Top 10 South Carolina Car Insurance Companies

As with all of the 50 states, there are a large number of both major national and local independent auto insurance agencies in South Carolina. These car insurance companies are all competing for customers, offering extensive discount plans, and promising that they’re far below the price charged by all of their competitors.

But, of these many insurers, which ones are the best ways to save?

Which companies can consumers rely on for honest business practices, real car insurance discounts, and a way to trim their already-tight budgets?

In tough economic times like these we are currently enduring, many Americans are looking to cut any and every last expense from their budget and reign in their historically high levels of spending.

One of the best ways to save money on a monthly basis is by comparing auto insurance quotes and checking to see if the rate you’re currently paying is really the lowest rate available in your state.

10. Esurance

One of the first online-based insurance agencies in the United States, Esurance serves South Carolina as the newest member of the Allstate insurance family. But don’t let the company’s ownership by Allstate fool you: Esurance is nearly autonomous within the organization, and provides its own rates and discounts to customers that may or may not be offered by its larger parent company.

If anything, the Allstate acquisition merely means that customers can now expect to interact with an agent if they need to — which was simply not the case before.

The company’s safe driving, good student, claim-free, and multi-car discounts help save customers, on average, 20 percent over their current insurance policy’s going rate.

9. Progressive Direct

Known for its quirky advertisements that show drivers how much they can save by choosing Progressive, the company allows prospective buyers to compare their quotes to leading competitors.

Of course, using an online insurance comparison tool accomplishes the same result — but it’s nice to know Progressive believes they really do offer lower rates than all of the other major national insurance brands.

They offer both safe driving discounts and accident forgiveness, and recently launched the new Snapshot Discount program which can save drivers up to 20 percent simply by monitoring and recording their driving habits.

8. Geico

Widely respected as the second-largest nationwide insurance company in the United States, Geico lets its quirky gecko and its easy slogan do the talking: 15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more.

The company is famous for having been the “Government Employees Insurance Corporation” and they still offer exclusive policy discounts to federal government workers, and some state employees as well. Geico is also known for its extremely generous military discount policies, which will play well with consumers who live and work at Fort Jackson.

7. Travelers

Travelers Insurance recently unveiled its safe driving discount program which, using a small device installed in the car, monitors drivers’ speed, distance, and other aspects of their behavior on the road and offers them safe driving discounts of up to 40 percent off their plan.

Travelers is also one of the largest tourism and international travel insurance agencies and has solid life and home insurance products.

Customers who choose to bundle their services together with the company can save up to 20 percent on the combined policies’ total amount.

6. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual offers numerous ways to save on its auto insurance policies, including discounts for multiple cars or multiple drivers, as well as rewards for being a student — and for being a good student.

The company also encourages customers to bundle multiple policies with them for additional discounts. Liberty Mutual’s agents and customer service representatives get consistently high marks in nationwide surveys.

5. Farm Bureau Insurance Co.

Based in South Carolina, this insurance company offers a local touch to their insurance products that many of the national companies are simply lacking.

They maintain one of the most extensive networks of agents in South Carolina and operate a locally-based 24-hour customer service center that can address claims, policy questions, and any other support a policy holder might need to address.

4. AIA Auto Insurance

Perhaps the smallest insurance company in South Carolina, this locally-based insurance company has a large local network of agents and offers student discounts, multiple car and driver discounts, and safe driving discounts that reward drivers as their number of years without an accident increases over time.

Because choosing a local insurance company also pumps money into the local South Carolina economy, choosing AIA over the national competition means supporting the state along with your safe driving skills.

3. State Farm

State Farm is one of the largest and oldest national insurance companies, and it has worked diligently in recent years to raise its reputation from a customer service nightmare to one of the friendliest insurance agencies nationwide.

To a large extent, it has been successful in turning its customer service operation around and it now boasts one of the best nationwide networks of agents, combined with a strong slate of safe driving discounts as well as bundling and multi-car discounts for larger households.

2. The Hartford

Operated out of its namesake Hartford, Connecticut, The Hartford is one of America’s oldest and most experienced national insurance agencies. The company offers policies that, on average, cost South Carolina drivers just $1,500 per year — far below the average annual insurance rates in most American states.

Safe driving, student, bundling, and multi-vehicle discounts are all available to eligible South Carolina drivers on top of the inherent savings offered by the company’s already-low prices.

1. Nationwide Insurance

The company that proudly brags in its slogan that it’s “on your side” seems like it really is. The company offers the most significant discounts, in terms of percentage, for simple things like performing well in school and driving safely for a number of consecutive years.

Their accident forgiveness program is among the most generous in the industry, and their customer satisfaction rates are tops among the major nationwide providers.

Additionally, they’re the largest nationwide auto insurance provider in America — and it seems they got that way for a very good reason.

Compare and Save Today

The key to finding a lower rate isn’t just to rely on insurance company rankings, but to use online insurance quote tools that compare rates from all of the agencies which serve South Carolina. Try our FREE ZIP code search tool today!

Read more: South Carolina Car Insurance (Coverage, Companies, & More)

When the quotes and policies are side by side, it’s easy to determine which company has the best rate for its services — and which company is overcharging, cutting corners, and doing anything it can to get out of paying you the full amount of any accident or damage claim you may have to file.

If you’re looking to trim your budget, this is one of the easiest ways to reduce your monthly bills and gain greater financial independence.

Remember that insurance companies are all competing for you — not the other way around. They’ll do anything, and offer any discount they can, to gain your business over their nearest competitors.