Updated March 2026
State Requirements
South Carolina requires minimum liability coverage of 25/50/25: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. SR-22 filing is required after DUI convictions, license suspensions resulting from point accumulation (12 or more points), multiple at-fault accidents while uninsured, and certain reckless driving convictions. Drivers accumulate points for moving violations — 2 points for speeding 10+ mph over, 4 points for reckless driving, 6 points for DUI — and points remain on the driving record for 2 years from the conviction date. Most point violations like speeding tickets or single at-fault accidents do not trigger SR-22 requirements unless they result in license suspension.
Cost Overview
High-risk auto insurance in South Carolina costs $2,400–$5,200 annually on average, compared to $1,200–$1,800 for clean-record drivers — a 100–200% increase depending on violation type. DUI convictions produce the highest rate impact (150–250% increase), followed by at-fault accidents (40–80% increase) and speeding violations over 15 mph (20–50% increase). Rates begin normalizing 3–5 years after the violation date as the incident ages off rating algorithms, with the steepest decreases occurring in years 3–4.
What Affects Your Rate
- Violation type: DUI adds 150–250%, reckless driving adds 80–120%, speeding 15+ mph adds 20–50% to base premium
- Years since violation: rates drop 15–25% each year after year 2 as the incident ages in rating models
- Point total: drivers at 8–11 points pay 30–60% more than those with 2–4 points, even without suspension
- SR-22 requirement: adds $15–$50 filing cost plus forces placement with non-standard carriers charging 40–100% more
- Coverage level: full coverage costs 40–60% more than minimum liability for high-risk profiles in South Carolina
- County location: high-risk rates in Charleston County average 15–20% higher than Greenville County due to accident density and uninsured motorist rates
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles – SR-22 Requirements and Reinstatement Procedures
- South Carolina Department of Insurance – Minimum Coverage Requirements
- South Carolina Point System and Suspension Thresholds (SCDMV)