The car, truck, or SUV requiring insurance is one of the primary factors when comparing economical coverage for police officers. Vehicles with lots of horsepower, poor safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost substantially more to insure than safer, lower-performance models. The next table illustrates car insurance rates for a number of the cheapest vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $1,189 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $1,229 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,239 |
| Honda Odyssey EX W/Rear Entertainment | $1,271 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,277 |
| Ford Edge Limited 2WD | $1,271 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LS AWD | $1,297 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,311 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LT | $1,321 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $1,327 |
| Toyota Camry SE | $1,368 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,377 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2WD | $1,392 |
| Chevrolet Impala LT | $1,418 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,428 |
| Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T Station Wagon | $1,436 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 4WD | $1,458 |
| Ford Fusion SEL AWD 4-Dr Sedan | $1,488 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Super Cab 2WD | $1,491 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,498 |
| Toyota Corolla S | $1,495 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,526 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LTZ Extended Cab 4WD | $1,559 |
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Data variables include single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in zip code location which can decrease or increase premiums noticeably.
Looking at the data, we can conclude that vehicles like the Honda Accord, Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V are most likely to be the most affordable vehicles to insure for law enforcement personnel.
For law enforcement personnel, one of the big considerations that are used to help calculate the amount you pay for auto insurance is the neighborhood you call home. Areas with increased crime or more people likely pay more, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims have the gratification of cheaper auto insurance rates.
The next table rates the most costly cities in North Carolina for police officers to buy car insurance in. Durham comes in at #8 with the yearly price of $765 for the average policyholder, which is around $64 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville | $923 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | $900 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $832 |
| 4 | Gastonia | $787 |
| 5 | Greensboro | $786 |
| 6 | Cary | $772 |
| 7 | Wilmington | $765 |
| 8 | Durham | $765 |
| 9 | Raleigh | $760 |
| 10 | Huntersville | $756 |
| 11 | Rocky Mount | $748 |
| 12 | Wilson | $746 |
| 13 | Indian Trail | $745 |
| 14 | Goldsboro | $743 |
| 15 | Greenville | $738 |
| 16 | Hickory | $732 |
| 17 | High Point | $731 |
| 18 | Apex | $717 |
| 19 | Salisbury | $705 |
| 20 | Chapel Hill | $696 |
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Price information shown is comparative as the specific geographic location can change rates noticeably.
Discount Durham insurance rates
Car insurance companies that sell policies for police officers may provide premium discounts that can lower rates by as much as 40% or more if you meet eligibility requirements. Large car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be found below.
- State Farm has savings for passive restraint, student away at school, good driver, driver’s education, multiple autos, safe vehicle, and good student.
- GEICO includes discounts for federal employee, membership and employees, daytime running lights, driver training, multi-policy, and air bags.
- SAFECO may include discounts for safe driver, anti-theft, teen safe driver, teen safety rewards, and drive less.
- Farmers Insurance may have discounts that include distant student, electronic funds transfer, early shopping, youthful driver, and multi-car.
- AAA has discounts for anti-theft, good driver, multi-car, education and occupation, pay-in-full, and multi-policy.
- USAA offers discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, annual mileage, multi-policy, family discount, military installation, and vehicle storage.
The illustration below compares insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The costs are based on a female driver, no violations or claims, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average rate with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with marriage, vehicle safety, claim-free, safe-driver, multiple vehicle, and homeowner discounts applied. With discounts applied, theaverage yearly reduction on car insurance for police officers is 28% or $468.
Difference between full coverage and liability only rates
Lowering the price of car insurance is important to most drivers, and one good way to buy cheap insurance for police officers is to only buy liability insurance. The chart below compares car insurance costs with and without full coverage. The price estimates are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.
If the expense is averaged for all age categories, physical damage coverage costs $1,181 per year more than just insuring for liability. At some point, about every driver wonders when is the right time to remove full coverage. There isn’t a written rule for excluding physical damage coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s book value is $9,500 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $8,500 after the deductible is paid. If premiums are more than $850 a year for full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
How to find low-cost auto insurance for police officers
It is possible to find better rates, and here are a few penny-pinching solutions that can help North Carolina drivers buy lower-cost car insurance.
- Bundle home or renters insurance to earn a discount on car insurance
- Safe vehicles cost less to insure
- Do not get traffic tickets
- Staying accident-free helps keep rates low
- Don’t have frequent claims
- Compare rates once a year for cheaper prices
The last item on the list is incredibly important, as was discussed in this article. Rates in Durham change a lot, so don’t be unwilling to change to a new company if a cheaper price is available. Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but it’s not recommended if that inflexibility results in costing you thousands of dollars over the life of your policy. If you have a few minutes, shop around to find cheaper car insurance for police officers.