Cheapest Car Insurance in New Jersey for 2025

Cheapest Minimum Coverage Car Insurance in New Jersey

Most states, including New Jersey, require drivers to purchase a minimum amount of liability coverage to drive legally. Liability coverage includes bodily injury liability, which helps pay for medical care if you injure another party in an accident, and property damage liability, which helps cover damages you cause to another person's vehicle or property.

New Jersey's minimum coverage requirements are fairly high compared to those in many states. Drivers in New Jersey must carry bodily injury liability insurance of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident; property damage liability insurance of $25,000 per accident; bodily injury uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident; and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage of $15,000 per accident.

You can keep your car insurance costs down by purchasing just the minimum liability insurance that New Jersey requires, but that may not offer enough financial protection in case of an accident. Insurance professionals typically recommend buying coverage of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident for bodily injuries and $100,000 for property damage.

Learn more: How Much Car Insurance Do I Need?

The table below shows the companies offering the cheapest minimum coverage auto insurance policies in New Jersey.

Source: Experian data as of January 2025
Note: Costs above represent insurance quotes, not policy premiums

Cheapest Full Coverage Car Insurance in New Jersey

Buying full coverage auto insurance adds comprehensive and collision coverage to your liability coverage. New Jersey doesn't require purchasing full coverage insurance; however, most lenders or lessors will require it if you have a leased or financed vehicle.

• Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your car if it's damaged in a collision with another car, an object or an animal.
• Comprehensive coverage covers repair or replacement of your car if it's damaged by a covered risk when you aren't driving. For example, theft or damage from hail, a falling tree or vandalism is generally covered by your comprehensive insurance.

Learn more: What Is Full Coverage Car Insurance?

The table below shows the carriers offering the cheapest full coverage auto insurance policies in New Jersey.

Source: Experian data as of January 2025
Note: Costs above represent insurance quotes, not policy premiums

Cheapest Car Insurance for Young Drivers in New Jersey

Insuring new drivers can be expensive. Younger drivers usually pay more for car insurance because they're statistically more likely to get into car accidents, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). On average, teenage drivers pay $3,512 annually for auto insurance, according to Experian data.

Car insurance rates are usually highest for 16-year-olds and begin dropping when your child turns 25. Until then, you can lower the cost of car insurance by adding your child to your auto insurance instead of purchasing a separate policy. A teenager on your policy benefits from the lower rates you may enjoy due to years of driving experience, homeownership or being married.

In addition, many insurance companies discount car insurance for young drivers if they have good grades, attend college far from home without a car or complete a safe driving course.

If your young driver has a lot of accidents or moving violations, your car insurance premiums are likely to rise. In this situation, buying separate coverage for your child from an insurance provider focused on high-risk drivers could save you money.

The table below shows the insurance providers offering the cheapest full coverage car insurance in New Jersey for drivers ages 16 to 25.

Source: Experian data as of January 2025
Note: Young drivers include those ages 16 to 25; costs above represent insurance quotes, not policy premiums

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors in New Jersey

Your car insurance premiums typically decrease as you get older and gain more driving experience, but usually start to rise again around age 70. Drivers 70 years of age and older are more likely to be involved in serious accidents, which can mean more insurance claims and higher premiums.

That said, it's possible to find cheap car insurance for seniors. For example, some carriers offer mature driver discounts when you reach a certain age. You might also earn an auto insurance discount if you're a retired military servicemember or have been accident-free for a certain number of years.

The table below shows the car insurance companies offering the cheapest full coverage car insurance for seniors in New Jersey.

Source: Experian data as of January 2025
Note: Senior drivers include those ages 65 and up; costs above represent insurance quotes, not policy premiums

It's a good idea to reassess your car insurance needs as you get older and your driving habits change. For instance, retirement may mean trading a long commute for days at home, which could qualify you for a more affordable low-mileage car insurance policy. On the other hand, you might be driving more than ever if you have plans to road trip across the country, which could require other adjustments to your coverage.

Learn more: How to Buy Car Insurance as a Senior

Car Insurance for Prior Incidents in New Jersey

Driving safely can lower your odds of having an accident or getting a traffic citation; this can pay off in lower insurance premiums. New Jersey drivers with a clean driving history (no incidents or violations on their motor vehicle record) pay an average of $2,710 annually for auto insurance.

Conversely, a driving record showing moving violations or accidents (even if you weren't at fault) could lead car insurance companies to consider you a high-risk driver and raise your rates. Having multiple car accidents or a history of serious infractions such as DUIs typically has a bigger impact on your auto insurance premiums and could even lead your insurance company to cancel your policy.

Learn more: How to Get Affordable Car Insurance as a High-Risk Driver

You can find affordable auto insurance even without a spotless driving record, though. The table below shows the average cost of auto insurance for New Jersey drivers who have negative marks on their motor vehicle records. (Incidents include things like traffic accidents or insurance claims; violations include moving violations, such as speeding tickets.)

Source: Experian data as of January 2025
Note: Costs above are a blended average of full and minimum coverage policies sold through Experian's marketplace

Minimum Required Coverage in New Jersey

New Jersey requires drivers to carry the following minimum car insurance coverage.

