How Much Is Car Insurance in North Carolina? (2026)

How much is car insurance in North Carolina?

The average cost of car insurance in North Carolina is $69 per month, or $826 per year, for a liability-only policy. North Carolina auto insurance costs for a full-coverage policy jump to $115 per month, or $1,374 per year.

North Carolina is among the cheapest states in the country for car insurance. By comparison, South Carolina car insurance costs $160 per month for liability-only coverage and $256 for full coverage. The U.S. monthly averages are also higher, at $98 and $186 per month, respectively.

Coverage Type	Average Monthly Quote	Average Annual Quote
State-minimum coverage	$69	$826
Full coverage	$115	$1,374

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time North Carolina quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

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Minimum car insurance requirements in North Carolina

North Carolina requires car insurance, including bodily injury liability and property damage liability, for all vehicles with a valid North Carolina registration. The state increased its minimum-coverage amounts for each type of liability insurance in July 2025.

Insurers express these revised North Carolina car insurance requirements as 50/100/50. The table below breaks down what these numbers mean.^[1]

Coverage Type	North Carolina Minimum Requirement
Bodily injury liability (one person)	$50,000
Bodily injury liability (two or more people)	$100,000
Property damage liability	$50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage	Equal to bodily injury liability limits

Cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina

The cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for a liability-only policy are Erie and Progressive, with averages of $56 and $61 per month. Liability-only policies are cheaper than full coverage because they only offer enough coverage to meet state-minimum requirements.

These rates are among the lowest in the country. In the Tar Heel State, the North Carolina Department of Insurance and the insurance commissioner review and can reject rate increases proposed by private insurers. Commissioner Mike Causey has done so in recent years, keeping premiums down.

The table below shows the cheapest liability-only insurance in North Carolina.

The below rates in North Carolina are estimated rates current as of: Thursday, July 9 at 5:00 PM PDT. 

Insurance Company	Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only
Erie	$56
Progressive	$61
GEICO	$64
Direct Auto	$65
National General	$65
Liberty Mutual	$66
Safeco	$68
Travelers	$70
Dairyland	$75
Allstate	$76
State Farm	$92

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time North Carolina car insurance quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual car insurance quotes in North Carolina may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by city

The cheapest cities for North Carolina auto insurance are Chapel Hill, Morrisville, and Asheville. These cities are farther inland and less exposed to coastal storms, and, excluding Asheville, experience little tourist traffic.

Despite being a popular destination, Asheville has a low population density of roughly 2,080 people per square mile, according to U.S. census data. This reduces the number of vehicles on the road.

The most expensive city for car insurance in North Carolina is Charlotte, which is also the largest city in the state and the 14th largest in the country. NC Vision Zero, a statewide initiative to eliminate roadway deaths, reports that Charlotte averages 82 vehicle crashes per day. 

Charlotte also has a high commute time. Census data shows that drivers spend an average of 24.7 minutes commuting one way.

The below rates in North Carolina are estimated rates current as of: Tuesday, August 4 at 5:00 PM PDT. 

City	Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only	Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage
Chapel Hill	$54	$100
Asheville	$55	$97
Burlington	$58	$103
Morrisville	$58	$95
Cary	$60	$103
Durham	$64	$113
Mooresville	$64	$100
Rocky Mount	$65	$103
Hickory	$66	$113
Jacksonville	$67	$103
Wilmington	$67	$101
Goldsboro	$68	$121
Raleigh	$68	$115
Greensboro	$70	$117
Wilson	$72	$126
High Point	$73	$122
Concord	$74	$127
Kannapolis	$74	$116
Matthews	$74	$126
Greenville	$75	$128
Fayetteville	$81	$127
Charlotte	$82	$135
Gastonia	$82	$127

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time North Carolina car insurance quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual car insurance quotes in North Carolina may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by age

Age affects your car insurance rates in North Carolina.

Teen drivers typically pay the highest rates because they’re the least experienced. In North Carolina, the average cost of liability-only insurance for teens is $124 per month. For full coverage, it’s $207.

