The vehicle model requiring insurance is probably the biggest factor when trying to find low-cost coverage for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with high performance features, poor passenger safety features, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost much more to insure than safer, lower-performance models.
The next list estimates auto insurance premiums for a handful of the cheapest vehicles to insure in North Carolina.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $1,141 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $1,147 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,147 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,177 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $1,247 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,272 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $1,288 |
| GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 2WD | $1,293 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $1,303 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,293 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LTZ Crew Cab 4WD | $1,299 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $1,293 |
| Nissan Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $1,303 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $1,320 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,356 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD | $1,362 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,393 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Premium data assumes single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in Raleigh, NC location which can impact coverage prices substantially.
Based upon the rates shown, we can conclude that vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Explorer, and Ford Escape will definitely be some of the less-costly vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
Finding decent, low-cost car insurance is not most people’s favorite thing to do, and finding out which company quotes the cheapest auto insurance rates for infrequent drivers will take a little more work. Each insurer uses a different method to set their prices, so let’s take a look at the auto insurance companies with the most affordable rates in Raleigh.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance in North Carolina
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Progressive | $632 |
| 2 | Utica National | $662 |
| 3 | Liberty Mutual | $700 |
| 4 | NC Farm Bureau | $730 |
| 5 | GEICO | $742 |
| 6 | Penn National | $747 |
| 7 | State Farm | $749 |
| 8 | Titan | $751 |
| 9 | Auto-Owners | $852 |
| 10 | National General | $890 |
| 11 | Allied | $892 |
| 12 | Erie | $895 |
| 13 | Travelers | $909 |
| 14 | Peerless | $1,002 |
| 15 | MetLife | $1,007 |
| 16 | Encompass | $1,031 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $1,032 |
| 18 | Nationwide | $1,041 |
| 19 | Allstate | $1,064 |
| 20 | Safeco | $1,076 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
Progressive generally has some of the best car insurance rates in Raleigh at around $632 a year. Utica National, Liberty Mutual, NC Farm Bureau, and GEICO also qualify as some of the more affordable Raleigh, NC auto insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you are a customer of NC Farm Bureau and switched to Utica National, you might achieve a yearly savings of roughly $68. Drivers with GEICO may save as much as $80 a year, and Penn National policyholders might realize rate reductions of up to $85 a year.
Understand that those premium estimates are averages across all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and and are not figured with an exact vehicle garaging location for infrequent drivers. So the auto insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 20 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get quotes using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.
Discounts on Raleigh auto insurance
Car insurance companies that provide policies for infrequent drivers may additionally offer price discounts that could reduce prices by 40% or more if you meet certain criteria. Popular auto insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are detailed below.
- AAA offers discounts including pay-in-full, multi-car, multi-policy, education and occupation, and AAA membership discount.
- Progressive may include discounts for good student, homeowner, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, online signing, and online quote discount.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, Steer Clear safe driver discount, passive restraint, student away at school, and anti-theft.
- Esurance includes discounts for defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, multi-car, anti-theft, and good driver.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for business or organization, accident-free, defensive driving, anti-theft, family plan, Farm Bureau membership, and easy pay.
The illustration below illustrates the difference between insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The rate quotes are based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the price with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with claim-free, passive restraint, vehicle safety, homeowner, marriage, and anti-theft discounts applied. When taking advantage of discounts, theaverage yearly reduction on auto insurance for infrequent drivers is 28% or $488.
Cost of full coverage
Saving money when shopping for auto insurance is the goal of the majority of vehicle owners, and one easy way to lower the cost of insurance for infrequent drivers is to buy liability only. The example below visualizes the comparison of insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The information is based on no claims or driving violations, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
As an average for all age groups, physical damage coverage costs $1,181 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. That is a large expense and it proposes the question when is it a good idea to stop buying full coverage. There isn’t a written rule of when to phase out full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your vehicle’s book value is $11,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $10,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $1,000 annually to have full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some conditions where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.
How to find cheaper insurance for infrequent drivers
Below you’ll find some of the better penny-pinching solutions that can help North Carolina drivers locate low-cost auto insurance.
- Drop full coverage on older vehicles
- Accident-free drivers may qualify for discounts
- Serious violations like DUI or reckless driving can increase rates dramatically
- Pay less by remaining claim-free
- Increase your policy deductibles
- Comparison shop frequently
The last item on the list is extraordinarily valuable, as we discussed in this write-up. Prices charged by car insurance companies can change significantly in a year, so drivers shouldn’t be resistant to buy from a different company if you can save money.
Having a favorite company is great, but it isn’t a good idea if that loyalty ends up costing potentially thousands of dollars a year. Now is a great time to shop around and find cheaper insurance for infrequent drivers in Raleigh.
The auto insurance agents in Raleigh shown below can probably provide answers to your questions and help you determine which insurance coverage will be best for you, as lots of people like to have the advice of a professional agent when buying car insurance for low mileage drivers. It can be hard to find the best coverage on your own, so a professional agent can give satisfaction knowing your coverage gives you suitable coverage if you ever need to use it. To find an auto insurance agency nearest to you, click the button at the bottom of the list or click here to get price quotes now.
IGO Insurance Agency Inc.
8117 Ebenezer Church Rd – Raleigh, NC 27612 – (919) 782-1560
Nationwide Insurance: Christopher D Edwards Agency
3901 Capital Blvd Ste 121 – Raleigh, NC 27604 – (919) 872-0130
State Farm: Lisa Davis
8201 Rowlock Way Suite 112 – Raleigh, NC 27613 – (919) 782-3333