New Jersey Car Insurance
(Quotes, Cost & Coverage)

Get New Jersey car insurance quotes, cost & coverage fast. Find affordable NJ auto insurance including liability, property damage, comprehensive, collision, medical, PIP, uninsured, underinsured, rental car, roadside assistance and more.

NJ Car Insurance

If you are like any of the thousands of drivers on the road every day, then it is likely that you or someone in your household has obtained New Jersey car insurance to both satisfy the legal liability requirements of the New Jersey, as well as to protect your vehicle, the occupants, and other peoples autos and property.

While getting a NJ auto insurance quote is a fairly easy process, especially with the convenience of online shopping, many people still do not understand exactly what types of car insurance are available and how the types differ. Here we'll discuss the main car insurance policy types and optional coverages and also go over examples of what the coverage options insure. This way, the next time you request a New Jersey car insurance quote, you will be better equipped to make an informed decision.

What Does New Jersey Car Insurance Cover?

Auto insurance covers three types of liabilities, or losses. They are:

1. Property - damage to or theft of vehicles.
2. Liability - the policyholders liability, or legal obligation for the property or bodily injury of others when the driver is at fault.
3. Injury - the medical treatment, long term care, loss of wages, or even funeral expenses of anyone who is injured in an accident.

New Jersey requires that drivers have liability insurance. New Jersey car insurance policies generally are renewed on a biannual or annual basis.

New Jersey car insurance has many coverages - so it's important to research the options, see what NJ requires and what coverages are optional, and how each can protect you in the vent of an accident or other loss. NJ auto insurance policies contains at least one or more of the following specific types of coverage and each option is priced separately (this is not an exhaustive list):

Bodily Injury Liability: This type of car insurance coverage protects the policy holder as well as any other drivers listed on the policy by covering medical costs for injuries caused to other motorists. Oftentimes, people will increase the minimum coverage to protect their other assets in the event that an injured motorist sues for additional damages because your automobile insurance will pay up to the limits on the policy - you are out of pocket for expenses that exceed those limits.

Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection: Should injury to the policy holder or any other occupants of the insured vehicle occur in an accident, this portion of the auto insurance policy will cover the medical bills, lost wages and funeral costs. This option is also known as PIP (Personal Injury Protection).

Property Damage Liability: Property damage liability is the most common type of coverage option and one which is required by law. It covers damage caused by the policy holder (or anyone permitted to drive the insured vehicle) to another vehicle or other type of property such as signs, fences, telephone poles, buildings, etc.

Collision: This type of coverage offers protection for the policy holders vehicle if damage occurs as a result of an collision with another vehicle, object, or even if your vehicle ends up flipping over. Damages caused by potholes are also covered under collision coverage. Even if the policy holder is at fault, collision insurance will cover the repair for damages minus the deductible amount. If the policyholder is not at fault, the insurance company will attempt to recover the costs paid to its policyholder through the other motorists insurance company and if successful, will also reimburse its policyholders' paid deductible amount too.

Comprehensive: Comprehensive insurance covers the cost of theft of the vehicle or damages/repairs caused by anything other than another vehicle or object. Damages such as those caused by fires, natural disasters, bombs, vandalism, or collisions with animals such as deer. This option also covers shattered or cracked windshields. Both collision and comprehensive coverage are usually optional however if a car is leased, many times the lender will require this type of coverage in addition to liability.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage: If an accident occurs with an uninsured driver or if the other driver does not have sufficient coverage to pay for the full extent of damages, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage will cover the outstanding expenses. This option also protects the policyholder if involved in a hit and run accident or if hit while a pedestrian.

Gap Insurance: This protects you if your car is totaled and you owe more on the loan or lease than the insurance company pays out. It is usually taken on cars that are 3 years old or less.

Rental Reimbursement: This coverage pays for a rental car if your auto is in the repair shop following a covered comprehensive or collision claim.

Roadside Assistance (Towing & Labor): Much like AAA, this coverage offers a jump start, gas delivery, a flat tire change, even the services of a qualified locksmith of you break down.

What New Jersey Car Insurance Doesn't Cover

Also know as exclusions, which remove risk from the insurer, car insurance typically does not cover:

• Personal belongings inside your auto. Do if someone breaks into your car and steals your laptop - the window would be covered but the computer would not.
• People who live in the same home as you but are not listed on the policy. A basic car insurance policy generally covers you and other people who don't live with you and who have permission to occasionally use your vehicles. Members of your household must be listed on your policy to have coverage.
• The balance of your car loan is your vehicle is totaled. See gap insurance above.

What Are New Jersey's Financial Responsibility Requirements?

According to the NJ Department Of Banking & Insurance:

Auto insurance is required in New Jersey. Whether you are buying a new insurance policy or renewing your current policy, you must make many decisions about the coverage you need and how much you can pay. The Standard Auto Insurance Policy provides a number of different coverage options and the opportunity to purchase additional protection. The Standard Policy is the type of policy chosen by most New Jersey drivers.

It is important to understand your needs. Do you rent or own your own home? Do you have assets to protect (including income from a job)? Will your own health insurance cover auto accident injuries? How much insurance coverage can you afford? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself before choosing a specific coverage plan.