Premiums tend to drop as you age, with senior drivers often getting the lowest rates. The average rate of liability-only car insurance for North Carolina drivers in their 60s is $60.

Age	Average Monthly Liability-Only Quote	Average Monthly Full-Coverage Quote
Teens	$124	$207
Adults (40s)	$71	$119
Seniors	$60	$100

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time North Carolina quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

How your driving record affects car insurance rates in North Carolina

North Carolina drivers with clean driving records typically get the lowest car insurance rates. Speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and driving while impaired (DWI) convictions can all raise rates.

Despite having some of the lowest rates in the country, North Carolina has one of the highest rates of drivers with accidents. North Carolina is ranked No. 4 in the country, with 5.80% of drivers reporting an accident, per Insurify data.

The table below shows average rates for North Carolina drivers with a clean record versus high-risk drivers with tickets, accidents, and DWIs.

Driving Record	Average Monthly Quote in NC	% Increase Compared to Clean Driving Record
Clean driving record	$92	N/A
With speeding ticket	$121	32%
With accident	$129	40%
With DWI	$250	172%

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time North Carolina quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

What affects car insurance rates in North Carolina?

Several factors affect average auto insurance rates in North Carolina.

• The Rate Bureau: North Carolina has a unique process for setting insurance rates.^[2] The North Carolina Rate Bureau — which represents insurers — must request rate changes, but the insurance commissioner reviews their justification before approving, modifying, or denying them.

• Less congestion and fewer claims: North Carolina’s major metro areas experience less traffic congestion than many comparable U.S. cities, according to the 2025 Urban Mobility Report. This means fewer cars on the road and fewer chances of collisions.

• Fewer accidents and milder claims: Overall, North Carolina drivers get into fewer accidents, have milder injury claims, and have less litigation related to accidents, according to the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

• Hurricanes: Tropical storms and hurricanes pose flood, hail, and wind risks throughout the state. This could increase comprehensive coverage costs, especially in coastal areas.^[3]

• Vehicle theft: North Carolina is ranked No. 16 in the country for vehicle thefts per 100,000 people, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). If your North Carolina ZIP code has a high theft rate, your premium could be higher.

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How North Carolina car insurance rates have changed over the past five years

On the national level, car insurance rates have seen a sharp increase in the last five years, though they dropped nominally in 2025. Insurify predicts North Carolina rates will increase by 1.3% year over year by the end of 2026.

Rate increases have been slower in North Carolina than in other states, in part due to the state’s unique rate-setting process. In 2023, the Rate Bureau requested a 28.4% rate increase. The commissioner ultimately approved a 4.5% increase in 2023 and another 4.5% in 2024.

In 2025, the commissioner approved a 5% increase. This was 17.6 percentage points lower than what the Rate Bureau requested.

How to lower car insurance costs in North Carolina

To save money on car insurance in North Carolina:

• Research regional insurers. You aren’t limited to big names like GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, and State Farm. In North Carolina, consider local or regional insurers such as the North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Group, Discovery Insurance, and Erie. You may be able to speak with a local agent about more affordable coverage.

• Drive safely. The North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan rewards you for good driving — or, rather, penalizes you for unsafe driving.^[4] You’ll earn insurance points if you’re at fault in an accident or convicted of a vehicle-related crime. These points enable insurers to raise your rates.

• Ask about discounts. Many companies offer auto insurance discounts for bundling your policy with homeowners insurance or renters insurance. You may also receive loyalty discounts, safe driving discounts, and even discounts for paperless billing.

• Choose a higher deductible. Raising your comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles can lower your monthly car insurance premiums. Just make sure you have enough savings to cover a claim.

• Review your policy every renewal. Because North Carolina’s insurance rates are reviewed through the Rate Bureau process, insurers may periodically adjust prices. Always get free quotes from multiple insurers to compare against your current policy at renewal.

North Carolina average car insurance costs FAQ