Cheapest car insurance in North Carolina 2023

Illustration of car and license plateImage: Illustration of car and license plate

In a Nutshell

Your car insurance costs are based on circumstances like age, credit, driving history and vehicle. We looked at several different insurers to find the lowest-cost options for basic coverage in North Carolina.
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Note from our editor: Maybe you’re searching for car insurance for the first time or want to do some insurance shopping to help lower your monthly premium? This article can serve as a starting point for your car insurance research. There are a lot of factors when it comes to the cost of car insurance, so while you may not see the exact premiums we’ve researched, they can give you an idea of some of the insurers offering the cheapest rates in your state.


It’s hard to beat a scenic mountain drive in North Carolina — especially if you know you’re getting good value for your car insurance

We estimated car insurance costs for basic coverage across insurers in North Carolina to calculate the average cost and find the cheapest insurance companies for several driver profiles and needs.

As outlined in our full methodology, we based our calculations on a relatively neutral driver profile to give us the best sense of insurers’ rates. That’s because there are several factors that affect car insurance, like your age, mileage, vehicle type and coverage options. Your rates might be higher or lower based on your profile. 

But if you don’t match our standard North Carolina driver profile — no accidents, tickets or claims — we’ve also calculated rates for drivers with various credit outlooks, driving histories, ages and coverage options.

Read on to learn about North Carolina’s average car insurance rates and our findings for the cheapest options.



Cost of car insurance in North Carolina

Average monthly premiums for basic car insurance in North Carolina range from just under $40 up to around $60, depending on the type of coverage and driver profile.

Average monthly auto insurance premiums in North Carolina

Driver or coverageAvg. monthly cost
State-minimum car insurance in North Carolina$38.19 
Drivers with poor credit in North Carolina$47.55 
Drivers with multiple claims in North Carolina$60.00 
Young drivers in North Carolina$47.39 
Based on our standard driver profile and minimum coverage

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina

Here are the top five cheapest insurers in North Carolina, calculated from minimum-coverage rates based on our specific North Carolina driver profile. 

Unless otherwise noted, driver characteristics include no tickets or coverage gaps, a $20,000 to $30,000 car value, a credit score between 680 and 719, and a driver age 36 to 45. Not you? We also calculated the cheapest basic-coverage rates for drivers with poor credit and young drivers.

1. Utica National Insurance Group

Utica National Insurance Group, the cheapest insurer on our list, could offer our North Carolina driver profile a minimum-coverage policy for as low as $24.17 per month. Utica sells insurance through independent agents and offers an impressive range of potential discounts, including an annual mileage credit, multipolicy discount, pay-in-full discount and savings for having various safety equipment in your car. Utica also insures boats, motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles, protecting all your rides under one policy.

2. State Farm

State Farm could offer basic car insurance coverage based on our North Carolina driver profile for as little as $25.58 per month. State Farm also offers collision, comprehensive, rental and rideshare insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, medical payments, liability insurance and emergency roadside assistance. The insurer also offers different ways to save, including its Drive Safe & Save and Steer Clear programs, plus discounts specifically for teen drivers.

Read reviews of State Farm auto insurance

3. North Carolina Farm Bureau

With North Carolina Farm Bureau, our driver profile could qualify for basic insurance for as low as $27.83 per month. North Carolina Farm Bureau sells auto, home and renters insurance through local agents. Customers must be NC Farm Bureau members to access its insurance products. The $25 annual membership cost also allows discounts on products, hotel stays, attractions, prescription drugs and vision plans.

4. Erie

Our North Carolina driver profile could see car insurance rates on minimum coverage from Erie for $28.88 per month. Erie offers bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, uninsured/uninsured motorist, comprehensive and collision coverages. Coverage with Erie includes built-in features like first-accident forgiveness, windshield repair, pet-injury coverage and travel expense coverage, plus you can add on rental car coverage, new car replacement, motorcycle insurance and more.

Read reviews of Erie auto insurance

5. Allied

Finally, our North Carolina driver could find auto insurance rates for basic coverage from Allied for as low as $33.46 per month. Allied is a Nationwide company that sells insurance through independent agents. Customers can choose from additional coverage options, including medical payments coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance and personal injury protection.

Cheapest state-minimum car insurance in North Carolina

State-minimum insurance, as its name implies, is the least amount of coverage you can carry and still meet your state’s legal requirements. Because the coverage is basic, it is often one of the cheapest options.

Here are the five cheapest car insurance companies for drivers looking for state-minimum insurance only.

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for state-minimum coverage

1Utica National Insurance Group$24.17
2State Farm$25.58
3North Carolina Farm Bureau$27.83
4Erie$28.88
5Allied$33.46
Based on our standard driver profile

Cheapest car insurance for good credit in North Carolina

One factor that insurers look at when determining the cost of your insurance is your credit. In most cases, drivers with good credit will pay less for coverage than drivers who are considered to have poor credit.

Here are the five companies that have the cheapest car insurance coverage for drivers with good credit.

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for those with good credit

1State Farm$20.22
2Utica National Insurance Group$22.67
3North Carolina Farm Bureau$25.33
4Erie$27.63
5Allied$29.57
Based on our standard driver profile, adjusted to display basic coverage rates for a Florida driver with a credit score of 720 or higher

Cheapest car insurance for poor credit in North Carolina

Drivers with lower credit scores often must pay more for car insurance. But your credit is just one of several factors that go into calculating your car insurance costs. Keeping a clean driving record is one way to save money on car insurance, even if your credit outlook isn’t extraordinary.

Here are the companies that may offer the cheapest insurance rates on minimum coverage for North Carolina drivers with less-than-stellar credit.

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for those with poor credit

1Utica National Insurance Group$29.75
2Erie$34.40
3Metropolitan$36.69
4GMAC Insurance Group$36.92
5Penn National$36.92
Based on our standard driver profile, adjusted to display basic coverage rates for a North Carolina driver with a credit score below 580

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with multiple claims in North Carolina

Your driving record is another significant component of your overall insurance calculation. In general, drivers with more claims on their records will have higher car insurance costs than those with no or very few claims.

The following companies have the lowest estimated rates onr basic coverage for drivers with multiple claims.

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for multiple claims

1State Farm$38.75
2Utica National Insurance Group$39.67
3North Carolina Farm Bureau$41.00
4Erie$44.75
5Penn National$53.92
Based on our standard driver profile, adjusted to display basic coverage rates for a Michigan driver with two claims instead of zero claims

Cheapest car insurance for young drivers in North Carolina

Your age also plays a role in determining how much your car insurance costs, with younger drivers often paying more for insurance than older ones. 

Here are the five cheapest car insurers for young drivers in North Carolina, looking at rates for minimum coverage.

5 cheapest car insurance companies in North Carolina for young drivers

1Utica National Insurance Group$27.50
2North Carolina Farm Bureau$28.83
3Penn National$35.92
4Metropolitan$36.69
5GMAC Insurance Group$36.92
Based on our standard driver profile, adjusted to display basic coverage rates for a North Carolina driver age 18–21 instead of 36–45

North Carolina auto insurance requirements

North Carolina requires $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury liability and an additional $25,000 of coverage for property damage. If you have a car loan or lease, you’ll likely be required to get more coverage.

Is usage-based insurance available in North Carolina?

Usage-based insurance is a type of vehicle insurance that allows customers to pay premiums based on their driving behavior. Some North Carolina insurers may offer UBI, or telematics, programs to help drivers save money by driving safely.

FAQs about the cheapest car insurance rates in North Carolina

Is North Carolina a no-fault state?

North Carolina is an at-fault state, which means if you are found to be at fault in an accident, your insurance will be responsible for covering the other driver’s costs for any damage and medical care.

How much is a ticket for no insurance in North Carolina?

Driving without insurance in North Carolina could cost you $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second offense and $150 for any offenses after that.

Who usually has the lowest car insurance?

We found that Utica National Insurance Group and State Farm offered the lowest rates for basic coverage for many different driver profiles.

Methodology

The estimated rates in this article are the lowest estimated rates for minimum coverage based on the profile of a driver age 36 to 45 living in North Carolina as of August 2022. Unless otherwise noted, the rates displayed assume a single driver on the insurance policy with no tickets on their driving record and no claims or coverage lapses. The vehicle used in this estimate is valued between $20,000 and $30,000 and has annual mileage of 12,000 to 15,000. Estimated rates for insurance for good credit apply to scores of 720 and above. Estimated rates for insurance for poor credit apply to scores from 350 to 579. Estimated rates for young drivers include those age 18 to 21. Estimated rates for those with multiple claims are calculated based on two claims. 

Note that the rates are provided every six months by Quadrant Information Services. Quadrant Information Services doesn’t include all insurance companies in its rate data. These are estimated rates meant only to provide a frame of reference and comparison. Your rates may vary depending on various factors, such as age, vehicle driving habits, history and coverage.
The average monthly premium for full-coverage car insurance includes bodily injury, property damage, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection, collision and comprehensive coverages. The average monthly premium for state-minimum car insurance includes North Carolina-mandated 30/60/25 insurance policy.


About the author: Sarah Sidlow is a freelance writer and editor based near Detroit. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University. Sarah’s work has appeared in Luxembourg’s national newspaper, Washington City Paper… Read more.