Cheapest Auto Insurance in Raleigh, North Carolina (2025)

Raleigh, North Carolina, is the capital and the second-largest city in the state. With its prevalence of stately oak trees, it’s also known as the City of Oaks.

Drivers in Raleigh pay an overall average rate of $81 per month for car insurance, similar to the state average monthly rate of $75 and less than the national monthly average of $144. These low car insurance rates can be partly attributed to the city’s relatively low cost of living. 

The best car insurance in Raleigh will vary from driver to driver since multiple factors affect your rates. Here’s what you need to know about comparing quotes and finding the best car insurance coverage in Raleigh.

3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Raleigh

The right car insurance company won’t be the same for every driver in Raleigh. Your individual circumstances and insurance needs will affect which company has the best rates and options for you.

That’s partially because each insurer uses several factors to calculate premium prices, including your age, marital status, ZIP code, driving history, and even credit score.

Though each situation is different, drivers in Raleigh may want to look for affordable coverage from Travelers, Erie, and GEICO. 

Best insurer for additional coverage: Travelers

Best insurer for customer satisfaction: Erie

Best insurer for discounts: GEICO

How to get the cheapest car insurance in Raleigh

Insurance companies use a number of different factors to calculate a driver’s rates, and the importance of any one factor will vary from one insurer to another.

But you can use several tried-and-true strategies to make sure you find the insurance you need at a price you can afford:

• Be a defensive driver. Maintaining a clean driving record with no traffic violations, citations, or accidents is the single most effective way to keep your auto insurance costs low.

• Compare quotes. Since each insurance company uses different underwriting requirements to determine your rates, shopping around to check rates from multiple companies can help you find the best price for your circumstances.

• Take advantage of discounts. The majority of insurers offer discounts to customers. Some common discounts may include a loyalty program, which lowers all your rates if you bundle home insurance or renters insurance with car insurance, vehicle equipment discounts, affiliation discounts, and discounts for driver’s education.

• Raise your deductible. A higher deductible will result in lower premium rates. But make sure you’re comfortable paying the deductible amount out of pocket if you need to file a claim.

Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Raleigh: Progressive

Liability-only car insurance will pay to repair or replace the other party’s damaged vehicle and for the other party’s associated medical costs after an accident. If you have liability-only car insurance and cause an accident, you’ll have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace your car and for your own medical costs. A liability-only policy typically works better for drivers with older, less-expensive vehicles that are no longer financed.

Liability insurance costs an average of $66 per month in Raleigh.

You can save money on premiums with liability-only coverage since it’s less expensive than full-coverage insurance. The following insurers offer the cheapest liability-only car insurance in Raleigh.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Raleigh: Nationwide

Liability-only coverage may not be enough insurance for many drivers. Full-coverage car insurance, which usually includes collision and comprehensive coverage, costs more but can offer more security.

Raleigh drivers pay a monthly average of $96 for full-coverage insurance.

Collision coverage will pay for the damage to your car if you cause an accident, and comprehensive coverage will pay to repair or replace your car if it gets damaged by something other than an accident — such as weather, theft, vandalism, or flooding.

If you lease or finance a car, you’ll usually need to carry full-coverage car insurance because most lenders require it. New-car owners and people who park overnight on the street may also find full coverage a good idea. 

Here are the cheapest full-coverage car insurance companies in Raleigh.

Car insurance requirements in North Carolina

As an at-fault state, North Carolina requires the driver who causes an accident to pay for damages. In other words, if you cause an accident, your insurance will pay for repairs or medical costs.

What makes the Tar Heel State a little unusual is its pure contributory negligence rule for at-fault accidents. Under this rule, you can’t sue another party for damages if you’re determined to share any portion of fault for an accident — even as little as 1% fault.1

In addition, North Carolina requires all drivers to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This insurance kicks in if an uninsured driver causes an accident that damages your property or incurs medical costs. Since it’s required by North Carolina law, any policy you purchase in the state will include this coverage to meet the minimum state requirements.2

The specific coverage limits required in the state increase on July 1, 2025. The table below reflects the change in requirements:2

You may also purchase additional coverage on top of your state-mandated liability coverage. Some common coverage options include:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident

Having an incident on your driving record — such as a speeding ticket, an at-fault accident, a DUI, or another moving violation — can increase your car insurance costs. Drivers with moving violations represent a higher level of risk to insurers, which is why they pay higher rates than drivers with a clean record.

