Best Landlord Insurance Companies in South Carolina (2026): Ratings, Market Share and Coverage

Last verified October 12, 2026 · Insurance 8020 is not a licensed insurance producer, broker or agent, does not sell policies and is not affiliated with any insurer named below.

The best landlord insurance in South Carolina comes from carriers that write a true landlord or rental-dwelling form, hold strong AM Best ratings, and already write a large South Carolina homeowners book. We ranked four national carriers with verified landlord product pages we could fetch on October 12, 2026, then layered in South Carolina Department of Insurance (SC DOI) 2024 homeowners company market share, NAIC 2025 group homeowners market share and dated AM Best financial strength ratings. We do not rank on price, because neither SC DOI nor the NAIC publishes a South Carolina landlord premium average.

Key Takeaways

• State Farm leads on South Carolina property scale - State Farm Fire and Casualty wrote 21.42% of 2024 South Carolina homeowners multiple-peril premium in SC DOI’s company table, and State Farm Group held 20.21% of 2025 group premium. State Farm sells a documented Rental Dwelling policy with dwelling, personal property, loss of rents and liability.
• Allstate is a top-three South Carolina homeowners group with a landlord package - Allstate Insurance Group held 8.43% of 2025 South Carolina homeowners premium, and Allstate Vehicle and Property was second among companies in the 2024 SC DOI table. Allstate publishes a landlord and hosts page that lists fair rental income among standard coverages.
• Travelers holds the top AM Best grade among ranked carriers - AM Best affirmed Travelers’ A++ (Superior) rating on August 21, 2026, Travelers Group wrote 6.08% of 2025 South Carolina homeowners premium, and Travelers publishes a landlord policy for one-to-four unit rentals.
• Liberty Mutual is a top-ten South Carolina homeowners group with a customizable landlord form - Liberty Mutual Group held 3.47% of 2025 South Carolina homeowners premium and lists dwelling, premises liability, wind/hail and fair rental value as standard on its landlord insurance page.
• Coastal rentals often need a separate wind policy - in Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown and Horry counties, the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (SCWHUA) is the residual wind-and-hail market, with 15,337 in-force policies and about $6.73 billion of insured limits at year-end 2025.
• Price alone cannot decide this ranking - the NAIC publishes a South Carolina dwelling fire form average of $564 and an HO-3 average of $1,753 for 2023 data, but neither is an official landlord average.

How we ranked these South Carolina landlord insurance companies

We included only carriers with a working landlord or rental-dwelling product page we could fetch on October 12, 2026, plus a dated AM Best financial strength rating and a material South Carolina homeowners book in SC DOI’s 2024 company report or the NAIC’s 2025 group market-share report. Farmers public landlord URLs returned unavailable pages on October 12, so we did not rank Farmers. USAA ranks second by 2025 group share in South Carolina, but we did not rank USAA here because membership eligibility and a verified public landlord product page were not established for this listicle. J.D. Power property claims scores measure homeowners claims satisfaction, not landlord-specific claims, so we report them separately.

Rank	Carrier	AM Best FSR	2025 SC HO share (NAIC group)	Verified landlord product page
1	State Farm	A+ (Superior)	20.21% (company 21.42% in 2024 SC DOI)	Rental Dwelling
2	Allstate	A+ (Superior)	8.43% (Allstate V&P 5.35% in 2024 SC DOI)	Landlord insurance
3	Travelers	A++ (Superior)	6.08% (Travelers Personal 4.56% in 2024 SC DOI)	Landlord insurance
4	Liberty Mutual	A (Excellent)	3.47%	Landlord insurance

Sources: SC DOI 2024 Homeowners Multiple Peril Premiums; NAIC 2025 Market Share Reports for Property/Casualty Groups, homeowners multiple peril by state by group; Travelers AM Best rating action, Aug 21, 2026; Allstate AM Best affirmation Sept 2, 2026; Liberty Mutual product page rating disclosure; State Farm carrier profile rating A+ (Superior). Product pages accessed October 12, 2026. Travelers ranks above Liberty Mutual on AM Best grade and South Carolina group share.

1. State Farm: largest South Carolina homeowners writer with a rental dwelling form

State Farm is first because it combines the largest South Carolina homeowners book with a clearly documented rental product. In SC DOI’s 2024 company table, State Farm Fire and Casualty wrote about $620.0 million of South Carolina homeowners multiple-peril premium, a 21.42% share of the $2.895 billion statewide total. In the NAIC’s 2025 group report, State Farm Group wrote $708.5 million (20.21%) with a 26.69% loss ratio.

