north carolina car insurance

Welcome to our guide to car insurance in the Tar Heel State. Car insurance is never simple, but this fact sheet can give you a better understanding of how insurance operates in your home state.

North Carolina car insurance

The state requires its drivers to maintain car insurance policies that include liability insurance with the following minimum limits:

$30,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
$60,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per incident
$25,000 of property damage liability coverage per incident

You might see these limits written as 30/60/25.

North Carolina also requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage with the same minimum limits. This coverage offers financial protection from drivers who are uninsured or lack sufficient coverage.

Esurance in North Carolina

Good news, Tar Heels: Esurance has arrived.

Optional car insurance coverages

Collision coverage
Comprehensive coverage
Medical payments coverage
Extended Transportation Expense (rental car) coverage
Towing and labor
Customized parts and equipment coverage
Audio, Visual, and Data Electronic Equipment coverage

Money-saving discounts available

Anti-Theft Device discount
Claim-Free discount
Defensive Driver discount
Fast 5^® discount (for starting a quote online)
Good Student discount
Homeowners discount
Multi-Car discount
Paid-in-Full discount
Safety Device discount

Find out more about our discounts.

Discounts are subject to eligibility. If you're a current policyholder with questions about your discounts, give us a call at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262).

Why you pay what you pay for car insurance

The following can affect your car insurance rates:

Where you live
Driving record and any SDIP points
The coverages, limits, and deductibles you choose
Type of car you drive
How you use your car (commuting, Sunday drives through the
country, etc.)
Credit-based insurance score

Esurance-approved car repair shops in North Carolina

If you're an Esurance customer, you can take your car to an E-star^® shop and take advantage of RepairView^® as well as guaranteed repairs for as long as you own the car.

Find a repair shop near you.

More info on North Carolina car insurance

North Carolina's Safe Driver Incentive Plan

The state uses the Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP) to make sure good drivers are rewarded with lower car insurance rates.

In practice, SDIP works hand-in-hand with your driving record by adding points for violations and certain at-fault car accidents. Each point correlates to a significant increase in premium. Earning just one point, for instance, can lead to a 30 percent increase in your annual premium.

By maintaining a clean driving record with zero SDIP points, you can expect to pay less for car insurance than drivers with a riskier history.

Proof of insurance

Car insurance companies supply North Carolina drivers with insurance ID cards. You can also use Form DL-123, your original liability insurance policy contract, or a valid binder to show proof of your car insurance.

A licensed insurance agent can help you get a DL-123.

Uninsured drivers in North Carolina

A recent report from the Insurance Research Council estimated that 14 percent of North Carolina drivers were uninsured. That's a bit higher than the national average of 13.8 percent.

Uninsured motorist coverage can come in handy after an accident caused by an uninsured driver.

Reinsurance facility for high-risk drivers

North Carolina law mandates that car insurance companies cannot refuse to cover potential customers with the state-required liability limits. If an insurer deems a driver too risky, the company can place the customer into the "reinsurance facility." The goal of this "facility" is to make sure North Carolina drivers have access to car insurance coverage.

Reinsurance facility customers can choose the following coverages up to a maximum limit:

Bodily injury liability per person: $100,000
Bodily injury liability per accident: $300,000
Property damage liability per accident: $50,000
Medical payments coverage per person: $2,000
Uninsured motorist coverage per person: $1,000,000

Esurance Car Insurance

north carolina car insurance