You have most likely seen the commercials from companies like GEICO, The General, and Nationwide that guarantee huge savings, so drivers just need to pick the company with the cutest commercial, right?
It’s not that simple, unfortunately, as there are a whole slew of unknowns like what coverage limits you need, the area where you live, if you have a spouse, and whether or not your vehicle has good safety ratings. If you keep reading, we will teach you about the different ways you can keep rates low and will give you a solid foundation to find cheaper car insurance in Durham.
For new drivers, one of the largest components that are used to help calculate auto insurance rates is where you live. Areas with more people or even just a higher incidence of claims tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims tend to receive cheaper rates.
The illustration below shows the most expensive areas in North Carolina for inexperienced drivers to buy car insurance in. Durham comes in at #6 with a yearly cost of $773 for the average policy, which is approximately $64 each month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayetteville | $923 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | $864 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $808 |
| 4 | Gastonia | $787 |
| 5 | Wilmington | $781 |
| 6 | Durham | $773 |
| 7 | Greensboro | $763 |
| 8 | Raleigh | $760 |
| 9 | Cary | $749 |
| 10 | Indian Trail | $745 |
| 11 | Hickory | $740 |
| 12 | Greenville | $738 |
| 13 | Goldsboro | $735 |
| 14 | Huntersville | $734 |
| 15 | Rocky Mount | $726 |
| 16 | Apex | $725 |
| 17 | Wilson | $724 |
| 18 | High Point | $723 |
| 19 | Chapel Hill | $717 |
| 20 | Winston Salem | $716 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Premium costs are comparative as specific Durham garaging address can change rates considerably.
Finding dependable, affordable auto insurance is not always easy, and finding out which insurers offer the lowest-priced insurance rates for inexperienced drivers will involve even more diligence. Each auto insurer uses a slightly different approach to set their prices, so first let’s look at the rankings for the insurance companies with the overall best prices in North Carolina.
It’s important to know that North Carolina insurance rates are based on many factors that will increase or decrease the price you have to pay. This price variation is why drivers need to compare lots of rates when trying to find the most affordable auto insurance rates for inexperienced drivers. Insurance rates are impacted by many risk factors and can change without notice, so the cheapest rate when you bought your policy may now be quite expensive.
Cheap Insurance Rates for Newbies
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utica National | $636 |
| 2 | Progressive | $651 |
| 3 | Liberty Mutual | $707 |
| 4 | GEICO | $720 |
| 5 | Titan | $729 |
| 6 | NC Farm Bureau | $730 |
| 7 | Penn National | $747 |
| 8 | State Farm | $749 |
| 9 | Auto-Owners | $844 |
| 10 | National General | $890 |
| 11 | Allied | $901 |
| 12 | Erie | $922 |
| 13 | Travelers | $936 |
| 14 | Peerless | $992 |
| 15 | MetLife | $1,007 |
| 16 | Encompass | $1,031 |
| 17 | Nationwide | $1,041 |
| 18 | Unitrin | $1,042 |
| 19 | Safeco | $1,044 |
| 20 | Allstate | $1,064 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
Utica National may have some of the best car insurance rates in Durham at around $636 per year. This is $236 less than the average rate paid by North Carolina drivers of $872. Progressive, Liberty Mutual, GEICO, and Titan also rank well as some of the cheaper Durham, NC insurance companies.
As the example above demonstrates, if you have coverage with GEICO and switched to Utica National, you could see a yearly price reduction of in the neighborhood of $84. Customers with Titan may save as much as $93 a year, and NC Farm Bureau insureds might see rate reductions of $94 a year.
It’s important to note that these policy prices are averages for all types of insureds and vehicles and are not factoring in an exact vehicle garaging location for inexperienced drivers. So the company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the top 20 companies shown above. That underscores the importance of why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
The car, truck, or SUV you are insuring is one of the main factors when consumers are trying to find cheap auto insurance for inexperienced drivers. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, good crash test ratings, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The next list showcases car insurance rates for some of the most cost-effective vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,021 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,108 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,172 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,188 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,211 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,252 |
| Toyota Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $1,273 |
| Ford Edge SE 2WD | $1,289 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,294 |
| Ford Fusion SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,296 |
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,358 |
| Dodge Ram 2500 Crew Cab ST 2WD | $1,381 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,386 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LT 2WD | $1,385 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,394 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Data based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in your specific Durham, NC location which can revise rates noticeably.
Looking at the rates, we can conclude that vehicles like the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Elantra, and Honda Accord are most likely going to be a few of the most economical vehicles to insure for new drivers.
Ending up with the top company is difficult considering how many choices drivers have in North Carolina. The company rank data shown next could help you choose which auto insurance companies to look at when comparing rates.
These rankings are for the largest auto insurers in America, so companies that focus mainly on North Carolina business are not taken into consideration for these rankings. If you would like to check rates from these top-rated insurers and more, click this link.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Durham Ranked by Customer Service
- USAA
- Travelers
- AAA Insurance
- Nationwide
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- The General
- Esurance
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Durham Ranked by Value
- Travelers
- American Family
- AAA Insurance
- Safeco Insurance
- Progressive
- The Hartford
- The General
- 21st Century
- Esurance
- Titan Insurance
How much more does full coverage cost?
Saving money when shopping for insurance is the goal of most drivers, and an easy way to reduce the cost of insurance for inexperienced drivers is to not pay for full coverage. The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance premiums with and without full coverage. The data is based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.
If averaged for all ages, full coverage on your policy costs an additional $1,434 per year more than just buying liability only. That touches on the question if full coverage is worth the money. There is no clear-cut rule that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s replacement cost is $12,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $11,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are currently paying more than $1,100 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
Bad driving habits will cost you more
In a perfect world, the ideal way to find cheap insurance premiums for new drivers is to drive carefully and avoid accidents and violations. The information below illustrates how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders can drive up auto insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The premiums assume a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the previous chart, the average cost of car insurance in North Carolina per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $877. Add in two speeding tickets and the average cost surges to $1,238, an increase of $360 each year. Now get one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of insurance for inexperienced drivers increases to an average of $1,604. That’s an increase of $727, or $61 per month, just for not paying attention while driving!
Tips for finding more affordable auto insurance for inexperienced drivers
The list below shows some of the better penny-pinching solutions that can help drivers find more affordable auto insurance.
- Maintain a clean driving record
- Avoid accidents
- Increase the comprehensive and collision deductibles on your policy
- Do not waste money insuring older vehicles for full coverage
- Avoid filing excessive claims
- Compare prices frequently to find the best deal
That last tip is highly necessary, as was emphasized in this article. Car insurance rates can change in a short period of time, so don’t be afraid to change to a new company if a more affordable rate is found.
Loyalty to a specific company is fine, but we do not recommend it if your bullheadedness ends up costing you money that could be going to better use. If you have a few minutes, compare rates to find cheaper insurance for inexperienced drivers in Durham.
The Durham auto insurance agencies shown below are a good start to help you decide which coverage meets your needs best, since some people prefer to get some guidance when trying to find lower insurance rates for inexperienced drivers. It can be difficult to find the cheapest rate yourself, so a licensed agent can bring comfort knowing your policy gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim.
To locate a Durham auto insurance agent in your neighborhood, click the button at the bottom of the list.
- Knox Insurance Agency
200 Meredith Dr Suite 104 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 313-6411 - Allstate Insurance Agent: Michelle Riley
6015 Fayetteville Rd Ste 115 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 544-2155 - Allstate Insurance Agent: Ella Latreille
2005 N Pointe Dr Ste 3 – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 479-2077 - Protective Agency
4215 University Dr #1 – Durham, NC 27707 – (919) 416-4900 - The Insurance Pros, Inc.
1210 Cole Mill Rd Suite 101 – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 294-6613