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Edited by Jackie Cohen | Reviewed by licensed insurance agent, Stephen DeFord
Last Updated June 15, 2022
Some of the cheapest car insurance providers in North Carolina are Progressive, Nationwide, and Liberty Mutual.
North Carolina sees some of the cheapest car insurance in the country. Another reason to adore the Tar Heel State. Here’s your guide to finding yourself cheapest car insurance quotes that meet your coverage needs.
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The average cost of car insurance in North Carolina is $131 per month. However, keep in mind that what you pay for car insurance will depend on your age, gender, driving record, credit score, and other factors in your unique driving profile.
First things first: who has the absolute cheapest North Carolina car insurance quotes? These insurance providers are bidding lowest. You can always adjust your rates by opting for a higher deductible, and by improving your credit score and keeping a clean driving record, you’ll always get the cheapest rates that an insurance company has to offer.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $92 |
| State Auto | $110 |
| National General | $113 |
| Dairyland | $126 |
| Nationwide | $140 |
| Travelers | $143 |
| Liberty Mutual | $202 |
| Direct Auto | $65 |
| Safeco | $160 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $111 |
| Kemper Preferred | $122 |
See More: Car Insurance Quotes
Liability insurance is cheap. It covers bodily injury liability in case you send someone to the hospital and property damage liability in the event that you damage someone’s car or other property in an at-fault accident. Keep in mind that minimum coverage does not help you pay for repairs for your car in a crash. For that, you’ll need full-coverage car insurance.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $56 |
| State Auto | $61 |
| Dairyland | $72 |
| National General | $78 |
| Travelers | $84 |
| Nationwide | $120 |
| Liberty Mutual | $124 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $56 |
| Direct Auto | $65 |
| Kemper Preferred | $69 |
| Safeco | $93 |
Full-coverage car insurance is a step above minimum coverage that also protects your car—and not just the other driver’s, as with liability coverage. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car in the event of theft, vandalism, or weather events, and collision coverage is property damage liability for your car, regardless of fault or what you hit.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $110 |
| State Auto | $122 |
| National General | $127 |
| Nationwide | $142 |
| Travelers | $154 |
| Dairyland | $186 |
| Liberty Mutual | $239 |
| Direct Auto | $65 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $123 |
| Kemper Preferred | $126 |
| Safeco | $171 |
But when discussing your auto insurance options, the cheapest rates are only a part of the picture. The companies in this table are also rated on their financial stability and customer service, and that helps you better judge whether to make the commitment and buy an insurance policy. You have to balance the best car insurance companies with the cheapest quotes.
| Car Insurance Company | ICS | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | 89 | $140 |
| Safeco | 86 | $160 |
| Liberty Mutual | 82 | $202 |
| Travelers | 80 | $143 |
| State Auto | 76 | $110 |
| National General | 58 | $113 |
See More: Best Car Insurance Companies
The Insurify Composite Score is a proprietary rating calculated by a team of data scientists at Insurify, weighing multiple factors that reflect the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company.
Inputs to the score include financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
Of all the factors that determine your car insurance rates, your driving record plays a critical role. High-risk drivers tend to have an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, DUI, or some other violation on their driving record that indicates that they’ll make a claim on their auto insurance policy in the future. On the other hand, good drivers tend to maintain clean driving records.
