Guide to New Jersey Car Insurance

• Property damage: $5,000 per accident
• Personal injury protection (PIP): $15,000 per person and accident, or up to $250,000 for the following injuries:
  • Disfigurement
  • Permanent or significant brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury

Although New Jersey doesn’t require bodily injury liability coverage, which covers the injuries of someone you hit in an at-fault accident, we recommend getting as much as you can afford anyway. The same goes for property damage liability coverage, which covers the other party’s property damages in an accident you caused. The minimum required amount in New Jersey, $5,000, may not be enough to cover all of the other car’s repairs. That would leave you responsible for the remainder out of pocket.

We also recommend getting comprehensive and collision coverage to cover your own car’s damages in accidents you cause. The limit should be your car’s actual market value (AMV); in other words, what you would get if you sold it tomorrow.

New Jersey ranks No. seven in the country for highest average price of car insurance. In 2020, the last time the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) published national data, the annual rate was $1,334, which is 27 percent higher than the national average.

Customers paid an average of $903 a year for liability coverage, $407 for collision coverage, and $132 for comprehensive coverage, according to NAIC data. That said, you can pay anywhere from $427 to $6,873 for car insurance, as many factors affect the cost. For example, insuring teen drivers is expensive due to their propensity for accidents and, consequently, costly claims.

• Allstate
• Farmers Insurance
• GEICO
• New Jersey Manufacturers (NJM)
• Palisades Group
• Progressive
• Selective
• State Farm
• Travelers

Each auto insurance company will give you a different insurance quote for car insurance coverage and other insurance products like roadside assistance. Evaluate the same coverage options for each company so you get comparable insurance rates.

1. Choose a cheap company. We’ve compiled a list of the cheapest car insurance options in New Jersey for your saving pleasure.
2. Get just the minimum coverage. The cheapest coverage is the minimum the state requires, although you could be responsible for more out of pocket if you cause an accident.
3. Use discounts. Every car insurance company offers discounts for actions like enrolling in automatic payments, taking defensive driving classes, or even for teen drivers getting good grades in school. Ask your insurance agent how you can save.
4. Bundle multiple policies. If you have multiple insurance policies across multiple companies, combine them under one provider to unlock multi-policy discounts.
5. Raise your deductibles. Raising your deductibles will lower your premiums, but keep in mind you’ll be responsible for paying the deductible before your insurance provider contributes to claims.

Since car insurance is a requirement in New Jersey, you’ll need to carry either paper or electronic proof whenever you drive. If a police officer catches you driving without insurance, you could face the following penalties.

At-Fault vs. No-Fault

New Jersey’s fault system is unique. Although personal injury protection is required, bodily injury coverage isn’t. In other words, in an accident, each party is responsible for its own medical costs under PIP, although the at-fault party will pay for property damage. However, some people may opt to carry bodily injury coverage to pay for the other party’s injuries in accidents they cause, like many people do in the state of Arizona.

The Garden State has modified comparative negligence laws, which say that a victim must be less than 50 percent at fault in an accident to receive compensation. If they were partially at fault, but less than 50 percent, their compensation would be reduced based on the degree of fault. If they were more than 50 percent at fault, they wouldn’t be able to seek any damages.

Uninsured Motorists

Surprisingly, while New Jersey has costly auto insurance, it also has the lowest rate of uninsured motorists in the U.S. Only 3 percent of the state’s drivers skirt the financial responsibility laws, 303 percent less than the national average of 12 percent.

Although New Jersey doesn’t require uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, if you have UM on multiple cars across multiple policies, multiply the number of cars by your UM limit. That’s your new limit for each car due to the state’s allowance for stacking.

Driving Under the Influence

Seat Belt Use

Everyone in a moving car in New Jersey is legally required to buckle up, as long as they are either 8 or older, or under 7 and over 84 inches (4 feet, 9 inches) tall. Enforcement is primary in the front seat and secondary in the back seat. With primary enforcement, law enforcement can pull someone over just for not wearing a seat belt in the front seat. In the back seat, another violation in addition to the unbuckled seat belt would be required for police to enforce this law.

Distracted Driving

New Jersey doesn’t allow drivers to use handheld electronic devices while driving, and drivers with learner’s permits and intermediate licenses can’t use any devices, even hands-free. Here are the penalties for breaking New Jersey’s distracted driving laws, which are under primary enforcement.

Teen Drivers

Statute of Limitations for Claims

Wait no longer than six years to file any claims for property damage or personal injury. Beyond this statute of limitations, your insurance company isn’t required to cover your claims.

Notification Laws: Cancellations and Non-Renewals

Legally, insurance companies must notify you 15 days before canceling your insurance or 60 days before not renewing your insurance at the end of its term. Companies can only cancel your insurance for not paying a premium, having a suspended or revoked license, or committing fraud or misrepresentation on your original application. Non-renewal is more flexible, as it occurs when the policy ends. Learn more about cancellations versus non-renewals.

Self-Insurance

If you have more than 25 vehicles, you can apply to self-insure your cars in New Jersey. However, you’ll have to pay a $1,000 filing fee, and whether or not you’ll be able to insure your own cars is at the discretion of the state’s Commissioner of Insurance. Self-insurance makes more sense for businesses or organizations with large fleets of vehicles, not those with personal vehicles.

Inspection Requirements

New Jersey has requirements for both emissions and safety inspections. Check the inspection sticker on your windshield to determine when you need to get an inspection next, or use the chart below to find out what inspections you need.

