What car insurance costs in North Dakota

North Dakota's average bill in context

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) tracks what insurers collect in every state. In 2023 the North Dakota average expenditure was $808 per insured car, an 11% rise from $729 in 2022. Expenditure is a blended number that includes liability-only and fully covered cars; with liability, collision and comprehensive together, the average was $961.

Liability, at $331, is about 55% below the national average and the lowest liability figure of any state in the 2023 data. Collision is about 31% lower. Comprehensive goes the other way: at $309 it is about 30% above the U.S. figure and almost as large as the liability line. On a fully covered North Dakota car, the coverage for non-crash damage is therefore a big share of the bill, which makes the comprehensive deductible worth a close look.

What every North Dakota policy carries

The North Dakota Insurance Department lists the liability floor as $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 per accident for property damage. Liability is only the first layer: the policy must also include the coverages below.

• Basic no-fault coverage of $30,000 per person pays economic losses such as medical bills and lost work without regard to fault. Your own policy's no-fault coverage is primary after a crash.
• Uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident is required.
• Underinsured motorist coverage must equal your uninsured motorist coverage.
• Collision and comprehensive are optional under state law, but a lender will usually require both on a financed car.

Because no-fault, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage come with every policy, a minimum North Dakota policy covers more than its 25/50/25 label suggests. Our page on limits and deductibles explains how much raising each one adds.

How rates and credit are handled

Each insurer sets its own rates. Companies must file proposed changes with the Insurance Department along with supporting data, and the Department reviews each proposed rate to make sure it complies with state law and is justified. Since every company prices on its own terms, quotes for the same driver can differ.

Insurers are prohibited from denying, canceling or not renewing a policy solely because of credit information, the Department says, though they may weigh credit together with other underwriting factors. Learn how credit-based insurance scores feed into a price.

Coverage when insurers turn you down

If neither standard nor non-standard insurers will cover you, you can apply to the North Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan. A plan manager assigns each application to a specific company, which must then issue a policy under the plan's rules and rates. Our guide to assigned risk plans explains how to work your way back to the regular market.

Ways to lower a North Dakota premium

1. 1 Start with the state's cost survey. The Insurance Department publishes an Auto Insurance Cost Comparison Survey of major carriers every year; the 2026 edition is on its website. Shortlist companies from it, then get quotes on identical coverage.
2. 2 Take a defensive driving course. Drivers who voluntarily complete an approved course are eligible by law for a premium discount. The North Dakota Highway Patrol has the current course listings.
3. 3 Test a higher comprehensive deductible. With comprehensive close to a third of a full-coverage bill, the deductible break-even calculator shows whether a bigger deductible pays off.
4. 4 Ask the Department for help. Consumer staff can be reached at 701-328-2440 or [email protected].

Questions drivers ask