insure logo

Why you can trust Insure.com

quality icon

Quality Verified

At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry.

Drivers in North Carolina can find the cheapest average premium with Erie Insurance, at $1,168 per year. By comparison, the statewide average monthly cost is $216. Keep in mind that rates vary for each driver depending on factors like driving record, ZIP code, and vehicle type.

Since auto insurance laws differ by state, North Carolina requires drivers to carry at least $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $50,000 for property damage liability.

For broader protection, full coverage may be a smart option. It combines liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance, giving you coverage not only for other drivers but also for your own vehicle if it’s damaged in a crash, stolen, or affected by severe weather.

Here’s how different insurers stack up for drivers in North Carolina, depending on your situation.

Key Takeaways

  • Erie Insurance offers the lowest car insurance rates in North Carolina, at $1,168 per year, which is about $1,419 the state average.
  • Erie Insurance has the lowest car insurance rates for drivers with a history of at-fault accidents, with an average annual cost of $1,868.
  • The ZIP code 28575 has the low-cost car insurance rates in North Carolina, at an average annual rate of $2,039.

Low-cost car insurance companies in North Carolina

Among all insurers in North Carolina, Erie Insurance comes in lowest at $1,168 per year – $1,419 less than the statewide average. Keep in mind that your actual premium depends on factors like age, driving history, ZIP code, and the type of car you drive.

Comparing quotes from multiple companies is the best way to make sure you’re getting a competitive rate.

Below are the annual premiums from the cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina.

CompanyAverage annual rates
Erie Insurance$1,168
Progressive$1,480
State Farm$1,714
Nationwide$2,452
Farmers$2,479
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,795
Penn National Insurance$2,797
GEICO$3,233
Utica National Insurance Group$3,496
Allstate$4,643
Powered by:

How we choose low-cost car insurance companies in North Carolina

insure logo

170+

Carriers reviewed
insure logo

78M+

Quotes analysed
insure logo

34K+

ZIP codes examined

ZIP codes with the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina

In North Carolina, drivers living in the 28575 ZIP code enjoy the lowest average annual premium at $2,039. Check the table below to see which other ZIP codes in the state have more affordable rates.

ZIP codeCityAverage annual rates
28575Salter Path$2,039
28579Smyrna$2,048
28556Merritt$2,052
28533Cherry Point$2,063
28528Gloucester$2,063
27510Carrboro$2,164
27514Chapel Hill$2,165
27517Chapel Hill$2,168
27516Chapel Hill$2,170
28467Calabash$2,186
Powered by:

Auto insurance premiums vary significantly from city to city, so drivers need to be sure they’re getting the best deal. Insure.com has done the research for you. Get more information on auto insurance rates by city below.

Our agents make it hassle-free to get the right quote.

Call (844) 814-8854
ethan-avatar
Ethan Available Now
jack-avatar
Jack Available Now
robbie-avatar
Robbie Available Now
ellie-avatar
Ellie Available Now

Low-cost car insurance in North Carolina by age

Teen drivers in North Carolina pay higher insurance rates than adult drivers because they are more likely to get into accidents and file claims. For example, our data shows that a 16-year-old driver pays $5,317 more than a 40-year-old driver in North Carolina.

The table below shows low-cost car insurance rates for drivers of different ages.

Age groupFull coverage annual premiums
Teens (16-19)$5,950
Young Adults (20-24)$2,804
Adults (25-60)$2,547
Seniors (65-75)$2,680
Powered by:

Low-cost car insurance in North Carolina by driver history

Insurers weigh your driving record heavily when setting premiums. You can expect your rates to rise if you’re ticketed or at fault in an accident. On the other hand, drivers with clean records are considered lower risk and usually qualify for cheaper coverage.

