Once you’ve gotten over the initial surprise of getting a speeding ticket, you might be concerned about how the incident will affect your car insurance rates. Typically, North Carolinians pay an average increase of 48 percent for full coverage after a speeding ticket with the average annual cost being $2,520. While this leaves drivers paying about the same as the national average for car insurance of $2,543, there are ways you can still save. Bankrate’s editorial team can help you make sense of what happens to your insurance after getting a speeding ticket in NC.

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How much is a speeding ticket in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, a speeding ticket cost varies depending on where you received the ticket and how much you were speeding. If your ticket requires you to go to court, the amount of your fine is at the judge’s discretion. If you were speeding in a work or school zone, you’ll be faced with an additional $250 fine on top of your other fines.

North Carolina uses a license point system. If you are convicted of certain motor vehicle violations, points are placed against your driving record. Therefore, in addition to speeding ticket fines, repeat offenders may face having their licenses suspended after incurring too many points. The fee to have a driver’s license restored is $70 for the restoration and an additional $50 service fee. You may also have to contend with court costs, which can add up quickly, too. Depending on your overall record, you may also be viewed as a high-risk driver by auto insurers, which will likely increase your insurance rates.

How much does a speeding ticket increase your car insurance in North Carolina?

Being convicted of speeding is likely to increase the average cost of your car insurance due to you now being considered a higher risk than you were before. How much more you’ll pay will depend on several factors, including your age, your previous driving history and the type of car you drive. On average, North Carolina drivers will pay 48 percent more for full coverage car insurance after a speeding ticket conviction according to premium data provided by Quadrant Information Services. This is much higher than the national average increase of 21 percent.

One thing to keep in mind is that North Carolina bans the use of gender as a rating factor, so men and women would pay the same rates before and after a speeding ticket conviction, assuming all other factors are equal.

Average annual full coverage premium

Rate before speeding ticket Rate after speeding ticket % increase
North Carolina average $1,705 $2,520 48%

A single speeding ticket conviction in North Carolina can cause a significant increase in your premiums. The best way to avoid this increase is to maintain a clean driving record. Without the speeding ticket surcharge, your rates are likely to be much lower.

How to lower your car insurance after a speeding ticket in North Carolina

If you are a North Carolina driver and have a speeding ticket impacting your car insurance rates, it may help to know you can still find ways to save on car insurance. Consider the following ideas:

Get quotes from other car insurance companies

Since auto insurance is highly personalized, the amount that your insurance goes up after a ticket can vary. Car insurance companies use different factors and algorithms to set premium rates, so it might help to shop for car insurance following a speeding ticket. For example, despite having an average increase of 47 percent, State Farm has the lowest rate after a speeding ticket, likely due to its low average rate for drivers with clean driving records. However, Nationwide has the lowest percentage increase after a ticket at 39 percent vs. the state’s average of 48 percent.

Average annual full coverage premium by car insurance company in North Carolina

Car insurance company Rate before speeding ticket Rate after speeding ticket
Allied $1,328 $1,876
Allstate $2,138 $3,280
Amco Insurance $1,825 $2,608
Depositors $1,328 $1,876
Erie $1,309 $1,977
Farmers $1,896 $2,865
Geico $1,722 $2,680
Nationwide $2,198 $3,043
North Carolina Farm Bureau $2,240 $3,253
Penn National $1,860 $2,689
Phoenix $1,730 $2,500
Progressive $1,044 $1,498
State Farm $962 $1,418
Travelers $1,762 $2,610

*Premiums are average annual full coverage premiums for 40-year-olds

As you can see, the cost for the same level of coverage varies widely between companies, both before and after a speeding ticket conviction. The first step drivers might want to take after seeing a post-speeding-ticket premium increase is to get multiple car insurance quotes to consider if switching insurers would provide significant savings. However, since price is not the only consideration, take time to review customer ratings and independent reviews about the carrier to make sure you are making an informed decision.

Attend a driver improvement course

North Carolina state laws allow drivers with four points on an eight-point scale or seven points on a 12-point scale to attend a driver improvement course once every five years. You may need to qualify first and attend a hearing with an administrative hearings officer, which comes with a $40 fee, as well as a $70 fee for the course itself. Once you successfully complete the course, you will receive a credit of three points. Over time, these improvements to your driving record may result in lower premiums from your insurer upon policy renewal.

Adjust your coverage

If the new insurance rate is more than you can afford, you might also consider adjusting your vehicle insurance by lowering your coverage limits (within legal requirements). Alternatively, you can also raise your deductible to save, so long as you are prepared to assume more financial responsibility in the event of an accident. Be sure to talk to an agent or company representative before you make changes to your policy, to ensure you understand what you are doing. Lower limits likely mean lower rates, but also less financial protection if you get into an accident.

Other speeding ticket considerations

There are a few different ways to deal with a speeding ticket. While there are many instances where you might want to contest it, there are also times where it may make more sense to pay the ticket outright. With minor tickets, it’s often possible to pay online. However, with more serious offenses, this option is less common. In those cases, you’ll most likely have to pursue one of the alternative approaches.

    • Some speeding tickets in North Carolina are waivable, depending on the circumstances. Waiving your ticket means admitting guilt and paying the fine — in other words, waiving the need to appear in court. After that, the instance would be added to your driving record. This option is more likely and may make more sense with less severe tickets that have smaller fines. Tickets often indicate on their form if they are waivable.
    • You could contest a speeding ticket and plead not guilty, but doing this without legal counsel may be challenging. If there is no easily provable reason why the speeding ticket shouldn’t have been issued, it may be difficult to contest the ticket successfully.
    • North Carolina allows drivers to request that a speeding ticket be reduced, which can either be done in court or online, as long as the request is made at least seven days prior to the court date. There is no guarantee of success with this approach. Still, you may have a better chance of succeeding if you have an otherwise good driving record, admit guilt and display an understanding for the violation being ticketed. If the judge sees that you will strive to prevent a re-occurrence of traffic violations, you may have a better chance of receiving the reduction. Depending on the judge’s decision, this may reduce the severity of your ticket, lowering the amount you owe and how many points get added to your insurance record.

Frequently asked questions

    • The best car insurance company, even if you have a speeding ticket, will depend on your unique needs. If you’re looking for cheap coverage after a speeding ticket citation, State Farm and Progressive could be good options. But car insurance is more than just price. You may also want to consider each company’s coverage offerings, discounts and third-party ratings to ensure you match yourself with the best option for your needs.
    • North Carolina allows qualified drivers to take a driver improvement course if you have four points or more on your license and speak to an administrative hearings officer. You will need to pay a $40 fee and $70 for the course, but once you complete it, the state will remove three points from your license. Note that you are only allowed to take the course once every five years.
    • A speeding ticket in North Carolina can cost up to a few hundred dollars, but the exact amount of the ticket varies by location and situation. In addition to the price of the fine, you might also have court fees and administrative fees. You will likely also see an increase in your insurance premium at the following renewal period.

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2024 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

  • $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
  • $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
  • $50,000 property damage liability per accident
  • $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
  • $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
  • $500 collision deductible
  • $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket