The Best Home Insurance in South Carolina for 2025

Chubb, USAA and Amica are among the best home insurance companies in South Carolina, according to our analysis.

To help you find the best home insurance in South Carolina, we gathered and analyzed data from insurance companies across the state. These are the insurers that earned 4.5 stars or more.

Rates are based on a sample homeowner with no recent claims, $300,000 of dwelling coverage, $300,000 of liability coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

» MORE: The best home insurance companies

Below are more details about the best homeowners insurance companies in South Carolina.

Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.

Chubb caters to affluent homeowners, offering coverage other insurers often charge extra for. For example, the company’s policies include extended replacement cost coverage for the structure of your home. This is useful in case it costs more than your dwelling limit to rebuild after a disaster. Chubb’s standard policies also cover water damage from backed-up sewers and drains.

Chubb policyholders in South Carolina are eligible for free Wildfire Defense Services. These services include personalized recommendations for protecting your home and firefighters sent to your home if a wildfire is near.

» READ MORE: Chubb homeowners insurance review

Amica shines when it comes to customer service. It draws a very low rate of complaints compared to other insurers, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Amica also earned high marks in two recent J.D. Power surveys about home insurance and customer satisfaction.

The company stands out for its broad range of coverage options. For example, you can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit. This could be useful in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for identity theft or damage from backed-up drains.

» READ MORE: Amica homeowners insurance review

If you want to do business with companies that value sustainability, consider Cincinnati Insurance. In recent years, the insurer has reduced fossil fuel emissions from both its facilities and company vehicles. When you buy Cincinnati home insurance, you may be able to add a “green upgrade” endorsement. With this coverage, you can use eco-friendly materials to repair or rebuild your home after a claim.

The company offers a variety of other options, including comprehensive coverage for high-value homes. You may be able to add coverage for things like identity theft, personal cyber attacks or certain types of water damage.

» READ MORE: Cincinnati homeowners insurance review

As America’s largest home insurer, State Farm stands out for its long list of coverage options. Its policies generally include extra dwelling coverage in case it costs more than expected to rebuild your home.

You may be able to add coverage for things like identity theft and water damage from backed-up drains. Another option may be to add an inflation guard rider to your policy. This automatically increases your policy limits to keep up with rising costs.

State Farm offers a free Ting smart plug to home insurance policyholders as a perk. This device monitors your home’s electrical network to help prevent fires.

» READ MORE: State Farm homeowners insurance review

Allstate offers lots of ways to customize your policy, including replacement cost coverage for your personal property and coverage for water damage caused by backed-up drains. Other options may include home-sharing coverage and reimbursement for replacing damaged items with energy-efficient versions.

You may also be able to upgrade your policy with the Enhanced Package. One benefit of this package is Deductible Rewards, which takes $100 off your deductible when you sign up, plus an additional $100 off for each year you go without filing a claim. If you do file a claim, your rates won’t go up.

» READ MORE: Allstate homeowners insurance review

Openly’s default homeowners policy goes significantly beyond those of many other insurers. Most notably, it offers guaranteed replacement cost coverage for the structure of your home. That means if your house is destroyed by a covered disaster, Openly will pay whatever it takes to rebuild it the way it was before.

Unlike many other insurers, Openly doesn’t have dog breed restrictions that could affect your ability to get liability coverage. It may also be a good bet for homeowners with collections of jewelry or other valuables, with up to $100,000 of blanket coverage available for these items.

» READ MORE: Openly homeowners insurance review

USAA sells homeowners insurance to active military members, veterans and their families. If that’s you, you may want to consider USAA.

The company offers some perks that are specific to members of the military, like deductible-free coverage for military uniforms and equipment. USAA will also waive your deductible if your personal property is damaged or lost due to war.

USAA homeowners insurance has certain features that many insurers charge extra for. For example, USAA covers your personal belongings on a replacement cost basis. That means you’ll get enough money to buy brand-new replacements for damaged items. Many companies pay only what your items are worth at the time of the claim.

» READ MORE: USAA homeowners insurance review

The average annual cost of home insurance in South Carolina is $2,350. That’s 11% more than the national average of $2,110.

In most U.S. states, including South Carolina, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score. 

In South Carolina, those with poor credit pay an average of $4,230 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 80% more than those with good credit.

» MORE: Does your credit score affect home insurance rates?

How much you pay for home insurance in South Carolina depends on where you live. For example, the average cost of homeowners insurance in Charleston is $4,435 per year. Meanwhile, in Columbia, homeowners insurance costs about $2,055 per year, on average.

» MORE: What’s the average cost of homeowners insurance?

Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the South Carolina average of $2,350.

» MORE: The cheapest homeowners insurance

Here are a few problems you might encounter as a South Carolina homeowner, plus how to make sure your home is covered.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

The potent combination of wind and water from hurricanes and other storms can cause a lot of damage. Unfortunately, standard homeowners insurance policies may not cover all damage from hurricanes.

Most homeowners insurance policies pay for damage from wind but not flooding. However, a separate deductible may apply to wind or hurricane claims. (A deductible is the amount of a claim you’re responsible for.) For example, your policy may have a $1,000 deductible for most claims and a 1% deductible for wind or hail claims. So if your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $2,500 of wind or hail damage yourself.

If your house is on the coast in a high-risk location, your insurer may not include wind coverage in your policy. You can buy wind coverage through private insurers or the South Carolina Wind Pool.

» MORE: Complete guide to hurricane insurance

Flooding

Standard homeowners insurance generally won’t cover flood damage. If you’re at risk, consider buying separate flood insurance. (Your lender may even require you to do so if you live in a flood plain.)

To check your flood risk, start by looking up your address on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. However, FEMA’s maps don’t always capture all types of flood risk. You may want to check another source, like First Street, a private company that models climate hazards. Enter your address at the top of the page to see your home’s flood risk rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

» MORE: How to choose the best flood insurance

South Carolina insurance department

In South Carolina, the Department of Insurance oversees the insurance industry. Its website is the go-to resource for filing complaints against your insurance company. You can reach the agency by emailing consumers@doi.sc.gov or calling 800-768-3467.

How we rate homeowners insurance

NerdWallet’s star ratings reward companies for consumer-first features and practices. We evaluate factors such as consumer experience, coverage, discounts and financial strength.

In our research, we analyzed:

View our complete homeowners insurance rating methodology.

• Find home insurance in other states

  Alabama home insurance Alaska home insurance Arizona home insurance Arkansas home insurance California home insurance Colorado home insurance Connecticut home insurance Delaware home insurance Florida home insurance Georgia home insurance Hawaii home insurance Idaho home insurance Illinois home insurance Indiana home insurance Iowa home insurance Kansas home insurance Kentucky home insurance Louisiana home insurance Maine home insurance Maryland home insurance Massachusetts home insurance Michigan home insurance Minnesota home insurance Mississippi home insurance Missouri home insurance Montana home insurance

  Nebraska home insurance Nevada home insurance New Hampshire home insurance New Jersey home insurance New Mexico home insurance New York home insurance North Carolina home insurance North Dakota home insurance Ohio home insurance Oklahoma home insurance Oregon home insurance Pennsylvania home insurance Rhode Island home insurance South Carolina home insurance South Dakota home insurance Tennessee home insurance Texas home insurance Utah home insurance Vermont home insurance Virginia home insurance Washington home insurance Washington, D.C., home insurance West Virginia home insurance Wisconsin home insurance Wyoming home insurance