Best Cheap Car Insurance for Low Credit Scores in South Carolina

Our content editors always give us grief that when writing about auto insurance, the word “cheap” should not be used anywhere in the article to describe car insurance rates. Sad but true, cheap car insurance for low credit scores can be extremely hard to find. But fear not, because we are going to show you some ways you can find and buy coverage that you are able to afford.

When shopping for auto insurance for bad credit, one of the many factors that auto insurance companies use to determine the policy price is where your car is garaged. More populated areas like Goose Creek, Charleston, and North Charleston will most likely have higher rates, whereas areas with less people or fewer weather incidents generally pay lower auto insurance rates.

The next table shows the most expensive cities in South Carolina for low credit scores in which to buy car insurance.

Rate information is comparative as specific location information can revise premiums substantially.

Comparing quotes for cost effective auto insurance is confusing at best, and determining which companies quote the cheapest auto insurance rates for low credit scores involves even more perseverance. Every auto insurer has a proprietary formula for filing rates in each state, so let’s begin by taking a look at the auto insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in South Carolina.

Best Cheap Insurance Rates in South Carolina

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The Hartford normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in South Carolina at around $775 a year. USAA, State Auto, Auto-Owners, and SC Farm Bureau Mutual also rank well as some of the most economical South Carolina auto insurance companies.

As illustrated above, if you buy coverage from Auto-Owners and switched to USAA, you could earn annual savings of roughly $92. South Carolina drivers with SC Farm Bureau Mutual may save as much as $271 a year, and Southern Farm Bureau insureds might see rate reductions of $283 a year.

If you want to see how much you could save, click here or visit any of the low-priced companies below.

Remember that these policy prices are averaged for all insureds and vehicles and and are not calculated with a price decrease for low credit scores. So the company that can offer you the best price may not even be shown in the company chart above. That affirms the importance of why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own personal information and vehicle type.

Discounts on the best cheap car insurance for low credit scores in South Carolina

Insurers that sell policies for low credit scores may additionally offer policy discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 35% if you can meet the requirements. Companies and some of the discounts are:

• State Farm offers premium reductions for Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, and passive restraint.
• American Family discounts include early bird, air bags, multi-vehicle, TimeAway discount, and bundled insurance.
• AAA offers discounts for multi-policy, good student, anti-theft, multi-car, good driver, and education and occupation.
• GEICO may have discounts that include anti-theft, multi-vehicle, federal employee, air bags, and five-year accident-free.
• Mercury Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including age of vehicle, good student, accident-free, location of vehicle, and ease of repair.
• Farmers Insurance has savings for distant student, alternative fuel, multi-car, switch companies, good student, homeowner, and early shopping.
• Progressive has discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online quote discount, good student, and online signing.

The information below illustrates the comparison of yearly insurance costs with and without policy discounts. The premiums assume a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, South Carolina state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles.

The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with claim-free, passive restraint, multiple policy, vehicle safety, multiple vehicle, and safe-driver discounts applied. When discounts are applied, the the average yearly reduction on auto insurance for low credit scores is 28% or $410.

The chart below highlights how deductible selection can change insurance costs when trying to find cheap insurance for low credit scores. The premiums assume a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied.

In the chart above, a 40-year-old driver could lower their policy premium by $364 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $550 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Young drivers, like the age 20 example, could shave $940 or even more by choosing larger deductibles on their policy.

When choosing a higher deductible, it will be necessary to have plenty of savings on hand to offset the extra out-of-pocket expense associated with higher deductibles.

Is the best company Geico, Progressive, State Farm, or Allstate?

When it comes to buying auto insurance, the first places to look would be Geico, Progressive, State Farm, and Allstate. Each company has different features and discounts that may steer you one way or another. The following table rates price, claims, and customer service ratings, as well as some optional coverages that are available for buyers.