 to $510 – That is the average car insurance cost range for drivers from age 16 to 60 in Columbia.
• Car insurance with low deductibles costs more – A 20-year-old driver pays an average of $924 more per year for a $250 deductible policy versus a $1,000 deductible policy.
• Insurance rates decline significantly in your twenties – The average 30-year-old Columbia driver will pay $1,626 less annually than a 20-year-old driver, $1,832 versus $3,458.
• Columbia car insurance costs less than the U.S. average – $1,720 (Columbia average) compared to $1,883 (U.S. average)
• Car insurance gets cheaper as you age – Insurance rates for a 50-year-old driver in Columbia are $1,934 per year cheaper than for a 20-year-old driver.
• Columbia car insurance prices are more expensive than the South Carolina state average – $1,720 (Columbia average) versus $1,626 (South Carolina average)

Which cars have cheap insurance in Columbia, SC?

The vehicles with the best insurance rates in Columbia tend to be crossovers and compact SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Buick Envision, and Toyota Corolla Cross.

Average car insurance prices for those vehicles cost $1,396 or less per year ($116 per month) for full coverage.

Examples of other models that have low-cost insurance prices in the cost comparison table below are the Volkswagen Taos, Ford Bronco Sport, Nissan Murano, and Acura RDX.

The average rates are slightly higher for those models than the cheapest compact SUVs at the top of the rankings, but they still have average rates of $1,474 or less per year in Columbia.

The next table ranks the 50 cheapest vehicles to insure in Columbia, South Carolina, ordered by annual cost.

The table above that contains 50 of the cheapest vehicles to insure in Columbia serves the purpose if you’re just looking for any vehicle with cheap insurance rates. A more efficient way to rank auto insurance rates for many more vehicles is by organizing them by their automotive segment.

This next article section illustrates the average cost of car insurance for each different vehicle segment. This should give you a better idea of which types of vehicles have the cheapest rates. Then the six subsequent sections will break out the 20 models with the cheapest rates in each individual segment.

Auto insurance rates by automotive segment

If you’re considering buying a new car, it’s very useful to know which types of vehicles are cheaper to insure. To illustrate this, you may be curious if midsize SUVs have more affordable insurance than small SUVs or if heavy duty pickups are more expensive to insure than half-ton pickups.

The chart below shows the average cost of car insurance rates in Columbia for different vehicle segments. When comparing rates from a segment perspective, small SUVs, vans, and midsize pickups have the cheapest rates, with luxury, performance, and sports cars having the most expensive overall car insurance rates.

Rates by segment can be used to make an overall comparison, but rates range substantially within each vehicle segment listed in the above chart.

For example, in the midsize luxury SUV segment, Columbia auto insurance rates range from the Jaguar E-Pace costing $1,608 per year to the Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 at $2,896 per year, a difference of $1,288 within that segment. In the large truck segment, the average cost of insurance ranges from the Nissan Titan at $1,606 per year up to the Toyota Tundra at $2,046 per year, a difference of $440 within that segment.

In the sections going forward, we will eliminate a lot of this variability by looking at car insurance cost in Columbia on a model level.

Cheapest cars to insure in Columbia

Sitting at number one in Columbia for the most affordable average insurance rates in the car segment is the Toyota GR Corolla, at an average of $1,494 per year. Second place is the Nissan Leaf costing $1,504 per year, and in third place is the Honda Civic, costing an average of $1,520 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are cars like the Kia K5, Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Toyota Prius, with average cost of $1,666 per year or less.

Car insurance for this segment in Columbia starts at an average of $125 per month, depending on where you live.

When ranked by vehicle size, the cheapest non-luxury compact car to insure in Columbia is the Toyota GR Corolla at $1,494 per year, or $125 per month. For midsize models, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has the best rates at $1,582 per year, or $132 per month. And for full-size non-luxury cars, the Chrysler 300 has the cheapest car insurance rates at $1,632 per year, or $136 per month.

The comparison table below ranks the twenty cars with the lowest-cost car insurance rates in Columbia.