Low-cost car insurance after a speeding ticket in North Carolina

A single speeding ticket in North Carolina can push your rates up by 47%, or about $1,220. Along with the fine, that makes speeding a costly mistake. Here are a few insurers that still provide lower-priced coverage after a ticket.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ Increase
Erie Insurance$1,168$1,81555%$647
Progressive$1,480$2,07040%$589
State Farm$1,714$2,38739%$673
Nationwide$2,452$3,42640%$973
Farmers$2,479$3,49141%$1,012
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,795$3,97342%$1,179
GEICO$3,233$5,07357%$1,840
Allstate$4,643$7,07552%$2,432
Powered by:

Low-cost car insurance after an accident in North Carolina

Being at fault in an accident will drive your premiums up, but some insurers remain more affordable than others. Erie Insurance is the lowest-cost option for these drivers, with an average annual premium of $1,868.

If you’ve had an accident, comparing quotes can help you avoid overpaying. See the table below for the cheapest companies after one at-fault accident.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ Increase
Erie Insurance$1,168$1,86860%$700
Progressive$1,480$2,12944%$649
State Farm$1,714$2,45843%$744
Farmers$2,479$3,59245%$1,113
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,795$4,09146%$1,297
Nationwide$2,452$4,70992%$2,256
GEICO$3,233$7,164122%$3,931
Allstate$4,643$9,01394%$4,370
Powered by:

Low-cost car insurance after a DUI in North Carolina

Being labeled a high-risk driver after a DUI usually means paying much more for car insurance. However, some insurers are less expensive than others. The table below shows which companies in North Carolina offer the most affordable rates after a DUI conviction.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident$ Increase% Increase
Erie Insurance$1,168$4,886$3,718318%
Progressive$1,480$5,490$4,010271%
State Farm$1,714$6,371$4,658272%
Nationwide$2,452$9,126$6,673272%
Farmers$2,479$9,360$6,881278%
GEICO$3,233$14,594$11,361351%
North Carolina Farm Bureau$2,795$16,680$13,885497%
Allstate$4,643$19,237$14,594314%
Powered by:

Average cost of car insurance North Carolina

Full coverage insurance costs more than minimum liability insurance, but the extra cost is worth it for most drivers. That’s because minimum liability only pays for injuries or damage you cause to others, leaving you to cover repairs or replacement of your own car out of pocket. Full coverage, on the other hand, includes collision and comprehensive insurance, so your vehicle is protected in situations like accidents, theft, storms, or vandalism.

The average cost of full coverage car insurance in North Carolina is $74 more than the national average car insurance rates in the U.S.

We recommend that you carry at least coverage limits of 100/300/100 – that’s $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 in property damage coverage. These limits provide a better safety net if you’re involved in a serious accident where costs could quickly exceed minimum requirements.

What is full coverage car insurance?

Full coverage refers to liability insurance plus both collision and comprehensive. Collision pays for damage to your vehicle after an accident, while comprehensive covers non-collision events like theft, fire, or hail damage.

If you lease or finance your vehicle in North Carolina, your lender may require collision and comprehensive insurance on top of the state’s liability minimums.

The bottom line on saving and staying protected

Everyone wants to save on car insurance, but skimping on coverage can leave you with big bills after an accident.

The best approach is to balance affordability with protection. Always compare quotes from at least three companies to find the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina.

Methodology

Insure.com gathered data from Quadrant Information Services to get car insurance rates in North Carolina. The rates are based on a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driving a Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violations on record for a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles.

We analyzed 53,409,632 insurance quotes from 170 insurance companies across 34,588 ZIP codes nationwide.

To determine car insurance rates for high-risk drivers with a history of traffic violations, we used a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driver who own a Honda Accord LX.

We also used sample profiles of drivers from different age groups: Teen drivers (Age 16-19), young drivers (Age 20-24), adult drivers (Age 25-60) and senior drivers (Age 65-75)

We determined the premiums for a high-risk driver with the following incidents applied

  1. 1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K
  2. 1 At-fault property damage accident under $2K
  3. At-fault bodily injury accident
  4. Poor credit
  5. DUI/DWI first offense
  6. Speeding 30+ over limit
  7. Speeding ticket 1-10 MPH over limit
  8. Speeding ticket 11-29 MPH over the limit

These are sample rates, and your exact rates may vary.

author image
Shivani Gite
Contributing Writer

 
|
  

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions.

ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP