Average Car Insurance Cost in North Carolina (2024)

As of 2019, North Carolina is one of the cheapest states in the country to live in.^[1] 

This holds true with North Carolina’s average car insurance rates, which are $55 per month for liability insurance and $99 per month for full coverage. For comparison, the national average car insurance rate is $104 per month for liability and $211 for full coverage.

Besides the low cost of living, North Carolina has cheap insurance rates because state law prohibits car insurance companies from drastically raising rates.

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What’s the average cost of car insurance in North Carolina?

The average cost of car insurance in North Carolina is $55 per month for liability insurance and $99 per month for full coverage. This ends up being $${AUTO_AVERAGE_YEARLY_LIABLIITY_STATE_NC} per year for liability-only insurance and $1,183 per year for full coverage.

The table below shows the average quotes for liability and full coverage among different insurance companies in North Carolina.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by city

Insurance companies consider your city and even ZIP code when they determine your premiums. Geographical factors like vehicle and population density, road conditions, repair rates, hospital and medical costs, and the number of accidents and other claims greatly influence your car insurance rates.^[2]

For example, Chapel Hill — home to University of North Carolina with a large college student population near Raleigh and Durham — has some of the most expensive average rates compared to cities without condensed student populations.

The table below shows the average cost of car insurance in North Carolina cities.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by age

Insurance companies charge teens more expensive rates than any other age group. Since teen drivers lack driving experience, insurers consider it a higher risk to insure them. Teens 16 to 19 years old are three times more likely to have a fatal car crash than any other age group.^[3]

Young drivers can lower their insurance rates by maintaining a clean record, maintaining continuous coverage, and looking for insurance companies that offer student-centric discounts.

Check out the chart below to see how North Carolina’s average car insurance rates change by age.

How gender affects car insurance rates in North Carolina

Generally, men pay more expensive insurance rates than women, who receive the cheapest rates.

Statistically, men have a higher likelihood of causing an accident because they tend to engage in risky driving behaviors. While women tend to drive safer, they’re 73% more likely than men to be injured in a severe car accident.^[4]

Here’s how car insurance rates differ by gender and age in North Carolina.

How your driving record affects car insurance rates in North Carolina 

The North Carolina Department of Insurance states that your driving record is one of the most important factors in determining your cost of insurance.^[2]

The state created the North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP) to reward drivers financially for safe driving and enforce a point system for traffic violations. Under this plan, an at-fault accident can raise your auto insurance premiums by up to 50%, while speeding tickets can raise your rate by up to 90%. The highest increase in rate is for drivers convicted of a DUI — up to 340%.

Here’s how your driving record affects average car insurance rates in North Carolina.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by marital status

Car insurance rates can be higher for single drivers than married drivers. Drivers who are married typically qualify for discounts that are sometimes unavailable to single drivers, like bundling home and auto insurance or insuring multiple cars on one policy.

Whether you’re single or married, you can call an insurance agent to determine if you should bundle insurance products or what discounts you qualify for.

The table below shows the differences in average North Carolina auto insurance rates for married and single drivers.

Average North Carolina car insurance rates by credit tier

In North Carolina, insurance companies can use your credit score when determining your insurance costs. However, your credit score can’t be the sole factor auto insurers use when underwriting your policy.

Auto insurers believe that drivers with good credit scores file fewer and smaller claims, and, thus, charge them cheaper rates in North Carolina.^[5] Drivers with poor credit scores tend to pay more expensive premiums.

Here’s how your credit tier can affect your car insurance premiums in North Carolina.

North Carolina car insurance FAQs