Car insurance rates in Ohio aren't dropping like in North Carolina, but the state still has premiums that can hardly be beat.

A mid-year pricing report from the online insurance agency Insurance.com shows annual premiums nationwide have declined 1 percent, or about $20, on average since 2006. Rates decreased in all but seven of the 48 surveyed states.

The average national premium in 2007 is $1,896 per year, down from $1,916 in 2006.

"(It is) a modest decline, but a nice reprieve considering the rising cost of gas," Insurance.com Chief Executive Officer David Roush said in a release.

Ohio's average premium again ranked as the second-lowest in the nation at $1,342 a year, down 1 percent from $1,358. The only state with lower rates is Wisconsin, whose premiums dropped 1 percent to $1,335.

The states with the highest car insurance premiums are: Louisiana, $2,740; New York, $2,601; and New Jersey, $2,568.

While the decrease in average Ohio premiums is in line with the nationwide trend, North Carolina saw a 16 percent drop from 2006. Rates there are at $1,945, down from $2,261.

The Insurance.com report drew data from the lowest average car insurance rates in the first half of 2007 from about a dozen leading carriers. About 700,000 car insurance consumers participated in the survey.

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