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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years in content creation and marketing
As Insurify’s home and pet insurance editor, Danny also specializes in auto insurance. His goal is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance buying.
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Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
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Table of contents
The cheapest car insurance you can get with a DWI (driving while intoxicated) conviction in North Carolina is $71 per month. Car insurance companies take DWIs and DUIs seriously, and you can expect your insurance rate to increase. In some cases, your insurance company may even refuse to renew your policy.
But you can still secure affordable car insurance with a DWI if you take the time to compare quotes.
Nationwide offers the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina for drivers with a DWI.
If you refuse an alcohol test in North Carolina, you’ll lose your license for one year.[1]
The average cost of car insurance with a DWI in North Carolina is $136 per month.
Cheapest car insurance quotes after a DWI in North Carolina
For North Carolina drivers with a DWI, Nationwide has the cheapest car insurance rates, on average, but it might not be your best option. While you may not necessarily be able to find “cheap” rates, the table below shows some of the lowest quotes after a DWI, according to Insurify data.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
---|---|
Erie | $71 |
Nationwide | $71 |
Travelers | $90 |
Allstate | $97 |
Progressive | $99 |
Direct Auto | $102 |
Dairyland | $105 |
Safeco | $105 |
National General | $109 |
Liberty Mutual | $112 |
State Farm | $117 |
How a DWI affects car insurance rates in North Carolina
A DWI significantly affects your car insurance rates, regardless of your location. Since insurers consider you a high-risk driver, you’ll automatically face a high rate increase from your car insurance company.
Here are the average rates drivers pay in North Carolina with and without a DWI.
With DWI | Without DWI | |
---|---|---|
Average driver | $136 | $76 |
How to get car insurance with a DWI in North Carolina
If you’re caught driving while intoxicated in North Carolina, you’ll need to file a DL-123 form — also known as an SR-22 form — to get car insurance again.[2] The DL-123 (SR-22) form provides proof that you have the minimum insurance coverage required in North Carolina. Ask your current car insurance company to file it for you if it agrees to renew your coverage.
If your current car insurance company won’t file an SR-22 for you, you’ll need to find a high-risk or non-standard insurance company that can insure you and file this form on your behalf. To lower your rates, check for discounts, raise your deductible, or remove comprehensive and collision coverage if your car is paid for.
DWI laws in North Carolina
North Carolina requires drivers with a DWI conviction to carry a DL-123 form (known as an SR-22 form in most other states) after a DWI conviction. This form proves you have the minimum liability car insurance North Carolina requires.
If you’re pulled over for suspected DWI, you can choose to take a test to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC). If your BAC exceeds 0.08%, the state will automatically suspend your license for 30 days. If you refuse to take the test, the state will suspend your license for one year.
The consequences of a DWI conviction in North Carolina are as follows:
1st DWI conviction
License revoked for one year
A fine of up to $4,000 and jail time of up to two years
2nd DWI conviction
License revoked for four years if within three years of your first offense
A fine of up to $4,000 and jail time of up to two years
3rd DWI conviction
Permanent license revocation if one of your first two convictions occurred within the last five years
A fine of up to $10,000 and jail time of up to three years
4th DWI conviction
Permanent license revocation without even limited driving privileges for 10 years
If your three previous convictions occurred within the last 10 years, you could face prison time of up to 59 months
Minimum car insurance requirements in North Carolina
North Carolina requires every driver to carry car insurance.[3] These are the minimum car insurance requirements you’ll need before you get behind the wheel:
$30,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage
$60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage
$25,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage
A DWI can’t be expunged from your record in North Carolina and may increase your car insurance rates for years.[4] How much it affects your rates depends on your car insurance company.
DWI car insurance in North Carolina FAQs
If you’re struggling to find affordable insurance after a DWI, take a look at the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about DWI insurance in North Carolina.
What is the cheapest car insurance company in North Carolina after a DWI?
Nationwide is the cheapest car insurance company, on average, in North Carolina after a DWI.
How long will a DWI affect your car insurance premium?
In North Carolina, a DWI remains on your record permanently. How long it affects your car insurance premium depends on the severity of your DWI conviction. While some insurance companies may be more forgiving, you’ll need to compare quotes to find the best insurer for your needs.
How much is DWI insurance in North Carolina?
DWI insurance in North Carolina costs an average of $136 per month, Insurify data shows.
How long does it take for a DWI to come off your record in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, a DWI remains on your record permanently.
Do you have to tell your insurance you got a DUI?
You’re not legally required to tell your car insurance company that you got a DUI, but it’s a good idea to do so. Insurance companies routinely check your driving record when your policy renews, so if you don’t inform your insurance company, it’ll likely choose not to renew your policy.[5]
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program. "Booze It & Lose It.."
- North Carolina DMV Website. "Proving Liability Insurance."
- North Carolina DMV Website. "Insurance Requirements."
- UNC School of Government. "Relief from a Criminal Conviction (2025 Edition)."
- Experian. "How to Get Car Insurance After a DUI."
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Danny is a Brooklyn-based writer with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance. A former editor at Insurify, he specializes in auto, home, and pet insurance. He works to translate his insurance expertise into digestible, easy-to-understand content for drivers, homeowners, and pet owners alike.
Danny has been a contributor at Insurify since March 2022.
)
Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.