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

Is your vehicle not in the list? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Columbia car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest SUVs to insure in Columbia

Ranking #1 in Columbia for cheapest average insurance rates in the SUV segment is the Subaru Crosstrek, with a cost of $1,270 per year. Second place is the Chevrolet Trailblazer at $1,294 per year, and the third cheapest is the Kia Soul, costing an average of $1,342 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are models like the Buick Envision, Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Venue, and Mazda CX-5, with an average cost to insure of $1,408 per year or less.

Some additional SUVs on the list include the Kia Niro, Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda HR-V, and Subaru Ascent, which average between $1,408 and $1,494 per year to insure.

Car insurance in Columbia for this segment for the average driver starts at around $106 per month, depending on your company and location.

The cheapest compact SUV to insure in Columbia is the Subaru Crosstrek at $1,270 per year. For midsize 2024 SUV models, the Honda Passport is the cheapest model to insure at $1,370 per year. And for full-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe has the cheapest rates at $1,614 per year.

The rate comparison table below ranks the SUVs with the most affordable average car insurance rates in Columbia, starting with the Subaru Crosstrek at $1,270 per year and ending with the Honda HR-V at $1,494 per year.

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

Is your SUV missing from the table above? No sweat! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Columbia car insurance quotes from top auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest luxury cars to insure in Columbia

Taking the top ranking in Columbia for cheapest average insurance in the luxury sedan segment is the Acura Integra, with an average cost of $1,528 per year. Second place is the BMW 330i costing $1,750 per year, and the third cheapest is the Mercedes-Benz CLA250, at an average of $1,768 per year.

Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are models like the Lexus ES 350, Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA35, Cadillac CT4, and Genesis G70, with average annual insurance rates of $1,806 per year or less.

Additional 2024 luxury models that rank well include the Jaguar XF, Cadillac CT5, Lexus RC 350, and Lexus IS 350, which average between $1,806 and $1,928 to insure per year.

Full-coverage auto insurance in Columbia for this segment for an average middle-age driver starts at an average of $127 per month, depending on your location and insurance company.

If vehicle size is considered, the lowest-cost compact luxury car to insure in Columbia is the Acura Integra at $1,528 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is the cheapest model to insure at $1,768 per year. And for full-size luxury cars, the Audi A5 is most affordable to insure at $2,036 per year.

The table below ranks the cars with the lowest-cost average auto insurance rates in Columbia, starting with the Acura Integra at $1,528 per year ($127 per month) and ending with the Audi S3 at $1,928 per year ($161 per month).

For all luxury car insurance comparisons, see our full luxury car insurance guide.

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

Cheapest luxury SUV insurance rates in Columbia

Ranking in the top five for the lowest-cost Columbia car insurance rates in the luxury SUV segment are the Acura RDX, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT4, Lexus NX 250, and Jaguar E-Pace. Car insurance rates for these models average $1,622 or less per year.

Other models that have cheaper rates include the Lexus NX 450h, Lincoln Corsair, Mercedes-Benz GLB 250, and Lexus UX 250h, with an average car insurance cost of $1,658 per year or less.

Ranked between 10th and 20th place, models like the Lexus NX 350, Infiniti QX50, Land Rover Evoque, Acura MDX, Cadillac XT6, and Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35 cost between $1,658 and $1,724 per year for auto insurance in Columbia.

Full-coverage insurance in this segment for a middle-age safe driver starts at around $120 per month, depending on your company and location.

If insurance rates are ranked by vehicle size, the most affordable small luxury SUV to insure in Columbia is the Acura RDX at $1,438 per year. For midsize 2024 models, the Jaguar E-Pace has the cheapest rates at $1,608 per year. And for full-size luxury models, the Infiniti QX80 is most affordable to insure at $1,928 per year.

The comparison table below ranks the twenty SUVs with the most affordable auto insurance rates in Columbia, starting with the Acura RDX at $120 per month and ending with the Lexus NX 350 at $144 per month.

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

Don’t see insurance rates for your luxury SUV? 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-rated companies in South Carolina.

Cheapest sports cars to insure in Columbia

The cheapest sports cars to insure in Columbia are the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $1,592 per year, the Toyota GR86 at $1,812 per year, and the Ford Mustang at $1,888 per year.

Also ranking in the top 10 are cars like the Toyota GR Supra, Nissan Z, Lexus RC F, and Subaru BRZ, with average rates of $2,056 per year or less.