• $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $25,000 property damage liability per accident
• $25,000 bodily injury uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person
• $50,000 bodily injury uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident
• $25,000 property damage uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident ($500 deductible)
• $15,000 PIP per accident

Starting January 1, 2026, New Jersey's minimum requirements for bodily injury liability will rise to $35,000 per injury and $70,000 per accident.

New Jersey is a choice no-fault state, meaning you can choose to participate in no-fault insurance or buy tort insurance. If you opt for no-fault insurance, you'll file claims under your PIP coverage if you're injured in a car accident, no matter who's at fault.

If you drive without auto insurance in New Jersey, you may be fined, have your license suspended, be sentenced to community service and face insurance surcharges.

Low-Income Car Insurance Assistance Programs in New Jersey

New Jersey has two auto insurance options for low-income residents, both of them available from most insurance providers.

The Basic Policy, New Jersey's bare-bones auto insurance, may be a fit if:

• You can't afford standard auto insurance
• You have so few assets that standard coverage is excessive
• You're considering driving uninsured due to cost

The Basic Policy includes:

• Property damage liability of $5,000 per accident
• PIP of $15,000 per person, per accident (up to $250,000 for certain injuries)

The following may be available as options:

• Bodily injury liability coverage of $10,000 coverage per accident
• Collision and comprehensive coverage

The Special Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP) provides limited auto insurance for qualifying Medicaid recipients. SAIP coverage costs $365 annually and includes:

• Emergency treatment immediately after a car accident
• Treatment of serious brain and spinal cord injuries up to $250,000
• A $10,000 death benefit

How to Save Money on Car Insurance

You'll have more money for your big financial goals if you pay less for auto insurance. Try these tips to save on car insurance.

Increase Your Deductible

The deductible is the amount you're typically responsible for paying when you file a car insurance claim. Insurance companies generally let you choose a deductible of $250 to $2,000 when you buy car insurance. In general, raising your deductible will lower your premiums.

Before increasing your deductible, however, make sure you could afford the higher amount if you ever filed an auto insurance claim. Assess the state of your emergency fund as well as your other financial resources. Your insurance provider can explain how various deductibles would affect your premiums.

Look for Discounts

Check with your current car insurance company to see if they offer any discounts that you aren't already using. Then visit other providers' websites to see what types of discounts they have available.

Among the most common car insurance discounts are savings for bundling home and auto insurance, paying the annual premium upfront, eliminating paper statements or setting up automatic payments of your premiums. Many insurers also offer discounts for getting insurance quotes online or signing documents digitally. Don't forget to check with your workplace and any membership organizations you belong to. They may offer discounts on auto insurance too.

Eliminate Unneeded Coverage

You may be paying for car insurance extras that you don't really need, such as rental car reimbursement, windshield replacement or roadside assistance coverage. While these can be nice to have, they're also an easy place to cut costs. Assess whether the cost of the coverage is worth the potential savings. For instance, rental car reimbursement coverage may be worthwhile if you're a one-car family, but not if you can borrow your spouse's car while yours is in the shop.

If your car is paid off and not worth very much, you may save money by dropping collision and comprehensive coverage. Since collision and comprehensive coverage won't pay out more than the vehicle's value, it's not always worth the cost if your car is only worth a few thousand dollars. Just be sure you could afford to replace or repair your vehicle out of pocket if it were totaled.

Learn more: Top Car Insurance Discounts

Drive Less

The more miles you drive, the greater your chances of getting into an auto accident. That's why many car insurance providers give discounts to customers who drive fewer than 12,000 miles per year. To reduce your mileage and your insurance bill, consider options such as taking public transportation, walking, carpooling or biking. You can also look into switching to remote work if your job allows.

Usually, low-mileage car insurance policies track your mileage with self-reported or third-party odometer readings or devices installed in your vehicle. Another option is pay-per-mile car insurance, which charges a monthly base rate plus a per-mile charge for each additional mile you drive.

Drive Safely

You can help keep your car insurance costs down by maintaining a clean driving record. Make it a goal to go without any accidents or moving violations. If you'd like a refresher on the rules of the road, many insurance companies offer discounts for completing an approved safe driving or defensive driving course.

Improve Your Credit

Insurance companies in most states, including New Jersey, are allowed to review your credit-based insurance score when they're determining your premiums. A poor score could mean paying a higher price for auto insurance. Although your credit-based insurance scores aren't the same as your consumer credit scores, they are based on much of the same data. Taking action to improve your consumer credit score could positively impact your credit-based insurance score, which might save you money on car insurance.

Compare Prices

Each insurance company uses unique criteria when setting rates. As a result, the price you're quoted for car insurance can differ greatly from one insurance carrier to another. Comparing quotes from a variety of insurance companies is a good way to find the lowest prices on car insurance. Make it a habit to get quotes from several different providers at least once a year or whenever your current policy is nearing renewal.

You can get car insurance quotes at insurance company websites or by contacting insurers directly. Since this can be time-consuming, you may want an easier way to explore your options. Experian's free car insurance comparison tool can help. It collects car insurance quotes from multiple top insurance companies in New Jersey, making it easy to see which carrier offers the cheapest car insurance.