But drivers with a spotty history can still find affordable car insurance. Many insurers offer accident forgiveness, defensive driving courses, and other ways to save on car insurance after an incident.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket

Getting a speeding ticket may seem like no big deal, so it can come as a surprise when one causes your car insurance premiums to increase. There’s a reason insurance companies take citations for speeding so seriously: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 32% of traffic fatalities in North Carolina were speeding-related in 2020.3

Liability insurance in Raleigh costs an average of $91 per month with a speeding ticket.

Drivers in Raleigh with a speeding ticket may find the cheapest car insurance from the following companies:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an at-fault accident

If you have an at-fault accident on your record, you can generally expect higher rates than accident-free drivers. Depending on your driving history and the circumstances and severity of the accident, your insurer may even drop you after an at-fault accident.

Raleigh drivers with an at-fault accident pay an average of $95 per month for liability coverage and $138 per month for full coverage.

The following companies offer the cheapest policies in Raleigh for drivers with an at-fault accident:

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI

Insurance companies take driving under the influence very seriously. You’ll see your rates increase significantly after a DUI — if your insurance company doesn’t drop you altogether.

Drivers in Raleigh with a DUI pay a monthly average of $108 for minimum coverage. That average increases to $156 per month for full coverage.

That doesn’t mean you can’t find affordable options after a DUI, though. A number of insurance companies specialize in insuring tough-to-insure drivers, and many traditional insurers work with drivers with a DUI. Just be prepared to pay more for your insurance than you did before the DUI conviction.

The following insurers offer some of the most affordable monthly rates to drivers with a DUI in Raleigh:

Cheapest car insurance for seniors

Auto insurance rates tend to be the most expensive for younger drivers, with rates generally decreasing for most drivers around age 35. If you’re a safe driver, your rates will usually stay low until you hit your 70s. Around age 70, insurance rates tend to increase as senior drivers are more likely to get into accidents or get seriously injured in an accident.

Senior drivers in Raleigh pay a monthly average of $60 for liability insurance.

The following insurance companies offer the lowest monthly rates for senior drivers in Raleigh:

Cheapest car insurance for teens

Teenage drivers pay the highest premiums of any age demographic because they’re inexperienced behind the wheel. The higher risk level makes this age group the most likely to get into accidents, and insurance companies charge accordingly.

Teen drivers in Raleigh pay monthly averages of $130 for liability coverage and $189 for full coverage.

While teen drivers will eventually age out of this high-cost demographic, several strategies can help reduce insurance costs right away. These include:

• Drive a safe car. Insurance companies like to see teens driving cars with practical safety features. If you need recommendations for affordable, safe cars, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety put together a list of vehicles suitable for teen drivers.

• Get good grades. Many insurance companies offer good student discounts to teen drivers who maintain a high GPA.

• Learn defensive driving skills. Taking a driver education course focused on safety and defensive driving may also make a teen driver eligible for a discount.

• Stay on your parent’s insurance policy. Though teen drivers may qualify for an auto insurance policy on their own, it’s typically much cheaper to stay on a parent’s insurance.

Teen drivers in Raleigh will find the lowest monthly car insurance rates from the following companies:

Raleigh car insurance quotes by credit tier

Insurers in North Carolina can use your credit history when determining your car insurance premium. Drivers with fair or poor credit scores typically face higher premiums than drivers with good or excellent scores.

Here’s how much a driver’s credit tier can influence average car insurance prices in Raleigh:

Is car insurance more expensive in Raleigh?

The cost of car insurance in Raleigh is significantly less than the national average. Raleigh drivers pay an average of $96 per month for full coverage and $66 per month for liability-only coverage, but the national average price for auto insurance is $184 monthly for full coverage and $104 monthly for liability-only coverage.

Everything from geographic location, population density, crime statistics, and demographics can all factor into the price of an insurance policy. This helps explain why Raleigh’s average monthly premium costs are lower than the national average. It also explains why prices can vary within a single city.

More cities in North Carolina

See how Raleigh’s rates compare to some other North Carolina cities in the table below.