Who are the best New Jersey car insurance companies?
Posted by Kevin Lewis on Dec 05, 2011 | No Comments »
Locating the best of anything can be challenging. Different people have different ideas about what is the best. Choosing a car insurance carrier in New Jersey is no exception. You can compare quotes for FREE with our easy comparison tool! There are numerous companies offering New Jersey auto insurance, and figuring out the best one for your needs requires some thought and due diligence.
Doing the necessary research to find an affordable plan, offering the protection you need, will prove to be very worthwhile. Find quotes that fit your needs for FREE with our ZIP code search!
New Jersey is a seaport state, as well as the largest state in terms of population density. Most of the major roadways run north to south; the few that do run east to west tend to be congested.
Reports claim that the state has the highest rates in the United States, and even the cheapest car insurance rates you can find are considered expensive by national standards.
New Jersey Car Insurance Requirements
There are three types of car insurance that the New Jersey car insurance laws require all motorists to carry:
1. Liability: This is to cover damage to other peoples property (such as their vehicle), in the event of an accident caused by you. Liability insurance in New Jersey does not cover medical expenses.
2. Personal Injury Protection (PIP): This is to cover medical claims by you or another party involved in an accident. This is frequently called no-fault insurance as it covers medical expenses no matter who was responsible for the accident.
3. Uninsured Motorist (UM): This type of insurance is to cover both medical claims and property damage when involved in a collision with an uninsured party, or whose insurance is unable to cover all the claims resulting from the accident.
In New Jersey, the basic minimum car insurance coverage is known as 15/30/5. That means that every driver is required to have Personal Injury Protetion (PIP) to cover up to $15,000 of medical protection per person, with a cap of $30,000 coverage per incident.
Drivers are also required to carry a minimum of $5,000 Liability Insurance.
No other insurance coverage is required in order to drive a vehicle in New Jersey. However, if your vehicle is being financed, your lender may require you to purchase comprehensive coverage and collision coverage exceeding the state required minimums for Liability, PIP, and UM.
Saving on New Jersey Car Insurance
Often times it is advised to carry higher coverage even if you own your car outright.
This is especially true if you own a home, have a savings account, or have other assets you wish to protect.
Law suits resulting from auto accidents can take your home, wipe out your bank account, or require any other assets you own to be handed over to the prevailing party. In short: being involved in an accident with insufficient insurance can cause you to lose everything.
If you have teenagers living with you who drive, you should be aware of the Graduate Driver Licensing (GDL) laws in New Jersey.
These laws institute regulations such as the Minimum Entry Age of 16, Extended Learner Period of at least 6 months, Parent Certification of 30 hours minimum, Night Restriction (optimal 9 or 10 PM), Passenger Restriction (only 1 non-family member), and Minimum Exit Age of 18.
Thanks to the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act being implemented, it is now easier than ever to obtain affordable car insurance. This has helped many people afford car insurance premiums by ensuring that insurance carriers provide che cheapest auto insurance policy to their customers.
The adoption of this act has allowed many people in New Jersey to access basic auto insurance. The polity entitles you to personal protection from injuries amounting to $15,000 per person. It also covers medical claims to as much as $250,000 per individual, covering any injuries or permanent bodily damage from involvement in an accident.
Though the Reduction Cost Insurance Act does not require liability protection from injuries in the basic coverage plan, it can be added as an option.
If the policy holder opts to include liability coverage for injuries, the rates will increase to the tune of $10,000 for each accident. The basic coverage does not protect against uninsured motorist nor for the underinsured motorist; it is a very basic plan with no comprehensive coverage.
New Jersey Car Insurance Companies
It is recommended to investigate any car insurance companies you are interested in by checking with insurance rating companies such as A.M Best, or Standard and Poors. These companies will provide a rating or grade for each carrier.
You should ideally only go with carriers that have an A, A+ or A++ rating. These ratings are vital indicators of companies ability to meet their financial commitments.
Carriers that offer auto insurance in New Jersey include:
- AIG
- GEICO
- Liberty Mutual
- Metropolitan
- Progressive
- SF Insurance
- Unitrin
- Chubb
- Balboa
There are also online resources to research the carriers you are considering. This can yield insight into the companies customer service history. Major issues such as terrible customer satisfaction can then be factored into your choice of carrier.
When you are finally ready to get quotes from the best carriers, there are tools online you can use for easy comparison.
It is recommended to compare quotes from at least 5 different companies. Get FREE quotes today with our ZIP code search tool!
No one website compares prices from all the different insurance companies, so its best to use at least 3 different websites to ensure that you are seeing a wide range of pricing options to compare and choose from.
Automobile insurance is mandatory in most states, including New Jersey. However, there is fierce competition between the various carriers, making it relatively easy to find an affordable option. Keep in mind that cheap does not always mean poor quality. If you do your research carefully, you should be able to find the coverage you need for a good price.
As an insurance customer, you deserve professional car insurance coverage offering friendly, personal service, low premium rates, and expert help in choosing the plan that best suits your needs. See if you qualify for savings today with our FREE quote comparison tool!
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Tags: Car Insurance, Insurance, New Jersey