In an ideal world, we could simply tell you the one auto insurance company that is cheapest in North Carolina. It’s just not that simple, as there are many unknown elements like your date of birth, how high your deductibles should be, and if you are married, that all impact the price you pay. The information below covers the best ways to find cheap auto insurance and will give you a good beginning to your search for cheaper coverage.
For state and federal workers, one of the big things that aid in calculating the amount you pay for auto insurance is where your car is garaged in Durham. Cities with more crime and/or more people tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas less populated areas receive better rates.
The following table shows the most expensive places in North Carolina for government employees to buy car insurance in. Durham ranks #5 with a yearly cost of $789 on average, which is around $66 per month.
| Rank | City | Average Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville | $905 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | $891 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $816 |
| 4 | Gastonia | $811 |
| 5 | Durham | $789 |
| 6 | Wilmington | $788 |
| 7 | Greensboro | $779 |
| 8 | Raleigh | $760 |
| 9 | Wilson | $754 |
| 10 | High Point | $753 |
| 11 | Indian Trail | $745 |
| 12 | Goldsboro | $743 |
| 13 | Cary | $742 |
| 14 | Huntersville | $734 |
| 15 | Hickory | $732 |
| 16 | Greenville | $730 |
| 17 | Apex | $725 |
| 18 | Chapel Hill | $724 |
| 19 | Rocky Mount | $718 |
| 20 | Burlington | $699 |
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Rates are approximated as the specific geographic location can influence rates noticeably.
The make and model of vehicle that needs insurance is probably the biggest factor when comparison shopping for the most affordable auto insurance for government employees. Vehicles with high performance features, poor passenger safety features, or high incidents of liability claims will cost quite a bit more to insure than safer models.
The next list illustrates coverage rates for a selection of the most economical vehicles to insure.
| Vehicle Insured | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Toyota Prius | $1,226 |
| Ford Explorer XLT 2WD | $1,245 |
| Honda Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $1,271 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,286 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,312 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $1,321 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab 2WD | $1,338 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,346 |
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,360 |
| Ford Escape XLT 2WD | $1,366 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment | $1,381 |
| Ford Edge Sport 2WD | $1,386 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,408 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $1,501 |
| Kia Optima SX | $1,510 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,506 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $1,525 |
| Honda Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,556 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,562 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,577 |
| Toyota Corolla LE | $1,584 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,611 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $1,621 |
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Data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Information does not factor in specific location information which can alter premiums noticeably.
Based upon the table data, we can conclude that vehicles like the Toyota Prius, Ford Explorer, Honda Accord, and Toyota Tacoma will be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for state and federal workers.
Deciphering which companies offer the most affordable car insurance rates for government employees involves a little more sweat than just getting one or two price quotes.
Each insurance company has a proprietary method to establish rates, so let’s look at the rankings for the most affordable car insurance companies in Durham. It’s important to understand that Durham car insurance rates are impacted by many factors that control the cost of having a policy. Improving your credit rating, having a claim, or having an accident can trigger changes in premium that can cause some rates to be more affordable than competitors.
Best Auto Insurance Prices in North Carolina
Progressive normally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Durham at around $639 a year. Utica National, NC Farm Bureau, Penn National, and Liberty Mutual also are some of the most economical Durham, NC car insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you have coverage with Penn National and switched to Utica National, you may realize a yearly price reduction of upwards of $62. Insureds with Liberty Mutual might save as much as $66 a year, and Titan customers might lower prices by up to $82 a year.
Understand that those premiums are averages for all drivers and vehicles in North Carolina and and are not figured with an exact location for government employees. So the car insurance company that is best for you may not even be in the list above. That helps illustrate why you need to compare as many prices as possible using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
Violations and accidents raise rates
The obvious way to snag low car insurance prices in Durham for state and federal workers is to drive attentively and not get tickets or have accidents. The illustration below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can raise yearly insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The costs are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
The chart shows that the average cost of auto insurance per year with no violations or accidents is $1,474. Receive two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $2,101, an increase of $628 each year. Now add in two accidents along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of car insurance for government employees goes up to an average of $4,350. That’s an increase of $2,876, or $240 per month, just for being a less-than-perfect driver!
Buying coverage from the right insurance company can be a challenge considering how many choices there are in North Carolina. The company ratings listed below can help you choose which providers to look at purchasing coverage from.
These ratings are only made up of major nationwide insurance companies, so companies that focus mainly on North Carolina business are not included in the list. If you would like to check rates from the insurers below and more, click this link.
| 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 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| 21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Full coverage versus liability-only in Durham
Saving on car insurance is probably important to the majority of vehicle owners, and one easy way to pay lower rates for insurance for government employees is to buy liability only. The illustration below illustrates the comparison of insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data assumes no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
If the expense is averaged for all age categories, full coverage costs $1,918 per year more than just buying liability insurance. That touches on the question if buying full coverage is worth the money. There is no set guideline for phasing out comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some situations where only buying liability is not a good idea. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to carry full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
The insurance agencies below are willing to help you determine which insurance coverage will be best for you, as many consumers aren’t sure which coverage to buy and prefer to have the advice of a professional agent when comparing insurance rates for state and federal workers. It can be hard to find the cheapest rate yourself, and a professional agent can give satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you sufficient coverage at claim time.
To find a Durham insurance agent nearest to you, click the link after the list or click here to compare rates now.
- Allstate Insurance Agent: Michelle Riley
6015 Fayetteville Rd Ste 115 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 544-2155 - Joshua E. Matthews Insurance Agency, Inc.
2144 Page Rd Suite 106 – Durham, NC 27703 – (919) 598-6800 - John Moore – State Farm Insurance Agent
1107 W Main St #201 – Durham, NC 27701 – (919) 598-7900