If your car is eligible for inspection and the date is coming up, follow these steps:

1. Gather your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of New Jersey insurance.
2. Schedule an appointment online at https://www.njmvis.com/appointments/. Alternatively,  make an appointment over the phone by calling 888-656-6867 toll-free on weekdays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., or Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 12 p.m. You can also walk into a nearby office, which you can find via https://data.nj.gov/Transportation/Vehicle-Inspection-Facility-Locations-Map/a7mk-8suc?fac=deic.³
3. Go to the appointment and pay the inspection fee, which will be $2.50 at most.

SR-22s

An SR-22 certificate is a form that proves you have the minimum coverage New Jersey requires. You might be legally required to obtain an SR-22 if any of the following statements are true:

• You lost your license or driving privileges previously, but now it’s time to reinstate your license.
• You had multiple traffic infractions or accidents.
• You were convicted of a DUI.⁴

How to Register a Car in New Jersey for the First Time

1. Schedule an appointment online at https://telegov.njportal.com/njmvc/AppointmentWizard. Walk-ins are not allowed.
2. Bring the following documents:
   • Title
   • Driver’s license or other ID
   • New Jersey insurance card or company name and policy number (you need New Jersey insurance for registration but don’t need New Jersey car registration for insurance)
   • Completed Vehicle Registration Application Form BA-49 from https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/vehicles/BA-49.pdf
   • Power of attorney (if the owner isn’t the person signing the documents)
   • Dealer reassignment documentation, if applicable
   • Lienholder info/financing statement if the vehicle is leased or financed
   • Application for Certificate of Ownership (if you’re transferring registration from another state) from https://www.state.nj.us/mvcbiz/pdf/Business_Licenses/OS-7.pdf
3. Pay the required titling fee plus the registration fee and sales tax. Your registration fee depends on your vehicle type.

   Model year	Weight (in pounds)	Fee
   1970 or older	Under 2,700	$35.50
   1970 or older	2,700-3,800	$44.50
   1970 or older	Over 3,800	$65.50
   1971-79	Under 2,700	$38.50
   1971-79	2,700-3,800	$49.50
   1971-79	Over 3,800	$72.50
   Older than 2 years	Under 3,500	$46.50
   Within 2 years	Under 3,500	$59
   Older than 2 years	Over 3,500	$71.50
   Within 2 years	Over 3,500	$84

   The titling fees are as follows.

   • Standard: $60
   • Financed vehicle, one lien: $85
   • Financed vehicle, two liens: $110

   You can pay by money order, cash, credit card, or a check made payable to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC).

Not every car requires you to personally register it. For example, if you bought your car from a dealership, the dealership will handle the registration for you.

How to Renew Your Registration in New Jersey

There are three ways to renew your registration in New Jersey.

1. Renew your registration online at https://mymvc.state.nj.us/reg-renewal/. You’ll need the following information:
   • Registration renewal form via https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/vehicles/BA-49.pdf
   • Social Security number
   • Insurance company name and policy number
   • Credit card
2. Renew your registration in person. Make an appointment first via https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/vehicles/regrenew.htm. You’ll need the same documents as you would for a new registration.
3. Renew your registration by mail. You’ll need the following information:
   • Completed Registration Renewal Notice, which you should have received in the mail
   • Return envelope provided with the notice.
   • Check or money order made payable to the NJMVC

   Send the required documents and fee to the return address on the original notice.

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission Contact Information

• Email: https://www.state.nj.us/mvc/About/ContactEmail.htm
• Phone: 609-292-6500, extension 5014 for registration
• Mail:
  • Motor Vehicle Commission
  • Customer Advocacy Office
  • P.O. Box 403
  • Trenton, NJ 08666-0403

How to Get a Duplicate Car Title in New Jersey

1. Fill out the form located at https://www.nj.gov/mvc/pdf/vehicles/duplicate-noproof.pdf.
2. Gather the $60 fee.
3. If you aren’t the vehicle owner, get the form notarized.
4. Send the form and fee to this address:
   • New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
   • Special Titles Section/Duplicate Titles
   • 225 E. State St.
   • P.O. Box 017
   • Trenton, NJ 08666-0017

State Insurance Department Contact Information

• URL: https://www.state.nj.us/dobi/index.html
• Phone number: 609-292-5360
• Mailing address:
  • 20 W. State St.
  • P.O. Box 325
  • Trenton, NJ 08625

Car repairs in New Jersey cost 5 percent more than the national average at $403.43, which includes both parts and labor. That breaks down to $143.47 for labor and $259.96 for parts, according to CarMD.

Car Theft

New Jersey’s car theft rates are the seventh lowest in the country, with only 116 thefts per 100,000 inhabitants in 2020. That’s 113 less than the national average, based on FBI data.

However, some metropolitan areas, like the greater Philadelphia area (including South Jersey) and Trenton, have higher car theft rates than the rest of the Garden State.

Traffic Fatalities

Fortunately, New Jersey fares well in traffic fatality rates, with only 559 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, that’s 27 percent less than the national average.

No matter where you are going in New Jersey, make sure you’ve got the insurance requirements and state laws down pat. However, if you’re leaving the state to visit nearby areas, check out our pages on Pennsylvania car insurance and New York car insurance, as the laws vary by state. Read our FAQs below for more information about the Garden State specifically.