See More: High-Risk Car Insurance North Carolina
Auto insurance companies love good drivers who have a clean driving record over the past five years—no at-fault accidents, DUIs, speeding tickets, or other blemishes that can get you labeled a high-risk driver. Some of the best car insurance companies out there hand out their cheapest car insurance policies to good drivers. Check out these quotes:
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $90 |
| National General | $99 |
| State Auto | $110 |
| Dairyland | $123 |
| Travelers | $133 |
| Nationwide | $133 |
| Liberty Mutual | $185 |
| Direct Auto | $58 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $99 |
| Kemper Preferred | $122 |
| Safeco | $145 |
In addition to being a serious legal charge, a DUI will also cause a significant increase in your insurance rates. But North Carolina has a handful of great insurance providers that will still offer you an affordable car insurance policy even with a DUI on your driving record. Here are a few:
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $115 |
| Nationwide | $121 |
| Dairyland | $127 |
| National General | $137 |
| Liberty Mutual | $201 |
| Travelers | $263 |
| Safeco | $329 |
| Direct Auto | $88 |
| Kemper Preferred | $111 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $124 |
If you get a DUI or are charged with reckless driving or some serious violation, your car insurance rates will go up, but North Carolina doesn’t have any SR-22 insurance requirements. Still, you’ll be considered high-risk by car insurance companies. So use this list to get started finding affordable car insurance with a not-so-great driving record.
If you’ve recently been in an at-fault accident, insurance providers might charge you a bit extra for the same insurance policy. But the car insurance companies in this table have affordable car insurance for drivers with at-fault accidents, so start here when you begin your search.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $93 |
| State Auto | $113 |
| Dairyland | $136 |
| National General | $138 |
| Nationwide | $153 |
| Travelers | $157 |
| Liberty Mutual | $256 |
| Direct Auto | $82 |
| Kemper Preferred | $121 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $137 |
| Safeco | $186 |
It stinks getting pulled over. Speeding tickets will inflate car insurance rates—but by how much is up to you. These insurance companies provide the most attractive quotes to North Carolina drivers with speeding tickets.
| Car Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $96 |
| State Auto | $99 |
| Dairyland | $136 |
| National General | $152 |
| Nationwide | $159 |
| Travelers | $170 |
| Direct Auto | $94 |
| Kemper Preferred | $124 |
| Midvale Home & Auto | $130 |
Having a good credit score is a great way to make sure you’re getting the cheapest rates on offer from a given car insurance company. Teen drivers can’t take advantage of their credit score for low rates until they are 18-year-olds, but it pays to start early.
| Credit Tier | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Excellent | $119 |
| Good | $127 |
| Average | $148 |
| Poor | $184 |
See More: Bad Credit Car Insurance North Carolina
It’s always nice to see average rates on auto insurance dip below $100 per month. And by their 70s, that’s exactly what North Carolina drivers can look forward to. Even though teen drivers pay high car insurance rates relative to the state average of North Carolina, teen drivers and young drivers in North Carolina have it easy compared to the national average.
| Age Group | Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|
| Teenagers | $224 |
| Under 25 | $193 |
| 20s | $164 |
| 30s | $124 |
| 40s | $133 |
| 50s | $121 |
| 60s | $101 |
| 70s | $97 |
| 80+ | $92 |
North Carolina drivers pay different auto insurance rates depending on a variety of factors, but location can be very influential. The average cost of auto insurance in Charlotte is higher than anywhere else in the state because crowded highways and long commutes make car accidents more likely than in the backwoods.
| City | Average Monthly Quote |
|---|---|
| Charlotte | $155 |
| Raleigh | $130 |
| Greensboro | $132 |
| Fayetteville | $167 |
| Durham | $129 |
| Winston Salem | $118 |
| Wilmington | $120 |
| Gastonia | $140 |
| Concord | $141 |
| Jacksonville | $151 |
| Cary | $113 |
| High Point | $126 |
| Greenville | $137 |
| Asheville | $104 |
Every state has minimum insurance requirements, and North Carolina is no exception. Additionally, all drivers in North Carolina will have to visit their local DMV and may at some point need to rely on public transportation. The following sections break down minimum insurance requirements, DMV services, and public transit options in North Carolina.
All motor vehicles operated or parked on North Carolina roadways are required to be insured. Proof of insurance must be carried in your car at all times and must be available when:
The minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in North Carolina[1] are:
As a major part of your liability insurance, bodily injury coverage covers medical bills for people other than the policyholder who are injured during an accident. North Carolina is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who is responsible for the collision is also responsible for paying for any resulting expenses, either through their car insurance provider or out of pocket.
If it’s determined that an insured driver is at fault for an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to the property of the other involved parties. Additionally, property damage coverage can cover legal costs if the insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following the accident.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays for costs caused by a driver with little or no insurance after a car accident. In North Carolina, drivers are required to cover bodily injury and property damage with this coverage.
The North Carolina DMV is a critical resource for North Carolina drivers from the mountains to the coast. Register your car or transfer your title, get license plates, change your address, or apply for or renew your driver’s license. There are dozens of offices throughout the state, and lots of services are available online.
North Carolina drivers don’t have to rely solely on their cars to get around. An intercity bus service supported by the state shuttles among different regions, including to South Carolina and Virginia. And 15 North Carolina cities have dedicated bus services within the city limits, with other county services providing rural transportation.
When you’re shopping for North Carolina auto insurance, you’re in a good position to get a great deal. But why not gun for something even better? With a cheap car insurance policy, you can go beyond minimum coverage and get a serious auto insurance policy with the true protection and peace of mind you deserve.
But how? The key to getting the best rates is searching far and wide for the car insurance companies that match your driving history and the coverage options you are looking for. That’s why Insurify is so awesome. It gives you a fast, free, personalized list of auto insurance quotes from the best car insurance companies in North Carolina. What are you waiting for?
Liability coverage is mandatory for North Carolina drivers. The state minimum is $30,000 for bodily injury liability coverage per person ($60,000 per accident) and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage. Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage is also part of the minimum liability coverage requirements.
A cheap auto insurance policy is always attainable if you are ready to put in the work. First, let Insurify find you free quotes from all the best car insurance companies in the state, and then you can make your selection based on insurance premiums, customer satisfaction, and financial stability of the insurance company selling your auto insurance policy.
North Carolina car insurance costs $131 per month on average. That’s significantly cheaper than the national average. To make sure you get an insurance policy with even cheaper rates, compare auto insurance quotes from as many companies as you can.
Raleigh, Charlotte, and other big cities in North Carolina are expensive places to have an auto insurance policy because accidents are more common. The value of your motor vehicle, your credit score, coverage limits, and whether you are shopping for the state minimum liability insurance or a full-coverage car insurance policy will all determine your auto insurance rates.
Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is not required by North Carolina insurance law as part of minimum coverage. But underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, bodily injury liability, and property damage liability are all mandatory in North Carolina.
While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in North Carolina below:
Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how North Carolina drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across the United States in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.
Most Popular Car in North Carolina
State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank
State with the Moving Violations Rank
State with the Most DUIs Rank
State with the most Suspended Licenses
While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. North Carolina is the #12 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.
Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. North Carolina is the #27 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.
While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. North Carolina is the #28 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.
The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit one or more of the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-run. North Carolina is the #17 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.
Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. North Carolina is the #11 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.
Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. North Carolina is the #27 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.
Having a squeaky-clean driving record is an impressive accomplishment. Some states have consistently safer drivers than others; North Carolina is the #30 state in the country for drivers with a clean record.
As auto manufacturers increasingly turn towards producing greener car models, more and more motorists are embracing hybrids and EV’s. North Carolina drivers rank #23 in hybrid and electric vehicle ownership across all fifty states.
Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.
The car insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify’s database of over 40 million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify’s data science team performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors car insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving record, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.
Insurify’s analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch; J.D. Power ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and customer complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.
With the above insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offer car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to one another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes will vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder’s driver history and their garaging address.
Insurance Writer
Charlie Mitchell is a journalist, researcher, and writer specializing in personal finance subjects. He holds a degree from Middlebury College. His work can be found in Vox, Mother Jones, The New Republic, and other publications. Charlie uses his expertise in home, renters, and auto insurance subjects to help inform people to make better financial decisions. Connect with Charlie on LinkedIn.
