North Carolina drivers must legally have both liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage.
Some drivers may want to purchase full coverage to protect against weather risks and cover damage to their own vehicles in an accident.
Full-coverage car insurance averages $114 per month for drivers in North Carolina, according to Insurify data.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina
Progressive has the cheapest average monthly premium for North Carolina drivers, at $87 per month.
See the table below for a list of insurance companies offering the cheapest full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $87 |
| Direct Auto | $88 |
| National General | $89 |
| Erie | $96 |
| Liberty Mutual | $106 |
| GEICO | $110 |
| Safeco | $115 |
| Travelers | $121 |
| Allstate | $131 |
| Dairyland | $157 |
| State Farm | $157 |
How much is full-coverage insurance in North Carolina?
The average North Carolina driver pays $114 per month for full-coverage car insurance, which is significantly less than the national average of $186.
The exact price a driver will pay for full-coverage car insurance depends on many factors, including vehicle type, driving record, age, gender, deductible, and more. Your city and ZIP code also matter. For example, drivers in Winston-Salem might pay more than drivers in Greensboro or Fayetteville.
Find Cheap Full-Coverage Car Insurance
Full coverage in North Carolina averages $114/mo.
How to find cheap full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina
You have many ways to lower the price of your full-coverage car insurance. Here are some strategies to get the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina:
Shop around. Premiums vary widely by insurance company, so get quotes from several insurers or use an online marketplace like Insurify to see several quotes at once.
Choose a higher deductible. The more you have to pay toward a claim before your insurance kicks in, the less your policy will cost you.
Bundle your policies. If you get your car insurance from the same insurer you have your homeowners insurance or renters insurance with, you can bundle your policies. This will often qualify you for a discount.
Search for discounts. For example, if you’re family is among the nearly 13% of North Carolina households that have more than one vehicle, you might qualify for a multi-vehicle discount.
Improve your credit score. Legally, insurers can use credit scores as a factor when pricing your car insurance rates in North Carolina, so a poor credit score can mean higher premiums. Insurers can also use credit scores to offer discounted rates, so the better your score is, the more you stand to save.[1]
Drive safely. Avoiding speeding tickets, driving while impaired (DWI), and other markers of high-risk drivers can help you maintain a clean driving record and keep your premiums low.
Other car insurance discounts are available, too, so ask each insurer you consider about what discounts you might qualify for. Taking a defensive driving course, having good grades, or even having certain security devices in your car could help.
What full-coverage car insurance covers
“Full-coverage” insurance isn’t a specific type of policy. Instead, it’s a combination of different coverages that give you wide-ranging protection for you, your passengers, and your vehicle.
It usually includes:[2]
Liability coverage
Liability insurance covers injuries and property damage to other cars and vehicles if you’re in an accident. Every state except New Hampshire legally requires drivers to carry liability insurance.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance covers damage that occurs to your car from theft, vandalism, fire, hail, and other non-accident events. It also includes windshield repair.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle suffered in an accident. The accident can be due to a collision with another vehicle or even a stationary object.
Medical payments/personal injury protection (PIP)
Medical payments coverage and personal injury protection help cover medical and funeral costs if you or your passengers are hurt in an accident. It can also cover lost wages if the injury keeps you from working.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM)
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays costs if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver or one who doesn’t have enough coverage to foot the full bill of damages.
Comprehensive, collision, and medical payments coverage are all optional. Liability coverage isn’t.
North Carolina has mandated liability insurance requirements. Drivers must have at least:[3]
$50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person: This covers you for up to $50,000 in damages for each person injured in an accident you cause.
$100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident: With this coverage, your insurance will cover up to $100,000 in bodily injury damage per single accident.
$50,000 in property damage liability: This covers up to $50,000 in damages to other cars or property in a wreck.
Uninsured motorist coverage: As of July 1, 2025, all new or renewed North Carolina insurance policies must also include uninsured motorist coverage with the same bodily injury liability coverage limits.[4]
Insurance professionals often recommend that you purchase liability coverage beyond these limits if the costs of car repairs or legal claims are rising where you live.
Minimum vs. full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina
Minimum coverage includes only the liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage that the state of North Carolina legally requires. You can also opt for full-coverage insurance, which includes comprehensive, collision, and medical payments/PIP coverage, for more far-reaching financial protection.
The right type of policy for you depends on your budget, how much you have saved for a potential accident or medical bills, and the unique weather and traffic risks in your area. Use the table below to compare the two coverage types to see what’s best for your situation.
Factor | Liability Only | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost in North Carolina | $69 | $114 |
| Covers damage to your own car? | No | Yes |
| Covers damage to other car? | Yes | Yes |
| Covers weather damage? | No | Yes |
| Pays for lost wages if you’re hurt? | No | Yes |
Is full-coverage car insurance worth it in North Carolina?
Full-coverage insurance in North Carolina can often be worth it. The state is highly vulnerable to hurricanes, and a basic liability insurance policy wouldn’t cover damage from them.
But if you have a full-coverage policy, which includes comprehensive insurance, your policy would cover damage to your vehicle if it floods, the wind damages it, or flying debris hits it. It would also save you significantly if you totaled your car in an accident. Both new and used vehicle costs are on the rise, with new cars averaging more than $49,000 and used cars at nearly $27,000, according to Kelley Blue Book data.
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Pros and cons of full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina
Getting full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina has both benefits and drawbacks. For one, it can help you cover the cost of repairs to your own vehicle if you’re in a wreck, and those costs have been steadily rising over the last few years.
Covers the cost of repairs to your vehicle after an accident
Ensures you have coverage for non-collision events, like hurricanes (which North Carolina is prone to)
Protects your finances if someone steals or vandalizes your vehicle
Higher premiums than a liability-only policy
May not cover everything, such as medical bills, so you have to read the fine print
Coverage could be unnecessary if you drive an older or paid-off vehicle
Full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina FAQs
It can be difficult to decide whether full-coverage car insurance is worth it. Here’s more info to consider before you decide how to insure your vehicle in North Carolina.
How much is full-coverage car insurance in NC?
The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina is $114, Insurify data shows. But you could find rates lower than this by shopping around, qualifying for discounts, improving your credit score, or opting for a higher deductible.
What is considered full coverage in North Carolina?
Full-coverage car insurance in North Carolina includes liability insurance, uninsured motorist coverage, comprehensive and collision coverage, and medical payments/personal injury protection.
Is North Carolina an at-fault state for car insurance?
Yes. North Carolina is an at-fault state for car insurance. This means that the insurance company of the at-fault driver will cover the costs of damages in the event of an accident.
How does the cost of car insurance from State Farm compare to the average in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, the cost of full-coverage car insurance with State Farm averages $157 per month. Across all insurers in North Carolina, the average monthly premium is $114.
Sources
- North Carolina General Assembly. "Prohibitions on using credit scoring to rate noncommercial private passenger motor vehicle and residential property insurance; exceptions.."
- North Carolina Department of Insurance. "Basic and Miscellaneous Auto Coverages."
- North Carolina Department of Transportation. "Liability Insurance."
- North Carolina Department of Insurance. "Changes to the Rating of Automobile Insurance Policies, Effective July 1, 2025."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 190 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 500+ 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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