Cheapest Car Insurance in North Carolina

To help you find the cheapest average cost car insurance for North Carolina drivers, we’ve combed through the data from insurers who operate in the state. Auto insurers look at age, gender, marital status, credit score, ZIP code, driving history, number of accidents, and type of vehicle (year, model, and make) when putting together policies for North Carolina residents.

Gender

• Males: Farm Bureau, $864
• Females: Erie, $792

Marital Status

• Single: Nationwide, $600
• Married: Erie, $792

Coverage

• Full coverage car insurance: Erie, $792
• Minimum coverage car insurance: Erie, $312

Driving Record

• Clean driving record: Erie, $792
• Speeding ticket: Farm Bureau, $1,152
• At-fault accident: Erie, $864
• DUI: Nationwide, $2,016

Credit

• Excellent: Erie, $978
• Poor: Erie, $1,152

Age

• Teens: Erie, $1,632
• 20s: North Carolina Farm Bureau, $1,079
• 30s: North Carolina Farm Bureau, $991
• 40s: Erie, $978
• 50s: North Carolina Farm Bureau, $894
• 60s: North Carolina Farm Bureau, $894
• 70s: North Carolina Farm Bureau, $1,001

Military

• Current military personnel: USAA, $1,644
• Veterans: USAA, $1,644

Check out the best car insurance companies in North Carolina:

• State Farm
• USAA
• Direct
• Allstate

1. Check with the insurer for discounts. Typical auto insurance discounts include policy bundling, good student, safe driver, and multi-vehicle. Additionally, some insurers offer discounts that last for several years to policyholders who successfully complete defensive driving courses. However, court-ordered driving classes are not eligible for discounts, typically.
2. Drive vehicles with safety features. Many auto insurance companies will give lower rates for vehicles with safety features such as daytime running lights, anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes, collision warning and intervention systems, backup cameras, and adaptive cruise control.¹
3. Sign up for usage-based insurance. Usage-based insurance bases your premium on the amount of miles you drive annually. So, if you work from home, carpool, or have a short commute, you could save. Also, look into the option of a mobile app or monitoring device to record your driving habits such as distance, acceleration, speed, and braking. Safe driving could translate into savings.
4. Purchase a newer car. If your vehicle is within the past three model years, you could save on your auto insurance.
5. Maintain a clean driving record. One of the easiest ways to a lower premium is a good driving history, free from accidents and driving infractions. The state created the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP) to provide you with a financial incentive to develop safe driving habits. The SDIP assigns points for convictions and at-fault accidents that happen during the experience period, a three-year time frame preceding the date you apply for insurance coverage, or when your current policy renews.² The following chart outlines some of the common incidents that would net you points on your driving record and rate increases. Avoid these incidents to keep your rates low.

Every vehicle registered in North Carolina must have continuous liability insurance from a company licensed to do business in the state. North Carolina has the following minimum requirements:

• Bodily injury liability per person: $20,000
• Bodily injury liability per accident: $40,000
• Property damage liability coverage per accident: $60,000
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: 
  • Bodily injury liability per person: $30,000
  • Bodily injury liability per accident: $60,000
  • Property damage liability per accident: $25,000³

If you want the lowest rates, get minimum coverage. However, we don’t recommend sacrificing coverage to get cheap car insurance.

These amounts may not cover you fully in the event of an accident, which is why we suggest drivers carry a minimum of 100/300/100:

• $100,000 for each person of bodily injury coverage
• $300,000 for each accident of bodily injury coverage
• $100,000 for overall property damage coverage

In addition, we recommend adding the following coverages to protect you in the event of an accident:

• Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage will provide reimbursement for replacements or repairs because of incidents like vandalism; theft; weather damage from tree limbs, fire, hail, or flooding; and hitting a deer (North Carolina is considered a high-risk state for deer collisions).⁴
• Collision: Collision coverage relates to car damage because of accidents with other vehicles.
• Medical payments: Medical payments coverage provides payment for your and your passengers’ medical expenses due to an accident.
• Gap insurance: You need gap insurance for vehicles with loans or leases because it will pay the remainder of what you owe if your vehicle is totaled.

North Carolina Reinsurance Facility

North Carolina provides alternative car insurance for residents unable to secure coverage through market-based auto insurance companies. Since 1973, the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility (NCRF) offers auto liability insurance to state residents. Contact the NCRF for more information on how to sign up for auto insurance.

• Address: 
  • 2910 Sumner Blvd.
    Raleigh, NC 27616
• Phone: 919-783-9790⁵

>> Related: What is Reinsurance?

For information on everything from vehicle registrations to driver’s licenses, contact the Division of Motor Vehicles, which has more than 100 offices throughout the state:

• Mail: 
  • 3101 Mail Service Center
    1515 N.Church St.
    Rocky Mount, NC 27804​
• Phone: 919-715-7000, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Online messaging: https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/contact/Pages/default.aspx

Living in the Tar Heel State, you’ll enjoy some of the least expensive options for car insurance. By personalizing your policy, you’ll have even more ways to lower your premium and still get the coverage you need. Take a close look at your insurance options, such as private companies or the NCRF. Read more about North Carolina car insurance in our frequently asked questions below.