Renters insurance in South Carolina: what it costs, whether you need it, and what it covers

How much is renters insurance in South Carolina?

The average renters insurance policy in South Carolina costs about $21 a month, or $252 a year, according to ValuePenguin, Best Cheap Renters Insurance in South Carolina (June 2026). The cheapest large insurers in South Carolina average $15–$17 a month; the most expensive run about $28. Upstate cities like Greer and Simpsonville are cheapest (about $19), the coast and Hilton Head most expensive (up to $28).

For a like-for-like comparison with other states, ValuePenguin's 50-state rate study (updated September 2026) puts South Carolina at $20 a month against a national average of $23, which makes it cheaper than most states. Different studies assume different coverage amounts, so treat any single average as a guide, not a quote.

Your own price depends on five things: how much personal property you insure (most renters choose $15,000–$30,000), your liability limit (usually $100,000), your deductible ($500 is common), your ZIP code, and your claims history. Raising the deductible from $500 to $1,000 is the quickest way to lower the premium.

See the national cost guide for how each factor changes the price, and the coverage calculator to size your policy.

Is renters insurance required in South Carolina?

No. No South Carolina law requires renters insurance. South Carolina has no law requiring tenants to carry renters insurance. A landlord or rental company can require a policy before you move in, and many large apartment communities in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville do. (Source: Progressive, South Carolina Renters Insurance.)

If your lease requires a policy, it usually asks for a liability limit (often $100,000) and for the landlord or property manager to be listed as an "interested party," so they are notified if the policy lapses. Read more in can a landlord require renters insurance?

What renters insurance covers in South Carolina

A standard renters policy (an HO-4) has three parts everywhere in the US: personal property (your belongings), personal liability (if you injure someone or damage their property), and loss of use (hotel and meal costs if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered event). What changes from state to state is which disasters you are likely to face, and whether the standard policy covers them.

• ✓Hurricane wind. Wind damage from Atlantic hurricanes hitting Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head is covered. Coastal policies often carry a separate named-storm deductible, so check the declarations page.
• ✕Storm surge and flooding. Rising water is flood, not wind. Surge on the Charleston peninsula and river flooding after storms like Florence in 2018 are never covered by a renters policy.
• ✓Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Spring storms bring tornadoes, hail and lightning from the Upstate to the Midlands. All three are covered perils.
• ✕Earthquake. The Charleston area sits on the fault that produced the 1886 earthquake and still gets small quakes. Quake damage needs a separate endorsement or policy.
• ✓Theft. Theft is covered at home and, with limits, from your car. Property crime in Columbia, North Charleston and Myrtle Beach is part of why those cities price above the Upstate.
• ✕Flood. No renters policy covers flood, including tidal and surge flooding in Charleston, the Pee Dee and Waccamaw rivers near Conway and Georgetown, and the flash flooding Columbia saw in October 2015. A separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private insurer covers contents.
• ✕Earthquake. Charleston and the Lowcountry have real earthquake risk from the Middleton Place–Summerville seismic zone, which produced the magnitude 7 quake of 1886. Standard policies exclude earthquake; ask your insurer for an earthquake endorsement if you rent in the Charleston area.

For the full list of what is and isn't covered, see what does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance costs in South Carolina cities

Prices move with local theft rates, weather exposure and building age, so two renters in South Carolina can pay quite different premiums for the same coverage.

City	What to expect
Charleston $22/mo avg	About $22 a month. Hurricane wind is covered, but surge and tidal flooding on the peninsula and in West Ashley need a separate flood policy. (ValuePenguin)
Columbia $23/mo avg	About $23 a month, slightly above the state average. Large student population near USC; off-campus renters usually need their own policy. (ValuePenguin)
North Charleston $25/mo avg	About $25 a month. Higher theft rates and coastal wind exposure push the price above Charleston proper. (ValuePenguin)
Myrtle Beach $25/mo avg	About $25 a month. Hurricane exposure on the Grand Strand; many condo rentals require a policy. (ValuePenguin)
Rock Hill $20/mo avg	About $20 a month, just under the state average, in the Charlotte metro. (ValuePenguin)
Greer $19/mo avg	About $19 a month, among the cheapest in the state along with Simpsonville, Mauldin and Easley in the Upstate. (ValuePenguin)

How to get renters insurance in South Carolina

You can buy a policy online in a few minutes. Lemonade sells renters insurance in South Carolina and quotes directly on its site: you enter your address, choose how much property coverage you want, add any extras (such as higher limits for jewelry or electronics), and the price updates as you go. A policy can start the same day, which matters when a landlord wants proof of insurance before move-in.

Whatever company you choose, compare the same three numbers: the personal property limit, the liability limit and the deductible. A cheaper quote with a $2,000 deductible is not a better deal if you'd struggle to pay it after a loss.

Renting in South Carolina: security deposits and tenant rights

These are South Carolina's statewide rules, checked against the statute and the state's official tenant guide in October 2026. Some cities add their own rules, and your lease can give you more protection but usually not less. Our guides to security deposits, tenant rights and breaking a lease explain how these rules work in practice.

Security deposits in South Carolina

Return deadline	Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, you return possession and you demand it (whichever is later), with a written itemized notice of deductions; give the landlord a forwarding address in writing.
If it is wrongly kept	A landlord who wrongfully withholds any of the deposit can owe three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees.
Law	S.C. Code Ann. § 27-40-410

Tenant rights in South Carolina

Landlord entry	At least 24 hours' notice before entering; no notice is needed in an emergency, for routine scheduled services between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. if your lease says so, or for services you request between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., if the landlord announces entry.
Repairs	Landlord must keep the unit fit and habitable and meet housing codes; you can end the lease if a serious problem isn't fixed within 14 days of written notice, but can't repair and deduct unless the landlord agrees.
Retaliation	Landlord may not raise rent above market value, cut essential services or seek eviction because you complained to a code agency or to the landlord about a violation; this doesn't apply if you materially breached the lease or caused the code violation.
Law	South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, S.C. Code Ann. §§ 27-40-10 et seq. (§§ 27-40-440, 27-40-530, 27-40-610, 27-40-630, 27-40-910)

Official guide: Rights and Duties of Tenants (South Carolina Bar).

Laws change and vary by city. This is general information, not legal advice.

Tips for South Carolina renters

1. On the coast, check for a named-storm or hurricane deductible before you buy. It is often a separate, higher amount that applies only to hurricane wind claims.
2. If you rent anywhere in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Beaufort or the Grand Strand, add contents-only NFIP flood coverage. The renters policy pays for wind, not for water that comes in.
3. Prices vary by about $13 a month between the cheapest and most expensive insurers in South Carolina. Get at least three quotes, and ask about a bundle discount with your auto policy.
4. Many apartment leases in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville require $100,000 of liability and name the landlord as an interested party. Add the management company to the policy when you buy so proof reaches them automatically.
5. In the Charleston area, ask about an earthquake endorsement. It is cheap for a renter and the standard policy excludes quake damage entirely.