Cheapest and Best Car Insurance Companies in Wilmington, NC

The best insurance for you depends on your needs. MoneyGeek found that Erie is Wilmington’s best overall car insurance provider, the cheapest for full or minimum coverage and the best for military members. State Farm offers the least expensive coverage for teens on a family policy. Nationwide, National General and Erie are the cheapest for drivers with offenses.

The most affordable car insurance companies for a minimum coverage policy in Wilmington, NC, are:

• Nationwide: $280 per year
• Erie: $332 per year

Nationwide balances affordability, customer satisfaction, claims experience and stability. Nationwide is also the cheapest car insurance company in North Carolina, with a premium of $295, slightly higher than its cost in Wilmington. The most expensive provider in Wilmington is Allstate, at $868 annually.

Minimum coverage car insurance policies in North Carolina must comply with the state's mandatory limits for bodily injury and property damage liability. Policies must include:

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

To illustrate these limits: If you are responsible for a car accident, and the other driver incurs damages and medical expenses amounting to $60,000, your insurance covers the initial $50,000, while you are responsible for paying the remaining $10,000.

The cheapest car insurance companies for a full coverage policy in Wilmington, North Carolina, are:

• Erie: $641 per year
• Nationwide: $680 per year

Allstate offers the city's most expensive auto insurance policy at $1,424 per year. The cheapest insurance car provider for full coverage in North Carolina is Erie. Its annual premium in the state averages $629, slightly less than the rate in Wilmington. This cost difference illustrates how location can affect car insurance rates.

A full coverage car insurance policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage.

• Comprehensive coverage protects damages caused by theft, natural disasters, vandalism, or fire.
• Collision coverage pays for damages from an accident with another car or object.

Consider your vehicle's value and budget when choosing car insurance coverage. While full coverage policies offer excellent protection, they may not be cost-effective for older, low-value cars.

The cheapest car insurance company after driving violations in Wilmington are:

• Speeding ticket: Nationwide ($971 per year)
• At-fault accident: Erie ($926 per year)
• DUI: National General ($1,961 per year)

The most expensive premiums come from Allstate at $5,956 per year after a DUI, $2,094 per year after a speeding ticket and $1,795 per year after an at-fault accident.

Car insurance providers calculate insurance premiums based on multiple factors, such as a driver's history of traffic violations and accidents. Drivers with poor driving records are considered riskier and usually pay higher premiums.

Citations for speeding, DUI or causing accidents can lead to higher car insurance premiums. The more serious the offense, the higher the increase. For example, Wilmington drivers will pay $469 more for car insurance after a ticket but $$2,586 more after a DUI. Although insurance rates may vary depending on location and driving history, drivers with a less-than-perfect record should still seek affordable coverage that provides sufficient protection.

The most affordable car insurance providers for teens on a family policy in Wilmington, NC, are:

• State Farm: $1,267 per year for female and male teens
• Nationwide: $1,522 per year for female and male teens

GEICO offers the most expensive insurance premiums for teens on a family policy, at $4,289 per year for male and female teens. Male teenage drivers often pay higher car insurance premiums because statistics show they are more likely to get into accidents. As young male drivers become more experienced, insurance companies adjust rates to reflect a lower risk. Both male and female teenage drivers should search for cost-effective policies that meet their specific requirements.

Adding a teen to a family policy is usually more cost-effective than purchasing a separate policy. Family policies often provide better pricing and discounts, especially for households with multiple drivers and vehicles. For example, you can save an average of at least $538 per year by choosing a family policy in Wilmington. Always consider all available options and factors that affect insurance premiums when looking for cheap car insurance for teenage drivers.

The cheapest car insurance providers for current or former military members and their families in Wilmington are:

• Erie: $641 per year
• Nationwide: $680 per year

USAA is another option and provides insurance services exclusively to active or former military personnel. The most inexpensive options for minimum coverage are Nationwide and Erie, with rates of $280 and $332, respectively.

Getting an online car insurance quote in Wilmington can take more than 15 minutes per company and requires that you to input a lot of personal information. Instead, the MoneyGeek calculator can provide quick estimates with just your age, vehicle type, level of coverage and driving record.

The best insurance for you will depend on your needs, budget, available coverage options and the quality of customer service. MoneyGeek identified the top companies in Wilmington, NC, for several of these categories as follows:

• 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 81 out of 100)

A company’s overall MoneyGeek score can vary based on how we weigh certain factors in each category. Erie is also the best car insurance provider in North Carolina.

The best car insurance companies in Wilmington are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 83 out of 100 ($641 per year)
• North Carolina Farm Bureau: MoneyGeek score of 77 out of 100 ($730 per year)

Erie balances affordability, customer service and claims experience. North Carolina Farm Bureau gets a perfect score for claims handling and provides affordable policies and good customer service.

Not considering cost, the best companies for customer service in Wilmington are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 70 out of 100 ($641 per year)
• North Carolina Farm Bureau: MoneyGeek score of 68 out of 100 ($730 per year)

Erie provides excellent customer service and claims satisfaction. While North Carolina Farm Bureau Car has a perfect score for claims, Erie edges it out with a higher customer satisfaction score.

Insurance companies that prioritize customer service by investing in staff training and additional resources usually charge higher premiums. This is not the case in Wilmington, where Erie provides the best customer service and is the cheapest option.

MoneyGeek evaluated North Carolina car insurance providers based on their affordability and ability to meet the state's minimum insurance requirements while providing quality service.

We found the best companies offering minimum coverage in Wilmington are:

• Erie: MoneyGeek score of 81 out of 100 ($332 per year)
• Nationwide: MoneyGeek score of 77 out of 100 ($280 per year)

Minimum coverage policies have lower insurance rates but offer limited liability protection and no coverage for your vehicle in the event of an accident.

The average cost of auto insurance in Wilmington for full coverage is $846 per year (as of October 2022), which includes:

$100,000 in bodily injury liability per person $300,000 in bodily injury liability per accident $100,000 in property damage liability per accident

The city’s average car insurance cost is $14 less than the average full coverage cost in North Carolina. The national average car insurance premium costs $1,265 annually. When determining insurance costs, car insurance providers consider your location.