On a monthly basis, car insurance rates in Columbia on this segment starts at around $133 per month, depending on the company. The comparison table below ranks the sports cars with the cheapest average car insurance rates in Columbia, starting with the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $133 per month and ending with the Porsche Taycan at $242 per month.

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

Cheapest pickups to insure in Columbia

The four top-ranked pickup trucks with the lowest-cost insurance rates in Columbia are the Chevrolet Colorado at $1,472 per year, Nissan Titan at $1,606 per year, Nissan Frontier at $1,626 per year, and Ford Ranger at $1,640 per year.

Other models that have affordable average insurance rates are the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Toyota Tacoma, GMC Canyon, and GMC Sierra 2500 HD, with average insurance cost of $1,768 per year or less.

Auto insurance rates in Columbia for this segment for the average driver starts at an average of $123 per month, depending on your location and insurance company. The comparison table below ranks the twenty pickups with the most affordable average auto insurance rates in Columbia.

For all pickup insurance comparisons, see our guides for midsize pickup insurance and large pickup insurance.

Don’t see insurance cost for your pickup? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap Columbia car insurance quotes from the best auto insurance companies in South Carolina.

Risk factors and price variation

To illustrate how much the cost of car insurance can deviate from one person to the next (and also emphasize the importance of accurate rate quotes), the sections below visualize multiple rates for three popular models in Columbia: the Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota Corolla, and Kia Sorento.

Each vehicle example uses different risk profiles to demonstrate the difference in average cost based on changes in the risk profile of the driver.

Chevrolet Silverado insurance rates

Car insurance for a Chevrolet Silverado in Columbia averages $1,900 per year, or around $158 per month, and varies from $1,574 to $4,412.

The Chevrolet Silverado is considered a full-size truck, and other models popular in Columbia include the Nissan Titan, Ram Truck, and GMC Sierra.

Toyota Corolla insurance rates

Insurance for a Toyota Corolla in Columbia costs an average of $1,676 per year ($140 per month) and ranges from $1,390 to $3,838.

The Toyota Corolla is considered a compact car, and additional similar models include the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic, and Nissan Sentra.

Kia Sorento insurance rates

Car insurance for a Kia Sorento in Columbia averages $1,630 per year (about $136 per month) and varies from $1,354 to $3,746 per year for the example driver profiles in the insurance cost chart shown below.

The Kia Sorento is a midsize SUV, and other models from that segment that are popular in Columbia include the Honda Pilot, Ford Edge, and Ford Explorer.

Money-saving tips for finding cheaper Columbia car insurance

Drivers should always be thinking of ways to reduce the monthly expense for auto insurance, so look through the tips and ideas in this next list and maybe you can save a little dough on your next car insurance policy.

• Your choice of occupation could lower your rates. Just about all car insurance companies offer policy discounts for specific occupations like police officers and law enforcement, dentists, members of the military, engineers, nurses, and others. By qualifying for this discount, you could potentially save between $52 and $167 on your annual insurance bill, depending on the level of coverage purchased.
• Save money by raising deductibles. Boosting your physical damage deductibles from $500 to $1,000 could save around $300 per year for a 40-year-old driver and $588 per year for a 20-year-old driver.
• Tickets and violations cost money. If you want to get the cheapest auto insurance in Columbia, it’s necessary to avoid traffic citations. As a matter of fact, just one or two blemishes on your driving record could possibly raise insurance policy rates by up to $456 per year. Serious misdemeanors like hit-and-run, DUI or reckless driving could raise rates by an additional $1,598 or more.
• Save money by qualifying for policy discounts. Savings may be available if the insureds drive a vehicle with safety or anti-theft features, are accident-free, drive low annual mileage, are good students, or many other policy discounts which could save the average Columbia driver as much as $290 per year on auto insurance.
• Buy vehicles that are cheaper to insure. Vehicle type is a huge factor in the price you pay for car insurance. For example, a Subaru Crosstrek costs $2,044 less per year to insure in Columbia than a Audi R8. Drive cheaper models and save money.
• Shop your coverage around. Taking the time to get free car insurance quotes is the best way to save money. Rates change often and you can change companies at any time.
• Remain claim free. Auto insurance companies offer discounts if you have not filed any claims. Auto insurance should only be used for significant financial loss, not small claims that can be paid out-of-pocket.