widget-location-pin

State Farm offers the cheapest quotes in Durham for full coverage policies, liability-only insurance to drivers with speeding tickets. Furthermore, as per MoneyGeek's analysis, Erie is the city’s best car insurance company because of its excellent customer service and affordable quotes.

MoneyGeek Logo Iconbestauto insuranceDurham
2023

The Cheapest and Best Car Insurance in Durham

The Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Durham

On average, the following insurance companies offer the cheapest full coverage car insurance policies in Durham:

  • State Farm: $554 per year
  • Nationwide: $590 per year

Compared to Progressive, which offers the most expensive quote in the city, State Farm’s quote is nearly 79% lower for a similar full coverage plan. Both comprehensive and collision coverage is included in a full coverage insurance policy. However, the average annual premiums depend on the level of liability coverage you select.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Durham
Full Coverage 100/300/100
  • Company
    100/300/100per year
  • 1.
    State Farm
    $554
  • 2.
    Nationwide
    $590
  • 3.
    Erie
    $662
  • 4.
    North Carolina Farm Bureau
    $674
  • 5.
    Travelers
    $772
  • 6.
    GEICO
    $798
  • 7.
    Allstate
    $958
  • 8.
    MetLife
    $986
  • 9.
    Progressive
    $991

According to MoneyGeek's methodology, the average insurance rates for a 40-year-old male driver covered by a full coverage insurance policy were used for this analysis.

Full coverage car insurance costs more than liability-only because it includes the following two coverages in addition to liability insurance:

  • Collision Coverage: This coverage pays for the damage to your vehicle if you’re at fault in an accident.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: If your car gets damaged outside of an accident, this coverage pays for your repairs. Instances may include fire, theft, vandalism and damage from weather-related events.

If the cost of a full coverage policy exceeds the replacement value of your car, which can be the case with an older vehicle, liability-only or state minimum insurance may be a better option.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Durham

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

widget-location-pin
Insurance Rates

Cheapest Car Insurance in Durham for Minimum Coverage

To get the cheapest auto insurance policies in Durham, opt for a policy that just meets the state’s minimum coverage requirements. The most affordable options for this coverage in the city are:

  • State Farm: $295 per year
  • Nationwide: $296 per year

State Farm's average cost is $209 less than Metlife's price of $504, which is the most expensive in the city.

The reason minimum insurance policies are cheaper than full coverage is due to lower coverage limits. If you are involved in an accident, you may be underinsured if you do not have comprehensive and collision coverage. The table below depicts how insurance premiums change by increasing coverage limits.

Cheapest Minimum Liability Car Insurance in Durham
State Minimum

North Carolina requires its drivers to have a minimum liability insurance coverage of 30/60/25. While this is the most affordable insurance in Durham, it also provides the least amount of protection. That means if you are found at fault in an accident, you may be responsible for expenses not covered by the insurer.

For instance, if medical expenses for the other driver exceed $30,000 in the accident you caused, your insurance will cover that, but you’ll have to pay anything above that amount personally.

North Carolina Minimum Liability Requirements

  • Item
    Description
  • Bodily Injury and Property Damage
    $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $25,000 for property damage. A more protective level is 100/300/100.
  • Uninsured Motorist
    $30,000 per person, $60,000 per incident and $25,000 for property damage. The minimum coverage may not be enough if you're in a serious accident.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Durham if You Have Driving Violations

If you get a traffic ticket in Durham for an at-fault accident, speeding or driving under the influence (DUI), you can expect higher insurance rates. The following are the city's cheapest insurance premiums on average for the most common traffic violations:

  • Cheapest after a ticket: State Farm, $821 per year
  • Cheapest after an at-fault accident: State Farm, $821 per year
  • Cheapest after a DUI: State Farm, $2,152 per year

Over time, you may be able to rebuild your driving history and reduce your car insurance rates. While you’re doing that, it doesn’t hurt to compare premiums to find the best deal in Durham.

