Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to buy the best car insurance policy in Columbia for your particular situation. You’ll see which carriers are rated as the best car insurance companies for customer satisfaction and what the average car insurance rates are for your neighborhood.
You’ll also discover how much you can save from knowing how to make smart choices about coverage. And, find out how rates for Columbia drivers are affected by tickets, accidents and adding teen drivers.
- The average car insurance cost in Columbia, SC for a full coverage policy is $1,661 a year, according to CarInsurance.com research.
- Government Employees Ins Co has the cheapest full coverage car insurance quotes in Columbia among all the carriers analyzed.
- You can save an average of $511 per year on a full coverage policy in Columbia by comparing price quotes from different carriers.
- In South Carolina, comprehensive insurance costs an average of $237 and collision coverage is $486 per year, based on CarInsurance.com rate analysis.
Who Has The Best Car Insurance in Columbia, SC?
Deciding who has the best car insurance to suit your needs depends on what is most important to you. For some it may be price, while others may value customer service the most. Still others may be looking for the convenience of mobile apps, or a company that offers the most car insurance discounts.
Below we list car insurance companies in Columbia, and who they are the best at serving, based on CarInsurance.com’s customer satisfaction survey of current policy holders and rate data analysis.
| Best for | Company |
|---|---|
| Claims | Metlife |
| Value/Price | Metlife |
| Customer Service | Metlife |
| Websites/Apps | Metlife |
| Recommend | Metlife |
| Low Annual Mileage | Allstate F&C |
| Good Student | Nationwide Mutual Fire |
| Bundle | Allstate F&C |
| Paid in Full | Progressive Northern |
Cheap Car Insurance in Columbia, South Carolina
Government Employees Ins Co and State Farm Mut Auto Ins Co have the cheapest car insurance rates in Columbia, based on our rate analysis for three different coverage levels. The driver profile is for age 30, with good credit and a clean driving record. You can see how major insurers rank for price in the chart below
Car Insurance Coverage – How Much Car Insurance do I Need in Columbia?
Below we’ll explain what coverage you need to drive legally, which is your state required minimum liability limits, and what types of car insurance you may need to be truly protected.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Columbia
South Carolina car insurance laws require only that you insure yourself against bodily injury and property damage liability, so it’s your choice whether to add coverage for yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.
If you have a newer model car, it makes sense to get comprehensive insurance and collision coverage. In South Carolina, comprehensive costs $237 and collision costs $486, on an average per year, according to a rate data analysis done by CarInsurance.com.
These optional coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay before your insurance company pays. Typical deductibles amounts are $1,000, $500 and $250 – you choose which one you want. The higher the deductible is, the lower your rate will be.
The best car insurance coverage usually isn’t the cheapest. You may be used if you’re in an accident and your insurance doesn’t cover all of the damages. That means your home or savings could be in jeopardy.
To protect your assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $1,00,000 to pay for others’ medical bills
- $3,00,000 to pay for injuries to others in an accident you cause
- $1,00,000 to pay for damage to others’ property
You should also consider buying these optional coverages:
- Comprehensive, which replaces stolen cars and covers damage to your car from floods, fire, hail, vandalism.
- Collision, which pays for damage to your car from accidents.
The average rate for Columbia drivers for a year of minimum coverage is $674 according to our rate analysis. If you increased your coverage to 50/100/50, you would pay just about $5 more a month, or $60 more a year.
You can get full coverage (100/300/100) by paying $82 more a month, or an additional $987 a year more than minimum-level coverage.
Columbia average for:
- Minimum coverage: $674
- 50/100/50: $734
- 100/300/100: $1,661
Average Car Insurance Rates in Columbia
CarInsurance.com analyzed car insurance rates from six car insurance companies for nearly every ZIP code in South Carolina. Here’s how Columbia’s highest average rate $1,734 for ZIP 29225 compares to others, for a full coverage policy of 100/300/100 for a driver age 30:
- $134 more than the least expensive average rate $1,600 in ZIP code 29212
- $552 more than the state average $1,620
- $409 more than the national average rate $1,763
Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Columbia – How to Save on Insurance Policy?
You can save an average of $511 annually on a full coverage policy in Columbia by comparing car insurance quotes, according to CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis. While savings will depend on your particular circumstances, this shows that there is a significant benefit to shopping your policy.
Why Does Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Save Money?
No two insurance companies will charge the same amount of money for the same policy. So if you compare car insurance quotes and opt for the lowest, you won’t over pay. For example, the highest rate from any carrier surveyed for ZIP code 29225 , the priciest ZIP code Columbia car insurance, was $2,172 .
The lowest was $1,042. The difference is $1,130, which is how much you could overpay. That’s why car insurance comparisons are paramount to finding the best cheap car insurance for your situation.
— Ashlee Tilford contributed to this story.
Ask the Insurance Expert
Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.
Guide to car insurance (with rates) in cities of South Carolina