Despite having one of the highest accident rates in the state in 2022, Asheville has average car insurance rates well below the North Carolina and U.S. averages. Full coverage costs $72 per month and minimum coverage averages $51 monthly in Asheville, according to Insurify data. By comparison, the North Carolina monthly averages are $87 for full coverage and $62 for liability-only policies.
Asheville's walkability may influence car insurance rates in the city of 93,776 residents.1 Much of the city's downtown area is pedestrian and bike friendly, and Asheville supports an ongoing program to maintain sidewalks throughout the downtown area.
But Asheville drivers may be able to save even more by comparing car insurance quotes from multiple companies. Here's what to know about buying car insurance in Asheville, North Carolina.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Asheville
You have unique needs when shopping for coverage, which means the best insurer for one driver may not provide the best coverage for another. For some drivers, the best auto insurance company has the cheapest rates. For others, the best insurer offers the most coverage options or has the best customer service.
Here are a few of the cheapest car insurance companies in Asheville for different coverage types and driver profiles.
Best for cheap rates: Midvale Home & Auto
Best for drivers with an incident: Erie
Best for senior drivers: GEICO
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Asheville
When shopping for car insurance in Asheville, you want to get the best rate. However, car insurance rates depend on many factors, like your age, driving record, insurer, and vehicle type.
Here are a few tips for getting the cheapest car insurance for your situation:
Find discounts. Most car insurance companies offer discounts. Some of the most common discounts reward you for bundling policies, paying your premium in full, insuring multiple vehicles, earning good grades, and insuring a car with safety features.
Choose high deductibles. For car insurance policies that require a deductible, choosing high deductibles can lower your monthly premium. However, make sure you can afford the higher deductible in case you need to file a claim.
Take a defensive driving course. Many insurers provide a discount to drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course.
Maintain a clean record. Drivers with a clean record usually pay the lowest insurance rates. Avoid accidents, tickets, and other traffic violations to keep your insurance costs low.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Asheville: Progressive
Per state law, Asheville drivers must have liability-only car insurance. If you cause an accident, personal liability insurance compensates the other driver for their losses, including bodily injury and property damage. Liability-only car insurance doesn’t provide any protection for your medical expenses or vehicle damages, but it does cover resulting legal fees.2
On average, Asheville drivers pay $51 per month for minimum-coverage car insurance. In the table below, you can see which car insurance companies in Asheville offer the cheapest liability-only insurance.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Asheville: Nationwide
Full-coverage auto insurance typically includes liability, collision, comprehensive, and medical payments insurance. If you lease or finance a vehicle, your lender may require you to purchase this coverage. You should consider full coverage to provide physical damage protection for new or high-value vehicles. Otherwise, you may face high out-of-pocket expenses for repairs.
Full-coverage auto insurance costs, on average, $72 per month in Asheville. Here are the cheapest car insurance companies in Asheville for full-coverage insurance.
Car insurance requirements in North Carolina
Car insurance is a legal requirement in the state of North Carolina. All vehicle owners must carry a minimum amount of personal liability insurance.1 The state minimum-coverage requirements may not cover the full cost of an at-fault accident, so you may want to choose higher coverage limits when you purchase a policy.
The specific coverage limits required in the state increase on July 1, 2025. The table below reflects the change in requirements:1
Common optional coverages to consider for more robust protection include:
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Having an incident — like a speeding ticket, at-fault accident, or DUI — on your driving record usually causes your car insurance premium to increase. From the perspective of an insurance company, drivers with past moving violations are riskier to insure than people with a clean record.4
However, the specific cost increase after an incident will depend on your insurance company and the specific violation. For example, someone with a severe violation or multiple incidents typically pays more for insurance than a driver with a single speeding ticket.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Nationwide
Though less severe than some infractions, a speeding ticket can affect the cost of your auto insurance. If you have multiple speeding tickets in a short period of time, you’ll face even higher rates.
A speeding ticket bumps the average cost of full-coverage car insurance to $99 per month in Asheville. In the table below, you can see the monthly auto insurance quotes for Asheville drivers with a speeding ticket.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident: Erie
If you cause an accident, your car insurance premium will almost always increase. Your insurer, previous accident history, and the severity of the accident all influence specific premium changes.
An at-fault accident bumps the average cost of full coverage in Asheville to $103 per month. Here are the cheapest car insurance companies for drivers in Asheville with an at-fault accident.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: Erie
No matter where you live, a DUI conviction typically leads to significantly higher car insurance rates. Due to the severity of the offense, insurers consider people with a DUI conviction as high-risk drivers to insure.
Asheville drivers with DUIs on their records face average car insurance costs of $117 per month for full coverage and $83 for liability only. In the table below, you can see which car insurance providers in Asheville have the cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their record.
Cheapest car insurance for seniors: Nationwide
“There are numerous factors that impact the cost of car insurance, including the age of the driver,” says P.J. Miller, vice president of Wallace & Turner Inc. For most drivers, rates decrease around the age of 35 and start increasing again for drivers 75 and older. However, the cost of car insurance for seniors depends on the insurance company.
The average monthly cost of car insurance for Asheville seniors is $65 for full coverage and $46 for liability-only insurance. Here are the insurance companies in Asheville with the lowest rates for seniors.
Cheapest car insurance for teens: Progressive
Teenagers typically pay much higher rates for auto insurance than adults. Insurers consider young drivers to be high-risk drivers due to a lack of driving experience. Additionally, statistics show that teens are more likely to get into accidents than older drivers.5
Although most teens pay expensive insurance premiums, you can attempt to earn a lower rate. For example, driving a safe vehicle and getting good grades in school could help you earn discounts on your policy. Also, it’s usually cheaper for teens to stay insured on their parents’ policy.
The average monthly cost of car insurance for Asheville teens is $142 for full coverage and $51 for liability insurance. In the table below, you can see the cheapest insurers in Asheville for teens.
Asheville car insurance quotes by credit tier
In North Carolina, car insurance companies can use credit-based insurance scores. When you apply for a policy, the insurer may consider your credit score when calculating your rate. Drivers with excellent or good credit usually pay lower rates than drivers with poor credit.
Below, you can see the average car insurance rates for drivers in Asheville by credit tier.
Is car insurance more expensive in Asheville?
Compared to the national average rate, car insurance in Asheville is affordable. The average car insurance premium in the U.S. is $184 per month for full coverage and $104 per month for liability coverage. For comparison, the average insurance rate in Asheville is $72 per month for full coverage and $51 for liability.
Within North Carolina, Asheville drivers earn lower rates than many other cities in the state. Specific location-based factors that influence rates include an area’s crime rates, accident rates, population density, and traffic congestion. Even your ZIP code affects how insurers assess your risk level.
More cities in North Carolina
Car insurance is cheaper in Asheville than in many other North Carolina cities. Factors like a city’s number of uninsured drivers, vehicle theft rate, and more can influence premiums.
Here are average monthly rates for other cities in North Carolina.