What Car Insurance is Cheapest for High Risk Drivers in Raleigh?

The car, truck, or SUV that needs insurance is probably the biggest factor when comparing affordable insurance for high risk drivers. Vehicles with high performance features, poor safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than more modest models. The information below presents car insurance premiums for a selection of the most affordable vehicles to insure in North Carolina.

Cheapest Vehicles to Insure in Raleigh, NC
Make and Model Estimated Cost for Full Coverage
Ford Escape XLT 2WD $3,545
Honda CR-V LX 4WD $3,555
Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon $3,629
Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 2WD $3,728
Toyota Prius $3,818
Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment $3,992
Ford Edge Limited 2WD $3,999
Toyota Tacoma 4WD $4,014
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD $4,022
GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD $4,032
Chevrolet Impala LS $4,149
Chevrolet Silverado LS Extended Cab 4WD $4,153
Chevrolet Malibu LT $4,195
Dodge Grand Caravan Crew $4,201
Toyota RAV4 4WD $4,195
Ford Fusion Sport 4-Dr Sedan $4,252
Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD $4,260
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD $4,252
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab 2WD $4,329
Toyota Camry XLE $4,378
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Data assumes single male driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Prices do not factor in specific Raleigh, NC garaging location which can revise price quotes noticeably.

Looking at the rates, models like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, and Ford F-150 will be the less-costly vehicles to insure for high risk drivers. The cost of a car insurance policy will trend higher because there is a higher risk for high risk drivers, but overall those models will have the cheapest auto insurance rates available.

One of the many criteria that are looked at to determine the annual cost of car insurance is where your car is garaged in Raleigh. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have more expensive car insurance rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims receive better rates.

The next table rates the highest-priced areas in North Carolina for high risk drivers in which to purchase auto insurance. Raleigh comes in at #12 with an annual rate of $744 for the average policy, which is about $62 monthly.

How much does auto insurance cost in Raleigh?
Rank City Average Per Year
1 Fayetteville $896
2 Jacksonville $873
3 Charlotte $832
4 Durham $789
5 Gastonia $779
6 Goldsboro $765
7 Huntersville $764
8 Wilmington $758
9 Greensboro $756
10 Wilson $754
11 Cary $749
12 Raleigh $744
13 Rocky Mount $740
14 High Point $731
15 Greenville $730
16 Indian Trail $723
17 Hickory $718
18 Apex $717
19 Winston Salem $716
20 Salisbury $712
21 Kannapolis $697
22 Chapel Hill $696
23 Burlington $692
24 Asheville $681
25 Concord $676
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Prices are estimated as zip code location can decrease or increase coverage prices noticeably.

Deciphering which company offers the best car insurance rates for high risk drivers may require a little more effort than just getting one or two price quotes. Every insurance provider has a proprietary method to establish rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in North Carolina.

It’s a good idea to be aware that Raleigh car insurance rates are impacted by many factors that can increase the price you pay for coverage. Simply turning a year older, buying higher coverage limits, or getting a reckless driving citation can produce rate changes that can make some companies more affordable than competitors.

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Progressive may have some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Raleigh at around $632 each year. This is $240 less than the average price paid by North Carolina drivers of $872. Utica National, Liberty Mutual, NC Farm Bureau, and Penn National also qualify as some of the most economical Raleigh, NC car insurance companies.

In this example, if you are insured with Utica National and switched to Progressive, you could earn savings of roughly $23. Drivers with Liberty Mutual might save as much as $68 a year, and NC Farm Bureau customers might reduce prices by as much as $77 a year.

Be aware that those premium estimates are averages for all drivers and vehicles and do not factor in an exact zip code location for high risk drivers. So the insurer that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.

Full coverage rates compared to liability only

Lowering the price of car insurance is the goal of the majority of drivers, and one of the fastest ways to reduce the cost of insurance for high risk drivers is to not pay for full coverage. The chart below shows the difference between insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The information is based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no policy discounts are applied.

If we average the cost for ages 20 through 70, physical damage insurance costs an extra $1,053 per year more than insuring for liability only. That proposes the question if buying full coverage is a good investment. There is no definitive rule to stop buying physical damage insurance, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to keep full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage.

Choosing the best auto insurance company can be challenging considering how many choices drivers have in North Carolina. The company information in the lists below may help you analyze which companies to look at when comparing auto insurance rates for high risk drivers. These rankings only include companies who write in the majority of U.S. states, so companies that focus mainly on North Carolina business are not taken into consideration for this list.

Raleigh, NC Car Insurance Company Rankings
Company Value Customer Service Claims Customer Satisfaction A.M Best Rating Overall Score
Travelers 93 98 99 88% A++ 95.1
USAA 83 99 100 91% A++ 94.1
AAA Insurance 91 95 92 90% A 93.3
Nationwide 85 95 97 89% A+ 92.4
Allstate 77 100 97 88% A+ 90.7
State Farm 80 94 96 88% A++ 90.6
The Hartford 88 93 91 87% A+ 90.4
Safeco Insurance 91 95 85 88% A 90.2
Progressive 88 94 83 88% A+ 90.1
American Family 91 86 95 83% A 89.7
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies

The agents shown below can help you make a decision which insurance coverage you need, as many consumers aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to have a consultation when shopping around for cheaper insurance for high risk drivers. It can be hard to find the cheapest rate yourself, so insurance agents licensed in the state of North Carolina can bring satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you enough coverage if you have a claim. To find an agent closest to you, click the button following the list or click here to compare price quotes now.

J. Miller Lawson Agency – Nationwide Insurance
9360 Falls of Neuse Rd #201Raleigh, NC 27615(919) 676-5695

Blackmon Insurance
3416 Poole Rd # 110Raleigh, NC 27610(919) 231-8131

Snipes Insurance Services Inc
617 Oberlin RdRaleigh, NC 27605(919) 571-4335

Matt Roberts Agency, Inc.
1151 Falls River Avenue, Suite 105-ARaleigh, NC 27614(919) 845-2999

Carmen Ritz – State Farm Insurance Agent
1814 Oberlin Rd #101Raleigh, NC 27608(919) 783-8722

View map of Raleigh, NC insurance agents

How to find more affordable insurance for high risk drivers

The list below shows some money-saving suggestions that can help you quote cheap coverage.

The last suggestion is remarkably vital, as we hit on in this write-up. Coverage rates in Raleigh adjust often, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to change to a new company if a lower-cost policy is available. Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but it’s not a good idea if that dedication is costing a wad of cash every year. It only takes a couple minutes to compare prices to find cheaper insurance for high risk drivers.