State Farm’s Rental Dwelling page describes coverage for accidental, direct physical loss to the rental dwelling and the landlord’s personal property there, plus:

• Dwelling for covered repairs or reconstruction of the dwelling and other structures on the same property.
• Personal property for covered losses to furniture and other property rented with or used to maintain the property.
• Loss of rents for fair rental value if a covered loss makes the dwelling uninhabitable.
• Liability for covered liability lawsuits against the owner.

State Farm also notes common exclusions such as flood, earthquake, continuous seepage and earth movement. Tenants need their own renters insurance for belongings. See our State Farm carrier profile, then compare quotes for your South Carolina rental.

2. Allstate: top-tier South Carolina book and a detailed landlord package

Allstate ranks second for South Carolina scale and a detailed public landlord package. Allstate Insurance Group held 8.43% of South Carolina homeowners premium in 2025 ($295.8 million written) with a 40.64% loss ratio. Allstate Vehicle and Property was the second-largest single company in SC DOI’s 2024 table at $154.8 million (5.35%). AM Best affirmed Allstate’s A+ (Superior) financial strength rating on September 2, 2026, with a stable outlook.

Allstate’s landlord insurance page says landlords and hosts coverage helps protect against sudden, accidental losses, including fire, wind, hail and other covered perils, plus liability, medical protection and fair rental income if a covered loss makes the unit uninhabitable. Standard coverages listed include:

• Dwelling protection for the rental property and attached structures such as a garage, porch or deck.
• Other structures for stand-alone garages, sheds and similar buildings.
• Liability if you are considered at fault after an accident, damage or loss related to the property.
• Medical protection for reasonable medical expenses if a covered person is injured on the property, regardless of fault.
• Fair rental income for rent you would otherwise lose while the unit is uninhabitable due to a covered loss.

Allstate notes that floods, earthquakes and water backup are typically excluded, and that tenant belongings are not covered. See our Allstate profile.

3. Travelers: top AM Best grade and a 1-to-4 unit landlord policy

Travelers ranks third on financial strength and a clear landlord form. AM Best affirmed the group’s A++ (Superior) financial strength rating on August 21, 2026, with a stable outlook, the highest grade on AM Best’s scale. In South Carolina, Travelers Group wrote 6.08% of 2025 homeowners premium ($213.1 million) with an 11.17% loss ratio, fourth among groups. Travelers Personal Insurance Company was third in SC DOI’s 2024 company table at $132.0 million (4.56%).

Travelers’ landlord insurance page says the policy is generally designed for rental properties with one to four units, including apartments, condominiums and single- or multi-family homes you own or rent to others. Coverages described include:

• Premises liability for bodily injury or property damage arising from use of the rental property, with limits of $100,000 or higher available.
• Medical payments with a $1,000 limit included if liability is purchased (higher limits available), not applying to you or regular residents.
• Property for the rental dwelling, other structures and the landlord’s personal property in the unit.
• Loss of use for fair rental value while the property is repaired after a covered loss.

Travelers does not publish average landlord premiums. Our Travelers review covers AM Best, market share and complaint indexes in more detail. Travelers converted a historical North Carolina landlord lead on this site, which is why we keep its landlord form in the ranking queue for lead states.

4. Liberty Mutual: customizable landlord form among South Carolina’s top ten writers

Liberty Mutual ranks fourth as a top-ten South Carolina homeowners group with an online landlord quote path and an explicitly customizable form. Liberty Mutual Group held 3.47% of South Carolina homeowners multiple-peril premium in 2025 ($121.5 million) with a 20.54% loss ratio. Its landlord insurance page states an AM Best financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and lists standard coverages for dwelling, premises liability, wind/hail and fair rental value, with inflation protection as an add-on.

Liberty Mutual says landlord insurance helps cover the structure and property used for maintenance, and that bundling landlord with home insurance may reduce cost where discounts apply. Availability and discounts vary by state. Our Liberty Mutual profile summarizes the broader book.

How South Carolina property claims satisfaction compares (J.D. Power 2026)

Landlord claims ride on the same property claims machinery as homeowners claims. J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study, based on 5,093 homeowners who filed a claim in the prior nine months, put overall industry satisfaction at 702 on a 1,000-point scale.

Rank in study	Company	Score
Highest	Amica	773
Second	The Hartford	756
Third	Chubb	744
Industry	Overall	702

We did not move Amica, The Hartford or Chubb into the South Carolina landlord product ranking above because we could not verify a current public landlord product landing page for them on October 12, 2026, or because their South Carolina homeowners share is modest relative to the four carriers above. Profiles: Amica, The Hartford, Chubb.