Basic Policy

The Basic policy option is the more affordable insurance package; however, it offers limited coverage, including:

• $5,000 of property damage liability (PDL) per accident. This covers damage you may have caused to someone's property in a car crash.
• $15,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) per person, per accident. This coverage pays for injuries you suffer in a car crash.
• Up to $250,000 for very severe injuries, such as permanent brain injuries.

Bodily injury liability (BDL) coverage is not included in the Basic policy; however, policyholders are offered the option to purchase $10,000 of BDL coverage.

Standard Policy

The Standard policy option has a higher premium but offers more extensive coverage. With the Standard policy, you get a minimum of:

• $15,000 of bodily injury liability (BDL) insurance per person, per accident. This coverage will pay for injuries to anyone not in your car if you cause a car crash.
• $30,000 of BDL for multiple injured people per accident.
• $5,000 of PDL per accident.
• $15,000 of PIP per person in a car accident.
• Up to $250,000 of PIP for severe or permanent injuries.

How Much Does New Jersey Car Insurance Cost?

How much does New Jersey car insurance cost? The average price of auto insurance varied widely based on certain factors. The premiums vary depending on the company and their underwriting rules, and it depends on the coverages and deductible selected. Following are some of the main factors that go into the price of a policy:

• Geographical location - The more dangerous your NJ location is the higher premiums you will pay as there is a higher probability for claims. If you live in a highly populated urban area (like Houston or Dallas), accidents and insurance claims happen more often and rate are higher.
• Age - Typically drivers under 25 pay more because statistically shown to be inexperienced behind the wheel, easily distracted and to crash more often. They are on of the riskiest category of drivers to insure.
• Gender - Data shows males are more likely to crash, hence men's premiums are higher.
• Marital status - Married people have been found to be less of a risk to insurers than singles, including divorced or widowed drivers.
• Years of driving experience - Inexperienced drivers pose more risk. That is why under 25 have some of the highest rates.
• Driving record - Drivers with a clean driving record qualify for better rates and can be eligible for a safe driver discount.
• Claims history - More claims = more premium. Insurers actually count frequency (how many claims in a time frame) more than severity (how large the claim was).
• Credit history - The better credit you have, the lower your rates. Most insurers look at credit and weight it heavily.
• Previous insurance coverage - Continual auto insurance history (or at least for the last 6 months) can help get you a better rate.
• Vehicle type - Purchase price, theft rate, cost of repairs, accident rate and safety tests weigh heavily in car insurance cost.
• Vehicle use - A vehicle used to commute work poses more of a risk than the car you only take out of the garage on the weekends.
• Miles driven annually - The less you drive, the less risk you have of being in an accident.
• Coverages - The more coverage you choose with higher limits, the more it will cost you since the insurer is taking on additional risk.
• Deductibles - The deductible is your out of pocket cost before your policy kick in. Lower deductible = higher premium, and higher deductible = lower premium.

And New Jersey car insurance premiums after a DUI/DWI will always cost more.

NJ Auto Insurance Quotes

Request a New Jersey Car Insurance quote in Atlantic City, Bayonne, Bergenfield, Bridgeton, Camden, Carteret, Cliffside Park, Clifton, Dover, East Orange, Egg Harbor, Elizabeth, Elmwood Park, Englewood, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Garfield, Glassboro, Hackensack, Hawthorne, Hoboken, Jersey City, Kearny, Linden, Lodi, Long Branch, Millville, Morristown, New Brunswick, Newark, North Plainfield, Palisades Park, Paramus, Passaic, Paterson, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Pleasantville, Point Pleasant, Rahway, Ridgewood, Roselle, Sayreville, South Plainfield, Summit, Trenton, Union City, Vineland, West New York, Westfield and all other cities in NJ.

Insurance Regulations In New Jersey

There insurance regulations that govern both business and personal insurance in the state of NJ. There are certain regulations that you want to keep in mind whether you are getting insurance as a private party, or you may have a business and are concerned about the regulations and oversight of your business insurance.

New Jersey Commercial Insurance

The regulations governing business insurance start with general liability insurance. General liability insurance protects you from lawsuits from people that come on your property with a variety of coverages. For example, it may protect against bodily injury, it may also protect against property damage caused by your business - for example, if your sign falls on someone's car - or it may protect against advertising, false arrest and lots of other different things that can happen. However, keep in mind that general liability insurance is not required in the state of New Jersey.

There are certain types of insurance that are required by businesses in New Jersey though. One of the regulations governing business insurance in New Jersey requires that anyone who has a full-time or part-time employee carry Worker's Compensation insurance to cover that employee. Workers comp is sort of like health insurance for employees that get hurt on the job.

In addition, NJ law says that employers must provide employee disability coverage to provide income for employees who are injured on the job and have to take time off due to a temporary or permanent disability. Finally, businesses in New Jersey are required to carry commercial auto insurance for company vehicles.

NJ Personal Insurance

The first type of personal insurance that will be discussing is auto insurance. Personal auto insurance in New Jersey requires that the driver carry $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident in liability coverage. In addition, there must be an additional $5000 for property damage.

As far as life insurance regulations, insurance companies must be regulated by the Department of Banking and Insurance which maintains all records of insurance companies that are licensed to do business in the state. In addition, residents have a 10 day free look period, a grace period of 30 days and insurance companies must make payments in a timely fashion; which is within two months of receiving proof of death from the beneficiary.

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