The Best Cheap North Carolina Car Insurance
Updated
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Drivers in North Carolina are required to carry auto insurance. It's for their protection and the protection of others. The best car insurance companies know that drivers come in all shapes and sizes. Some have perfect driving records (and are rewarded for it), while others have a driving history that makes finding cheap auto insurance in North Carolina tough. Here, we've broken down North Carolina car insurance laws, minimum car insurance requirements, and the best car insurance companies in North Carolina.
A "typical" driver is someone with a clean driving record: No accidents, speeding tickets, or DUIs. The cheapest car insurance in North Carolina for a typical driver comes courtesy of Erie, with an average annual rate of $1,028.
Coming in right behind with low-cost car insurance are:
The best place to find affordable car insurance in North Carolina with one accident on your record is Erie, with an average annual rate of $1,622.
In second and third place for the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina are:
Seniors over the age of 65 are rewarded for years of driving experience. The best car insurance in North Carolina for seniors is Nationwide, with an average annual premium of $975.
Other North Carolina auto insurance contenders include:
When it comes to military members and their families, Geico is the North Carolina insurance rate champion, with an annual average premium of $976.
2025 Award Winner
Also worth considering are:
For drivers looking for cheap liability car insurance in North Carolina, Nationwide offers minimum coverage for an average annual rate of $330.
Other carriers offering cheap North Carolina auto insurance for drivers looking for minimum coverage are:
Insurance in North Carolina is a relative bargain. With an average statewide rate of $1,595, North Carolinians pay 65% below the national average. If you're wondering "how much is car insurance in North Carolina?," the answer is "less than the majority of the country."
Additionally, across many major driver categories, North Carolina drivers are typically seeing much lower car insurance rates compared with the national average. Young drivers are seeing close to 70% lower rates while drivers drivers who have had an accident or speeding ticket are typically paying about 35% less in North Carolina.
| Average Rate Category | North Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | $1,595 | $2,646 |
| Young drivers | $2,941 | $5,988 |
| 1 accident on driving record | $2,153 | $3,092 |
| 1 speeding ticket on driving record | $1,959 | $2,766 |
According to the state DMV website, North Carolina car insurance laws are strictly enforced. Once a driver's insurance lapses, the DMV sends a notification to the vehicle's registered owner. The owner has 10 days to respond to the notice. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of the license plate, penalties, late fees, and interest. For example, the penalty for the first lapse is $50. For the second it's $100. Any subsequent lapses will cost $150 each. And that's if the driver is not pulled over, ticketed, and faced with court costs.
North Carolina minimum car insurance is as follows:
As you gather car insurance quotes for North Carolina, you may notice how much premiums vary by company. One way to lower your premium is to look for discounts. Another is to bundle your coverage with other types of insurance coverage (homeowners, for example). And finally, it pays to have a strong credit score. Studies have shown that people with high credit scores tend to have fewer accidents and speeding tickets. That means they represent a lower risk to insurance companies. If your credit score is not quite where you want it to be, taking steps to boost it can help lower your insurance premiums.
Once you've found an auto insurance company you like, look at their available discounts and claim as many as possible.
The number of potential car insurance discounts varies by the insurance company, but taking time to look through the options can save you money. Here are some of the ways you can save money:
Once an auto insurance policy lapses in North Carolina, it's not long before the DMV knows about it. That's because North Carolina law requires insurance companies to notify the Division of Motor Vehicles as soon as liability insurance is canceled or coverage lapses.
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The data found on this page is a combination of publicly available quote data obtained directly from the carrier as well as insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from the top ten (10) to fifteen (15) carrier markets, within each state, based on annual written premium and should be used for comparative purposes only -- your own quotes may be different.
