Cheap Car Insurance in North Carolina

CheapInsurance.com has put together expert tips and quote comparisons to help you find affordable car insurance in North Carolina.

North Carolina has been named one of the best states for drivers and it rates third for the most “positive driving experience” in the country.

In North Carolina, drivers tend to spend $132 monthly and $1,584 yearly on auto insurance.

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North Carolina Vehicle Code Changes:

  • Increased penalties for speeding: Expect harsher fines and potential driver’s license suspension for excessive speeding violations. (Source: North Carolina Code Section 63-15-43)
  • Clarification on electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure: State agencies can now partner with private entities to develop EV charging stations. Stay updated through the North Carolina Department of Transportation. (Source: North Carolina Code Section 27-13-33)
  • No major changes to distracted driving laws: Existing prohibition on texting while driving remains in place. (Source: North Carolina Code Section 63-3-1043)

Remember: These are just highlights, and other changes may apply. Visit the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website for complete information. (Source: North Carolina Department of Public Safety)

Average Auto Insurance Rates in North Carolina (2024):

(Sources: The Zebra, ValuePenguin)

Company

Full Coverage

Minimum Coverage

State Farm

$1,446

$392

GEICO

$1,327

$355

Progressive

$1,467

$340

Erie

$1,161

$323

North Carolina Farm Bureau

$1,072

$307

Remember: Individual rates in North Carolina can vary significantly based on driving history, location, vehicle type, and desired coverage. Consider factors like the mandatory 25/50/25 liability coverage limit when comparing options.

Rates vary on an individual basis, depending on:

  • Driving history.
  • Credit history.
  • Marital status.
  • Age.
  • Gender.
  • Vehicle type.
  • Insurance provider.
  • Location within the state.
  • Coverage type.
  • Set deductible.

To help you find the best deals on car insurance in the state, we’ve compared quotes from car insurers in these five North Carolina counties:

  • Mecklenburg County.
  • Wake County.
  • Guilford County.
  • Forsyth County.
  • Cumberland County.

To help you find the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina, we’ve compared quotes from these car insurers:

  • Midvale.
  • Nationwide.
  • Elephant.
  • State Auto.
  • Liberty Mutual.
  • Bristol West.

Because the cost of car insurance is highly dependent on your individual driving profile, we’ve gone a step further and compared the costs of North Carolina auto insurance for these types of drivers:

  • Good drivers (those with a clean driving record).
  • Young drivers (those aged between 16-25).
  • Bad drivers (those with a history of traffic violations).

Is It Legal to Drive without Car Insurance in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, not having car insurance is illegal. If you are caught driving without it, you may face several penalties.

The state may choose to suspend your driver’s license, charge fines ranging from $50 to $150, or require jail time. The penalties are more severe for frequent offenders.

Minimum Liability Insurance in North Carolina

Liability insurance is designed to protect third parties and their property from damage you may cause while driving. It does not cover any damages to your own vehicle.

While each U.S. state will have different minimum liability insurance requirements, it always addresses three key points:

  • Bodily injury coverage per person: This covers medical bills, legal fees, or lost wages you might be required to pay to an individual third party.
  • Bodily injury per accident: This is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out for medical bills, legal fees, or lost wages in the event of an accident, regardless of how many people are injured.
  • Property damage coverage per accident: This is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out for repairs or a replacement if you cause damage to another person’s property.

North Carolina is an “at-fault” or tort-based state: if you are hurt in a car accident you can recover costs from the driver who caused the accident, so from the one found to be “at fault.”.

In North Carolina, all drivers are required to have minimum insurance of:

  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person.
  • $60,000 in bodily insurance per accident.
  • $25,000 in property damage per accident in automobile liability coverage.

Drivers must also have the same minimum amounts for uninsured bodily injury coverage to protect themselves if they are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver.

All drivers in North Carolina have to meet these liability requirements.

If you’re found to be at-fault in a car accident and do not meet the minimum liability insurance requirements, you will be held personally responsible for paying the other party’s medical bills, legal bills, and lost wages.

This basic coverage pays for medical bills, vehicle damage, and other costs of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians who incur losses stemming from a car accident you cause, up to the coverage limits.

You can carry more coverage to protect you in case a serious crash results in significant car accident injuries and vehicle damage.

Remember, once your policy limits are exhausted, you are personally responsible for covering any outstanding costs.

We have found that on average, the cost of a minimum liability car insurance policy in North Carolina is $168.44.

Midvale offers the cheapest car insurance rates for minimum liability coverage and on average costs $70.00.

Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in North Carolina
ProviderMecklenburg County Wake County Guilford County 

Forsyth

County 

Cumberland County Average
Midvale$69.00$71.00$72.00N/A$68.00$70.00
Nationwide$81.00$82.00$78.00N/A$92.00$83.25
State Auto$106.00$125.00$121.00$205.00$130.00$137.40
Liberty Mutual$159.00$161.00$158.00$244.00$198.00$184.00
Bristol West$391.00N/AN/AN/AN/A$391.00
Elephant$122.00N/AN/A$168.00N/A$145.00

Find Cheap Comprehensive Car Insurance in North Carolina

While a comprehensive car insurance policy is optional in North Carolina, you should consider it unless you have savings that can cover damage to your vehicle in the following scenarios:

  • Theft or theft of parts.
  • Noncrash damage (e.g. natural disasters, fire, flooding).
  • Broken windshield.
  • Car damage from hitting an animal.

Repairing car damage can cost thousands of dollars. Without comprehensive car insurance, you risk finding yourself in a situation where you can’t drive your car because you can’t afford to get it repaired.

To help you find the cheapest comprehensive car insurance in North Carolina, we’ve compared the rates offered by six insurers.

We found that the cheapest comprehensive car insurers in North Carolina are:

  • Midvale with average rates of $71.75.
  • Nationwide with average rates of $83.75.
  • Elephant with average rates of $162.00.
Cheapest Full Coverage Insurance in North Carolina
ProviderMecklenburg County Wake County Guilford County 

Forsyth

County 

Cumberland County Average
Midvale$74.00$72.00$76.00N/A$65.00$71.75
Nationwide$82.00$82.00$78.00N/A$93.00$83.75
Elephant$145.00N/AN/A$179.00N/A$162.00
State Auto$292.00$125.00$121.00$260.00$131.00$185.80
Liberty Mutual$192.00$161.00$158.00$345.00N/A$214.00
Bristol West$431.00N/AN/A$491.00N/A$461.00

Cheap Car Insurance in North Carolina for Drivers with Clean Driving Records

“Good” drivers (drivers with a clean driving record) are in a good position to find cheap car insurance. Car insurance companies consider good drivers to be people who:

  • Have not been the cause of any car accidents.
  • Have no traffic offenses.
  • Have a good credit score.
  • Have no speeding tickets.
  • Have no reckless driving charges.
  • Have no DUI convictions.

To save you more money, many car insurance companies also offer a good driver discount on your car insurance rates.

Some car insurance companies will offer an additional discount if you have completed an accredited defensive driving course.

We looked at the average car insurance rates offered by car insurance companies in North Carolina for good drivers. The three best car insurance companies for good drivers are:

  • Midvale with average rates of $70.75.
  • Nationwide with average rates of $83.75.
  • Elephant with average rates of $156.50.
Cheapest Car Insurance for Good Drivers in North Carolina
ProviderMecklenburg County Wake County Guilford County 

Forsyth

County 

Cumberland County Average
Midvale$70.00$72.00$76.00N/A$65.00$70.75
Nationwide$82.00$82.00$78.00N/A$93.00$83.75
Elephant$138.00N/AN/A$175.00N/A$156.50
Liberty Mutual$174.00$161.00$158.00$292.00N/A$196.25
Allstate$212.00N/AN/AN/AN/A$212.00
State Auto$276.00$125.00$121.00$243.00$131.00$179.20

Cheap Car Insurance in North Carolina for High-Risk Drivers

Car insurance companies use the term ‘high risk’ to describe drivers who are more likely to make a claim against their auto insurance policy.

Some of the offenses that may lead to being considered a high-risk driver, include:

  • Receiving a DUI conviction.
  • Reckless driving.
  • Speeding tickets.
  • Being found at fault in a major accident.
  • Having too many points on your driving record.
  • Driving without meeting the minimum liability coverage requirements.
  • A poor credit score.
  • Unpaid child support payments.
  • Unpaid insurance policy premiums.

If you are a high-risk driver, North Carolina car insurance companies are likely to increase the cost of your insurance.

We’ve done the hard work of comparing quotes from various insurers to help you find the best rate.

  • The cheapest car insurance company for high-risk drivers is Elephant at $204.00
  • The most expensive car insurance company for high-risk drivers is Bristol West at $607.00.
Cheapest Auto Insurance for Bad Drivers in North Carolina
ProviderMecklenburg County Wake County Guilford County 

Forsyth

County 

Cumberland County Average
Elephant$204.00N/AN/AN/AN/A$204.00
Bristol West$607.00N/AN/AN/AN/A$607.00
Allstate$245.00N/AN/AN/AN/A$245.00

Cheapest Car Insurance in North Carolina for Young Drivers

Young drivers are, by default, less experienced than older drivers. Their inexperience poses a higher risk to insurance companies, so their car insurance is often more expensive.

We’ve compared the cost of car insurance for young drivers to help you save on auto insurance costs.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Young Drivers in North Carolina
ProviderMecklenburg County Wake County Guilford County 

Forsyth

County 

Cumberland County Average
Midvale$92.00$97.00$104.00N/A$91.00$96.00
State Auto$125.00$145.00$141.00N/A$152.00$141.00
Liberty Mutual$238.00$243.00$246.00N/A$292.00$255.00
ElephantN/AN/AN/A$227.00N/A$227.00
Mile AutoN/AN/AN/A$225.00N/A$225.00

Assurance

America

N/AN/AN/A$228.00N/A$228.00

Need Cheap Car Insurance in Other States?

Out-of-state insurance is illegal in almost all U.S. states and is considered to be insurance fraud. This means that your car insurance must be registered in the state you live in.

Some of the penalties for committing insurance fraud include:

  • Up to five years in prison.
  • A $50,000 fine.

If you plan to move from North Carolina, you will need to find a new car insurance company in the state you move to.

You will usually have a 90-day grace period to cancel your car insurance and get car insurance in your new state.

To find the best insurance rates in other U.S. states, read our articles below:

Top Tips for Finding Affordable Car Insurance

Take Note of Lender Requirements

If your car is financed or leased, your lender is likely to require that you have liability insurance, comprehensive coverage, and collision insurance.

In fact, most car dealerships won’t let you drive the car off the lot until you can prove you have full coverage car insurance.

Full coverage car insurance protects your lender if you’re in a car accident or your car is stolen and you can no longer afford to meet your monthly payments.

Key Point: Full Coverage Car Insurance

Full coverage car insurance is made up of three different types of car insurance policies:

  • Comprehensive coverage: This type of insurance will compensate you if your car is damaged or totaled due to a non-accident-related event (e.g. fire, flood) or if it’s stolen.
  • Collision coverage: This type of auto insurance will compensate you if your car is totaled or damaged in a car accident.
  • Liability insurance: This type of insurance covers you for damage you may cause to another person’s property or injury/death you may cause while driving.

If you lose your required insurance coverage, your lender could add single-interest insurance to your loan in order to protect themselves.

You should avoid allowing your car insurance to lapse, because single-interest car insurance is much more expensive than standard car insurance.

Key Point: How Can I Lower My Car Insurance Rates for Full Coverage Insurance?

There are a couple of ways that you can ensure cheap auto insurance:

  • Most insurance companies offer a bundling option, which allows you to combine your auto insurance with other products such as home insurance, life insurance, and other car insurance policies you have.
  • Another option is to increase your auto insurance deductible. This is the amount of money you would have to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance will kick in. By increasing your deductible, you are essentially taking on more risk, but you can save significantly on your monthly premium.

Consider How You Use Your Car

If you only drive to get to work, the grocery store, and social events, then most types of standard car insurance will meet your needs.

If, however, you have unique needs, you should check whether your car insurance company covers these requirements.

Unique needs can include:

  • Multiple drivers sharing one car.
  • Using your car for ridesharing.
  • Using your car for deliveries.
  • Wanting to consolidate all of your insurance policies under one provider.

Compare Quotes from Different Car Insurance Companies

Even if you think you’ve found a good deal on car insurance, it’s always a good idea to shop around for a lower rate.

You can do this yourself, but going through an insurance agent can save you time and money.

The only way to be completely certain that you’re getting the best rates on your car insurance is to compare quotes from multiple insurers.

You can do this yourself, but it is time-consuming. You’ll need to phone each car insurance company or fill out an online form for them to give you a quote.

To save time, you can go through a licensed insurance agent or compare quotes from different insurance providers by using our online quote finder.

Top Car Insurance Companies in North Carolina

1) State Auto

Established in 1921, State Auto now has assets amounting to $4.6 billion. They write $2.0 billion in premiums in 33 states.

State Auto offers the following types of coverage:

  • Liability: Covers your liability to others for bodily injury or property damage for which you are legally responsible.
  • Medical payments/personal injury protection: Pays medical bills for you and others, including doctor, hospital, and surgical expenses, without considering negligence.
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorists: Pays for bodily injury resulting from a hit-and-run driver, a driver with no insurance, or a driver who is inadequately insured.
  • Collision: For damage to your auto resulting from an accident.
  • Other than collision: For damage to your auto caused by a range of elements (a.k.a. perils) other than impact with another vehicle or object (examples: theft, vandalism, a hailstorm).

2) Nationwide

Over the last 90 years, Nationwide has grown from a small mutual auto insurer owned by policyholders to one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the world.

Nationwide offers car insurance coverage in 46 states and a portfolio of a variety of standard and add-on insurance options.

They also offer usage-based insurance, also known as pay as you drive. Usage-based insurance is a type of car insurance whereby the costs are dependent upon the type of vehicle used, measured against time, distance, behavior, and place.

Nationwide has an A+ rating from the BBB and AM Best.

3) Bristol West

Founded in 1973, Bristol West’s national footprint makes it one of the top ten biggest insurance companies in the U.S.

They’re a member of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, a $11.6 billion insurance company.

Bristol West was originally created to provide high-risk drivers with affordable insurance policies and has since expanded its services to all types of drivers.

Some of the benefits offered by Bristol West include:

  • Multiple policy bundling discounts.
  • Personalized car insurance policies.
  • Rideshare coverage.
  • Medical payments.
  • Gap coverage.
  • Towing and roadside assistance.
  • Rental car reimbursement.

Car Insurance in North Carolina FAQs

Is North Carolina a no-fault state?

No. North Carolina is an “at-fault” state, meaning that if you are hurt in a car accident you can recover costs from the driver who caused the accident, so from the one found to be “at fault”.

What car insurance is required in North Carolina?

The following coverage is required by the state of North Carolina to legally operate a motor vehicle:
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person.
  • $60,000 in bodily insurance per accident.
  • $25,000 in property damage per accident in automobile liability coverage.

In North Carolina, does insurance cover you if you borrow a car?

In general, when you borrow a car, you “borrow” car insurance, too. That means if someone borrows your car and is the cause of an accident, your policy’s liability coverage will cover them. In other words, if you are involved in an accident while driving someone else’s car, the owner of the car will be held responsible for any financial damages. Your insurance will not cover these expenses. However, if the policy of the person whose car you borrowed does not provide sufficient coverage, the injured party could then proceed against the insurance policy of the actual driver.

Do I need to buy underinsured motorist coverage in North Carolina?

There is no legal requirement in North Carolina to maintain underinsured motorist coverage, but it can prove to be valuable protection. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you if you’re hit by a driver who has no auto insurance, and it also protects you if you’re hit by a driver who doesn’t have enough coverage to pay for the damages or injuries they caused.
Cheap Car Insurance in North Carolina

Minimum North Carolina Car Insurance Coverage

If you drive in North Carolina, you need to be covered under a policy with minimum car insurance coverage. North Carolina requires minimum insurance for bodily injury and property damage liability. Drivers must carry at least the following:

Property damage: $25,000 coverage for a single accident

Bodily injury/death: $30,000 for one person, $60,000 for two or more people

Getting Cheap Car Insurance In North Carolina

If you’re looking for car insurance coverage in North Carolina, getting the best price is a good idea. Here are some tips: 

Shop around: If your car insurance provider isn’t giving you a good rate, shop around. You can get quotes from other companies or save time and use Cheap Insurance to get a free quote within minutes.

Consider a safer vehicle: A vehicle with safety features can give you insurance discounts. If you have airbags, anti-lock brakes, or other features, let your agent know. 

Use your affiliation: Military members and others can save money on car insurance. Many companies offer discounts for firefighters, police officers, and healthcare workers.

North Carolina Car Insurance Discounts

Cheap car insurance in North Carolina is within reach. Ask your agent about these discounts:

Good Driver: Safe driving comes with benefits such as discounts of 10% or more.

Good Student: A student with a “B” average might be able to net a discount of as much as 20%.

Customer Loyalty: Staying with the same car insurance provider can mean savings, such as 10% loyalty discounts.

Defensive Driving Class: A defensive driving or safety class can help you save money on your car insurance premium.

What is the penalty for driving without insurance in North Carolina?

If you are caught driving without insurance in North Carolina, you may have your license and registration suspended for 30 days. You will also face a $50 fine and up to 45 days of probation.

What is driving like in North Carolina?

North Carolina earns its reputation as one of the best states to drive in. While there is often a lot of traffic in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas, congestion is below average in other cities. Safety and access to vehicles rank high in the state.

How can I save money on my car insurance policy in North Carolina?

Getting cheap car insurance in North Carolina is not too difficult if you follow these tips:

  • Maintain good credit. In North Carolina, car insurance providers are allowed to check your credit. Those with good credit will get better rates.
  • Drive safely. The better your driving record, the cheaper your insurance. 
  • Consider your location. Living in the city means higher insurance rates. If you’ve wanted to move, it could mean lower premiums.

Other Types of Coverage

If you’re driving in North Carolina, you need to have at least the minimum insurance. Here are some optional car insurance coverages available in the state:

Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UMC)/Underinsured Motorist coverage (UIM)

Medical Payments Coverage

Physical Damage Coverage.

Additional kinds of coverage 

Endorsements and Riders

  • Towing and road service
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Gap insurance

Cities We Cover In North Carolina

Get a free quote from Cheap Insurance and get cheap car insurance within minutes! We serve the following cities in North Carolina: