The words “affordable” and “insurance” really should not be used together, in particular when searching for the cheapest coverage for safe drivers. Let’s introduce you to a few of the things that have an impact on car insurance prices, and find a way to lower the price of your next policy.
Deciding which companies quote the cheapest car insurance rates for safe drivers involves a bit more work in order to find the most economical policy. Each insurance company has a proprietary method to set policy rates, so let’s examine the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in Charlotte, NC.
It’s important that you understand Charlotte car insurance rates are influenced by many factors that can increase the policy price. Simply getting older, adding a teenager to your policy, or getting a driving violation can trigger changes in premium that can make some companies cheaper than others.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes for Safe Drivers
Progressive may have some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Charlotte at around $632 per year. Utica National, Liberty Mutual, NC Farm Bureau, and Titan would also make the list of some of the cheapest Charlotte, NC insurance companies.
In the above example, if you currently have coverage with NC Farm Bureau and switched to Progressive, you might realize a yearly price reduction of in the vicinity of $84. North Carolina drivers with Titan might save as much as $105 a year, and Penn National insureds might lower prices by $107 a year.
If you want to find out if you’re overpaying, click here to start a quote or visit several of the following companies.
Bear in mind that those policy rates are averages across all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and and are not calculated with a vehicle location for safe drivers. So the company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The vehicle you are seeking coverage for is a large consideration when shopping for low-cost coverage for safe drivers. Vehicles with more horsepower, a lack of safety features, or a track record of large liability claims will cost significantly more to insure than safer, lower-performance models. The next table presents coverage rates for the most cost-effective vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,296 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,311 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,318 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,337 |
| Ford Explorer Limited 2WD | $1,362 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Crew | $1,369 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,405 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,411 |
| Chevrolet Impala LTZ | $1,407 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,427 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport Islander Package 4WD 2-Dr | $1,433 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,432 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,434 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,458 |
| Honda Accord LX-S 2-Dr Coupe | $1,506 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 4WD | $1,521 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,531 |
| Ford F-350 Super Cab XLT Turbo Diesel 2WD | $1,555 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $1,563 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,601 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,615 |
| Ford Edge Sport AWD | $1,621 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $1,642 |
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Prices based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and safe-driver. Prices do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can decrease or increase insurance rates considerably.
By looking at the data, makes and models like the Honda CR-V, Honda Civic, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota RAV4, and Ford Explorer will be a few of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure for good drivers.
One of the more important criteria that determine insurance cost is where you live. Cities with larger populations or higher claim trends will most likely pay more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates profit from lower rates.
The illustration below shows the most expensive areas in North Carolina for safe drivers to purchase car insurance in. Charlotte is listed at #3 with the annual price of $832 on average, which is about $69 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville | $923 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | $864 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $832 |
| 4 | Durham | $797 |
| 5 | Gastonia | $787 |
| 6 | Greensboro | $779 |
| 7 | Wilmington | $765 |
| 8 | Goldsboro | $765 |
| 9 | Huntersville | $764 |
| 10 | Raleigh | $760 |
| 11 | Greenville | $760 |
| 12 | High Point | $753 |
| 13 | Cary | $749 |
| 14 | Wilson | $746 |
| 15 | Indian Trail | $745 |
| 16 | Rocky Mount | $740 |
| 17 | Apex | $725 |
| 18 | Winston Salem | $716 |
| 19 | Salisbury | $712 |
| 20 | Hickory | $711 |
| 21 | Chapel Hill | $703 |
| 22 | Concord | $690 |
| 23 | Burlington | $678 |
| 24 | Kannapolis | $676 |
| 25 | Asheville | $661 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | ||
Information shown are estimated as specific Charlotte garaging address can change prices greatly.
The illustration below highlights how deductible selection can change annual premium costs when trying to find cheap insurance for safe drivers. The premiums are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are applied.
In the chart above, a 50-year-old driver could save $238 a year by switching the physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $358 by changing to a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, such as the 20-year-old example, can save as much as $588 annually just by choosing higher deductibles.
When choosing a higher deductible, it’s a good idea to have enough spare savings to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the primary disadvantage of high deductibles.
Discounts on Charlotte insurance rates
Insurance providers that offer coverage for safe drivers could also offer discounts that can lower rates by as much as 40% or more if you can meet the requirements. A list of companies and some of the discounts are outlined below.
- State Farm may offer discounts for good driver, accident-free, driver’s education, multiple autos, anti-theft, and good student.
- GEICO discounts include federal employee, five-year accident-free, driver training, daytime running lights, and seat belt use.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for teen driver discount, newly married, preferred payment discount, multi-policy, safety features, and new graduate.
- The Hartford may have discounts that include vehicle fuel type, air bag, bundle, driver training, anti-theft, and good student.
- MetLife offers discounts for multi-policy, good student, good driver, accident-free, defensive driver, and claim-free.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
The diagram below shows the comparison of annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The information is based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multiple policy, passive restraint, safe-driver, multiple vehicle, anti-theft, and accident-free discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, theamount saved on car insurance for safe drivers is 27% or $309.
How careless driving impacts Charlotte car insurance rates
The ideal way to snag good car insurance rates in Charlotte for good drivers is to be a safe driver and avoid traffic citations and accidents. The diagram below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault claims influence auto insurance rates for different age categories. The costs are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
The data in the chart shows the average cost of auto insurance in North Carolina per year with a clean driving record and no accidents is $997. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost rises to $1,414, an increase of $416 each year. Then include one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the annual cost of car insurance for safe drivers goes up to an average of $1,831. That’s an increase of $833, or $69 per month, just for being a careless driver!
How to find economical car insurance for safe drivers
It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are some thrifty solutions that can help drivers find cheaper coverage.
- Safe vehicles generally have lower rates
- Higher deductibles save money
- Good credit can mean cheaper rates
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Drive safely
- At-fault accidents can raise rates significantly
- Look for cheaper rates once a year by shopping around
That last tip is highly significant, as we pointed out in this piece. Prices charged by companies in Charlotte fluctuate constantly, so you should be ready to change insurance companies if you find a cheaper price. Brand loyalty is great, but is isn’t recommended if it’s costing you lots of hard earned cash every month. It takes less than five minutes to compare rates to find cheaper car insurance for safe drivers.