Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in Raleigh, NC

The cheapest car insurance for you will depend on your particular needs and driver profile. In Raleigh, Nationwide has the lowest rates for minimum and full coverage policies. It’s also the least expensive option for drivers with a speeding ticket on record and those with a military background. Erie is the most affordable for drivers with an at-fault accident, while National General is the cheapest for those with a DUI.

If you’re looking for a blend of affordability and service quality, Erie is MoneyGeek’s pick for the best overall, best customer service and best cheap car insurance in Raleigh.

In Raleigh, the most affordable minimum coverage policies are offered by these car insurance companies:

• Nationwide: $263 per year
• Erie: $338 per year

Allstate’s minimum coverage policy is the most expensive at approximately $908 per year as of October 2022.

On a statewide basis, the cheapest car insurance in North Carolina costs $295 per year from Nationwide, meaning that Nationwide offers lower rates for Raleigh drivers than it does in many other parts of the state.

Based on North Carolina car insurance laws, the minimum coverage requirements include:

• $30,000 per person in bodily injury liability
• $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability
• $25,000 per accident in property damage liability
• $30,000 per person in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury liability
• $60,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury liability
• $25,000 per accident in uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage liability

Liability-only coverage solely covers the costs of injuries or damages caused to third parties in the event of an accident. If you carry an auto policy with $30,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $60,000 per accident, your insurance carrier will only pay up to $30,000 in medical expenses for each victim, for a maximum of $60,000 for each accident.

Raleigh drivers may find the cheapest rates for full coverage policies from:

• Nationwide: $655 per year
• Erie: $670 per year

At about $1,530 per year, Allstate is the most expensive full coverage auto insurer in the city.

Zooming out to look at the state as a whole, Erie offers the most affordable full coverage car insurance in North Carolina at $629 per year as of October 2022. Where you live in the state may affect your cheapest options for car insurance.

By getting full coverage, you add comprehensive and collision insurance to your auto policy.

• Collision Insurance: Covers the cost to repair or replace your car if it gets damaged due to a collision with another vehicle or object.
• Comprehensive Insurance: Covers the cost of damages to your car caused by non-collision incidents, such as extreme weather conditions, fire, theft or vandalism.

Although it provides the ultimate financial protection, full coverage car insurance is not for everyone. Paying a high price for more coverage may not be worth it if you have a low-value or older car.

These car insurance companies in Raleigh offer the cheapest rates for full coverage after driving violations:

• Speeding ticket: Nationwide ($933 per year)
• At-fault accident: Erie ($969 per year)
• DUI: National General ($2,005 per year)

Allstate’s full coverage policies are the most expensive after a speeding ticket ($2,257 per year), at-fault accident ($1,930 per year) and DUI ($6,415 per year). Having a poor driving record can affect your premiums, so the lowest rates may still be expensive after a violation.

Your car insurance rates may increase depending on the severity of your driving violation. In Raleigh, for instance, you may pay around $1,072 more for car insurance after a DUI than after a speeding ticket. Thankfully, there are ways to find the cheapest car insurance with a bad driving record.

The least expensive auto insurers in Raleigh for 16-year-old teen drivers on a family policy are:

• State Farm: $1,324 per year for female and male teens
• Nationwide: $1,532 per year for female and male teens

Families adding a teen to a family policy may get the highest rates from GEICO at an average of $4,711 per year. In most states, the rates for teen boys and girls differ, but that’s not the case in North Carolina.

Auto insurance rates tend to be much higher for teens if they buy a separate policy than if they are added to a family policy. In Raleigh, the difference between an individual premium and a family premium for a 16-year-old male teen is roughly $538. You can save hundreds on insurance each year by finding the cheapest car insurance for teens.

Raleigh’s most affordable car insurance providers for military families are:

• Nationwide: $655 per year
• Erie: $670 per year

USAA is another recommended auto insurer because it often has affordable policies for those with a military background.

The rates above are for a full coverage policy. If you want minimum coverage, Nationwide is also the cheapest company at $263 per year, while Erie ranks second at $338 per year.

Because it requires handing over various personal details, getting a car insurance quote online from one company can take 15 minutes or more. This process is time-consuming, especially if you want to compare multiple insurers.

Our car insurance calculator can help by providing rough estimates of your rates with different insurers based on just your age, driving record, coverage level and vehicle type.

How much you value quality service, affordability, coverage options and other factors can affect your best companies for car insurance. The best car insurers in Raleigh based on your particular needs are:

• Best overall: Erie (MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100)
• Best for service: Erie (MoneyGeek score of 70 out of 100)
• Best cheap: Erie (MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100)

A change in a company’s overall MoneyGeek scores for different categories reflects differences in how we weigh customer satisfaction and affordability. Insurers like Erie that win in all three categories combine affordability with quality service across the board. It is the best car insurance company in North Carolina. Those with military backgrounds may also consider USAA for car insurance.

Overall, the best auto insurers in Raleigh for their combined affordability and service quality are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($670 per year)
• North Carolina Farm Bureau: MoneyGeek score of 77 out of 100 ($746 per year)

Among nine insurers, Erie scored the highest in our analysis because of its inexpensive policies, excellent service and efficient claims management.

Regardless of cost, the best car insurance providers in Raleigh for customer service are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 70 out of 100 ($670 per year)
• North Carolina Farm Bureau: MoneyGeek score of 68 out of 100 ($746 per year)

Erie received high customer satisfaction and claims management scores, meaning it provides great customer service and receives few complaints. It’s also the second-cheapest option for car insurance, so customers don’t have to pay a high price for quality service.

According to our analysis of affordability and service quality for policies that only meet North Carolina’s minimum coverage requirements, the best auto insurers in Raleigh are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100 ($338 per year)
• Nationwide: MoneyGeek score of 77 out of 100 ($263 per year)

Raleigh’s minimum coverage policies have the cheapest rates, but the tradeoffs are limited protection against liability costs and no coverage for damages to your own vehicle in case of an accident.

For full coverage with $100,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident and $100,000 in property damage liability per accident, the average cost of car insurance in Raleigh is $873 per year as of October 2022. This rate is $12 higher than the average cost of car insurance in North Carolina and $392 lower than the national average of $1,265 per year.

As shown above, car insurance is cheaper in North Carolina as a whole than in densely populated cities like Raleigh. Where you live in the state can significantly affect your car insurance rates.