What South Carolina landlords should ask about wind, hail and SCWHUA

Coastal South Carolina rentals often split wind from the rest of the property package. SC DOI’s 2025 Coastal Property Report describes SCWHUA as the residual market for wind and hail in the Beach and expanded territories across Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Georgetown and Horry counties. At year-end 2025 SCWHUA had 15,337 in-force policies, $57.1 million of in-force premium and about $6.73 billion of insured limits. Policy count fell by 994 in 2025 (about 6%), and the book is down 67.6% from the August 2011 peak of 47,366 policies.

SCWHUA is wind-and-hail only. Consumers typically keep a separate voluntary policy for fire, liability and other perils. SC DOI approved a 7.5% SCWHUA dwelling rate increase effective February 1, 2026. Ask every landlord quote whether wind is bundled, excluded, or placed with SCWHUA before you compare premiums.

What a landlord policy should cover

Across the verified pages above, the core package is consistent even when labels differ:

• Dwelling / building for the rental structure.
• Other structures for detached sheds and garages.
• Landlord personal property for appliances and furnishings you own at the rental (not the tenant’s belongings).
• Liability and medical payments for injuries and lawsuits tied to the premises.
• Fair rental value / loss of rents / fair rental income while a covered loss keeps the unit offline.

Flood and earthquake almost always need separate policies. For cost drivers and why no official South Carolina landlord average exists, see our South Carolina landlord insurance cost guide, the Colorado landlord insurance cost guide, best landlord insurance companies in Colorado and best landlord insurance companies in Washington and best landlord insurance companies in Arkansas, the national landlord insurance cost guide and best landlord insurance companies. City pages for Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and North Charleston link related landlord guides automatically when tagged. To add liability above your landlord limits, compare the best umbrella insurance companies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which landlord insurance company is best in South Carolina?

For small landlords who want a verified rental product from a large South Carolina property writer, State Farm ranks first on this page because of its 21.42% 2024 company share, 20.21% 2025 group share and documented Rental Dwelling coverages. Travelers is the strongest on AM Best’s scale at A++. Your best carrier is the one that will insure your property at the limits you need, so request quotes for the same dwelling limit and liability limit.

Does homeowners insurance cover a South Carolina rental property?

Usually not for a full-time rental. State Farm, Allstate, Travelers and Liberty Mutual each describe landlord or rental-dwelling forms separate from an owner-occupied homeowners policy. Ask for a landlord quote rather than assuming your old HO-3 carries over once tenants move in.

Is there an average landlord insurance cost in South Carolina?

No official statewide landlord average is published by SC DOI or the NAIC. The NAIC’s South Carolina dwelling fire form average of $564 is collected for one-family owner-occupied buildings and is not a landlord average. See South Carolina landlord insurance cost for those benchmarks labeled correctly.

Do South Carolina coastal rentals need SCWHUA?

Often, yes for wind. SC DOI says SCWHUA provides wind and hail coverage in the defined coastal territories across five counties when voluntary wind coverage is not available. Confirm whether each landlord quote includes wind, excludes wind, or requires an SCWHUA wind policy.

How do I compare South Carolina landlord quotes fairly?

Hold dwelling limit, liability limit, deductible, wind treatment and loss-of-rent months constant across carriers. Shop State Farm, Allstate, Travelers and Liberty Mutual side by side through our quote form, and check city pages for Charleston and Columbia for local context.

How we verified this page

South Carolina company market share comes from SC DOI’s 2024 Homeowners Multiple Peril Premiums report, and group shares come from the NAIC 2025 P&C market share report, both fetched October 12, 2026. Residual-market figures come from SC DOI’s 2025 Coastal Property Report. AM Best grades come from dated rating actions or carrier/product disclosures cited above. Landlord coverage lists summarize the carriers’ public product pages on the same date. We did not use competitor comparison sites or unpublished premium averages. See our methodology.

Important disclosures

Averages are not quotes. Official averages blend many policies, coverage amounts and locations. Your premium depends on your property and the insurer’s underwriting.

Coverage descriptions summarize public pages and are not policy contracts. Availability varies by ZIP code and underwriting.

About Insurance 8020. Insurance 8020 is an independent insurance comparison and education resource. We are not a licensed insurance producer, broker or agent, and nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy any specific policy. We may earn a referral fee when you request a quote through our partners, at no cost to you.