Cheapest Car Insurance in Durham With a Violation
Speeding Ticket

Average Cost of Car Insurance in Durham

Durham$776
NC$841
U.S.$1,424

The average car insurance rate in Durham is $776 per year, which is lower than both the state and national average annual premiums. Generally speaking, drivers in Durham will pay 7.7% less than North Carolina’s average of $841 per year, and 45.5% less than the $1,424 average annual cost of insurance in the United States.

Personalized Quotes to Get You the Cheapest Car Insurance in Durham

In addition to location, other factors such as your age, driving record, marital status, make and model of vehicle and coverage level are taken into consideration by car insurance companies in Durham to give you the most accurate quotes that are suited to your individual profile. For example, for an 18-year-old male driver in Durham, State Farm will charge an average of $1,101 per year, which is almost twice as expensive as similar coverage for a 40-year-old driver.

It’s a great idea to regularly request personalized quotes from multiple car insurance companies in Durham, as you may be eligible for promotions or other discounts that can save you money as your personal circumstances change over time.

Compare Car Insurance Rates in Durham

Ensure you're getting the best rate for your car insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

widget-location-pin
Insurance Rates

The Best Car Insurance Companies in Durham

MoneyGeek reviewed Durham's auto insurance companies based on customer service and affordability. Our study found the following insurers to the best car insurance companies in Durham:

  • Erie: MoneyGeek score 93 out of 100
  • Auto-Owners Insurance Co: MoneyGeek score 90 out of 100

Although USAA was the obvious winner, scoring 95 out of 100, we didn’t include it. That’s because the insurer exclusively covers military members and their dependents.

MoneyGeek ranked the car insurance companies using several factors, including insurer financial stability, customer satisfaction and affordability. We used multiple resources in our research, including findings by data analytics and consumer intelligence company J. D. Power.


1
State Farm
Score:95

5/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

2
Nationwide
Score:86

4.4/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

3
Erie
Score:84

4/5

Affordability

5/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

4
North Carolina Farm Bureau
Score:83

4.1/5

Affordability

4.5/5

Claims

4.5/5

User Satisfaction

4/5

Financial Stability

5
GEICO
Score:72

3.3/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

4/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

6
Travelers
Score:61

2.5/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

5/5

Financial Stability

7
Progressive
Score:50

1.9/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

8
MetLife
Score:41

1.2/5

Affordability

4/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

9
Allstate
Score:25

0.2/5

Affordability

3.5/5

Claims

3.5/5

User Satisfaction

4.5/5

Financial Stability

Average Cost of Car Insurance by Postal Code

A driver’s ZIP code also affects how much they’ll pay for a car insurance policy, as different neighborhoods have different statistics associated with auto coverage, such as the frequency of accidents and thefts, and the number of uninsured motorists in the area.

In Durham, policyholders living in the most affordable region for auto insurance, ZIP code 27713, will pay an average $147 less for car insurance premiums than policyholders living in ZIP code 27703.

  • Zip Code
    State Minimumper year
  • 27713
    $727
  • 27707
    $728
  • 27703
    $873

Factors That Impact Insurance Costs in Durham

In addition to individual driver needs and history, location-specific factors like the percentage of uninsured motorists and the rate of car thefts also contribute to car insurance rates in Durham. How Durham ranks compared to the 300 most populous cities in the United States can have a significant impact on premium costs.

accident2 icon
Most Accidents With Fatalities102nd/300
handcuffs2 icon
Most Car Thefts92nd/300
uninsured icon
Most Uninsured Motorists by State48th/50
insurance2 icon
Personal Injury Protection RequiredNo
rain icon
Most Annual Rainfall69th/300
umbrella icon
Most Rainy Days122nd/300

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a senior content director at MoneyGeek with over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, conducting original research and creating content that can be personalized for every buyer. He has been quoted on insurance topics in several publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Mark earned a master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his economics and insurance knowledge to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.