Best and Cheapest Renters Insurance in South Carolina for 2024

Renters insurance helps you recover from a loss in your apartment. It's often misunderstood as people think their items are covered under their landlord's insurance policy, but they aren't. While the structure of your apartment or building is covered by the landlord's policy, your own personal belongings aren't covered without your own renters insurance policy in South Carolina. There are definitely some things that won't be covered with a renters policy, but it will be more beneficial to have one.

So if you want to ensure you're properly covered while renting, it's important to find one of the best South Carolina renters insurance companies. But where do you start? In the table above, you can sort through all the renter's insurance companies ranked on Clearsurance. The rating next to each company the insurer's Clearsurance score is based exclusively on the thousands of ratings provided by customers.

Note: Only those companies with at least 25 renters insurance reviews are eligible to appear in the best South Carolina renters insurance rankings.

It is important to know as much as you can about your renter's insurance company before taking out a policy with them. Talking to a local, experienced insurance agent can help answer any questions you may have. Some questions to consider asking include, "What is the average cost for your renter's insurance coverage?" "Does my policy cover things such as water damage and bodily injury?" and, "What are my coverage options and my coverage limit?"

It may be a little shocking to discover that renters insurance can sometimes come with liability coverage, that will help with any medical expenses that someone injured within your property may accrue. Granted, the cost of renters insurance goes up the more coverage you have, but guarding against any sort of accident can be financially helpful.

Interested in learning more about one of the companies on the list of the best renters insurance companies in South Carolina? You can visit the company's profile page to find more information about the company and read reviews to learn from the experiences of other policyholders.

If you need to compare rental companies, we offer a tool that can help you.

On this page:

• South Carolina renters insurance rates
• Average cost of renting in Columbia
• Average cost of renting in Charleston
• Renters insurance for South Carolina college students
• South Carolina property crime statistics

Who has the best South Carolina renters insurance rates?

Out of the most popular companies in South Carolina, Auto-Owners offers the cheapest South Carolina renters insurance rates, on average.

On average, South Carolina renters insurance costs about $170 per year. When shopping for renters insurance in South Carolina, it's helpful to know that while rates depend on factors specific to you and your apartment, they also depend on which company you choose. Some companies may offer renters insurance in South Carolina for a cheaper rate than others. In the table below, you can see average annual South Carolina renters insurance rates from some of the largest companies in the state.

*USAA is only available to former and active military members and their families.

These average renters insurance rates are based on a policy with $30,000 in personal property coverage (with a $500 deductible), $100,000 in personal liability and $1,000 in medical payments to others. The rates displayed should only be used for comparative purposes as individual rates in South Carolina will differ. Rate data is provided by Quadrant Information Services.

How much does rent cost in Columbia?

In Columbia, South Carolina, rent costs an average of $1,003 per month. The cost of rent in Columbia can vary based on factors including your apartment's location and size.

Columbia is a city located in the center of South Carolina along the Broad River. It’s the capital and most populous city in the state. Although the average monthly cost of rent in Columbia is $1,003, the price of rent can vary based on location and the size of the apartment. For example, it costs an average of $1,728 per month for rent in Downtown Columbia while it costs an average of $738 per month for rent in Dutch Square.

On average, a studio apartment in Columbia costs $766 per month, a one-bedroom apartment costs $786 per month and a more spacious three-bedroom apartment costs $1,227 per month.

How much does rent cost in Charleston?

In Charleston, South Carolina, rent costs an average of $1,287 per month. The cost of rent in Charleston can vary based on factors including your apartment's location and size.

Charleston is a popular city in South Carolina. It’s location on the coast makes it a charming city with many beaches. It’s made up of some mainland and a number of islands. Although the average cost of rent in Charleston is $1,287 per month, the cost of rent may vary based on location. For example, apartments in the Gadsden Green neighborhood cost an average of $2,313 per month while apartments in the Rosemont neighborhood cost an average of $1,042 per month.

Another factor that affects the cost of rent in Charleston is the size of the apartment. On average, smaller studio apartments cost $1,193 per month, one-bedroom apartments cost $1,172 per month and three-bedroom apartments cost $1,582 per month. While renting in Charleston you may want to consider a renters insurance policy to protect your personal items from damage and loss caused by disasters like a hurricane. Keep in mind that a standard renters insurance policy usually doesn’t include flood insurance coverage.

Can South Carolina college students get renters insurance?

If you're attending a college or university in South Carolina, you may be renting an apartment located off-campus. There are a few things for college students renting housing in South Carolina to consider to protect their personal belongings.

Typically, college students who live in dorms located on the college campus are covered by their parent's homeowners insurance policy. That's usually only the case for students who live on campus, though. College students in South Carolina who rent apartments off-campus should consider a renters insurance policy because their items won't be covered under their parents' policy, and without a renters insurance policy, they won't have any protection.

College students will most likely have roommates in the apartment they rent. It's not advised that students share renters insurance policies with roommates. Rather, each student should have their own renters insurance policy to protect their own belongings.

What are South Carolina's property crime statistics?

Theft and vandalism or malicious mischief are among the 16 perils a standard renters insurance policy protects you from. So, how does crime in South Carolina compare to other states around the country? The FBI published the following statistics on crime in South Carolina for 2016:

• Property crime - 160,928
• Burglary - 32,976
• Larceny theft - 114,032

When compared to the national average rate per 100,000 inhabitants, all three crime statistics for South Carolina rank above the national average. It is important to make sure that you are always covered. Ask your local insurance agent if your renter's policy covers additional protection like a burglar alarm. This will not only help keep you safe but also help with peace of mind, knowing that you are protected. Plus, since crime rates can sometimes affect what you pay, common discounts can sometimes be granted for a renter protecting their property against theft.

How can you save money on your renters insurance in South Carolina?

While renters insurance may be more affordable than other types of insurance, no one wants to pay more than they have to. So what are the different ways that you can lower your South Carolina renters insurance premium and have some extra spending money?

Here are the top 5 ways to save on your renters insurance:

• Raise your deductible
• Ask about potential discounts
• Bundle your policies
• Determine the value of your personal property
• Pay in full by check

The most common would be talking to an agent about any discounts that you're eligible for, but just as you are able to do with auto insurance, you can pay in different ways that may cut down your overall cost.

How does Clearsurance rate and rank the best renters insurance companies in South Carolina?

Consistent with its mission towards greater transparency, Clearsurance does not keep its rating and ranking formulas in a black box. Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our independent community of insurance customers, including:

• Price
• Customer Service
• Claim service
• Likelihood to renew

The algorithm also takes into account the percentage of what customers say the company does well vs. the percentage of what customers say the company could do better.

The Clearsurance customer ratings and rankings are derived entirely from customer reviews and ratings.

Do you need a renters insurance guide?

As we mentioned above, there are common misconceptions regarding what is and isn't covered by a renters insurance policy. Before you purchase a policy from one of these best renters insurance companies in South Carolina, it's important to understand what your policy covers. For example, did you know that many renters insurance policies include liability protection in the event a non-resident is injured on the property? Plus, if your apartment becomes uninhabitable from an incident, some policies may cover your expenses as you find temporary housing in SC.

It is important to know all that you can before taking out a renters insurance policy. Learn about the insurance company and the protection that their policies offer before making a final decision. Know and understand your policy limits and ask about what additional coverages you can add to your protection.

While we all want the most affordable renters insurance, it is important not to sacrifice the quality of your protection just to save some money. Talk to a local insurance agent about what insurance company is right for you, and what types of coverage they offer. Don't forget to ask whether or not liability coverage is included, and find out what your limits are on your personal property coverage too.

We want to make sure you’re equipped with a proper knowledge of renters insurance, so check out our renters insurance guide. Looking for more educational information about renters insurance? Check out our renters insurance blog for more information and topics related to renters insurance.

Don't forget about our comparison tool, which will help you to compare quotes from various companies.