Car Insurance in Florida vs. North Carolina: Costs, Laws and Resources

If you’re planning on moving from Florida to North Carolina, be mindful of the different car insurance requirements in both states. For example, Florida state law only requires you to have property damage liability and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. In North Carolina, you must also have bodily injury liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. However, the state law doesn’t require PIP coverage.

MoneyGeek analyzed the cheapest options and requirement differences for car insurance in Florida vs. North Carolina.

Car insurance laws in Florida require every driver to have a policy with at least property damage liability and PIP coverage. As per car insurance laws in North Carolina, you should have a policy with at least 30/60/25 in both liability and uninsured motorist coverage limits. However, North Carolina's laws do not require PIP coverage.

The average annual cost of a minimum coverage policy in Florida is $1,123, while in North Carolina it's only $436. In addition to car insurance requirements, various factors like population density and frequency of accidents also affect the cost of your premium.

Florida is a no-fault state, which means, regardless of fault, drivers file a claim with their own insurance company to cover medical bills or vehicle damages. On the other hand, North Carolina is a tort state. This means the driver identified as the one who caused the accident is responsible for covering the other driver's medical bills and additional expenses.

MoneyGeek researched the following cheapest companies offering car insurance in Florida and North Carolina:

• Cheapest in Florida: GEICO ($590 per year)
• Cheapest in North Carolina: Nationwide ($301 per year)

USAA offers the most affordable car insurance in Florida at an average cost of $406 per year; however, its policies are only limited to current or former military members and their families.

Car insurance rates can vary by state. For instance, GEICO’s policies cost an average of $590 per year in Florida. However, the company charges $427 annually for car insurance in North Carolina.

On average, it costs $2,208 and $841 per year to buy a full-coverage policy in Florida and North Carolina, respectively. On the other hand, the average cost of a minimum coverage policy in North Carolina and Florida is $436 and $1,123 per year, respectively.

Several factors contribute to varying car insurance rates by state. Compared to North Carolina, Florida has a higher highway density, percentage of uninsured drivers, urban share of population and motor vehicle theft rate. These factors play a significant role in contributing to higher car insurance rates in Florida.

Your location within the state can significantly impact your car insurance costs. In Florida, Gainesville has the cheapest state-minimum policy with an average price of $693 per year, while the most expensive policy is offered in Hialeah at an average of $1,461 per year. As for North Carolina, the cheapest state-minimum policies are offered in Winston-Salem at an average of $361 annually, while the most expensive policy is offered in Charlotte at an average cost of $500 per year.

Since car insurance requirements are the same everywhere in a state, they do not impact rates. The most likely cause of premium differences within a state is your living environment; high population density areas significantly increase rates.

After you’ve relocated from Florida to North Carolina or vice versa, you would need to update your drivers license and registration. It’s alright to stay with the same insurer if it’s available in your new state. However, you may have to pay different rates that reflect the risks and coverage requirements in your new state.

If you decide to find a new insurer, MoneyGeek’s guides and other resources will help you explore your options and choose the one that fits your needs.

Since car insurance laws and prices are different in both Florida and North Carolina, MoneyGeek researched the following frequently asked questions to help you understand how car insurance works in these states.

To calculate average car insurance rates by company and across Florida and North Carolina, MoneyGeek collaborated with Quadrant Information Services to collect auto insurance quotes from both locations. We used a sample profile for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and minimum coverage unless modified by criteria like coverage level, age, driving offenses and credit score. Learn more about how costs are calculated in our MoneyGeek car insurance methodology.

Minimum car insurance requirements by state were sourced from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the respective state.