A recent car insurance study revealed that over 70% of New Jersey drivers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least four years, and just under half have never quoted rates to find cheaper coverage. American insurance shoppers could pocket up to 46.5% a year by just comparing quotes, but they don’t believe how much money they would save if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
If you want to save money, the best way to save money on car insurance rates in Jersey City is to regularly compare price quotes from insurers in New Jersey. This can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, spend a few minutes and learn about car insurance and the factors you can control to prevent rate increases. Many risk factors that result in higher prices such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and a poor credit score can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Read the full article for additional tips to help find cheaper rates and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Second, obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you can save some money and change companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
An important part of this process is that you’ll want to compare the same level of coverage on each quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this provides an accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Low Cost car insurance in Jersey City, NJ
The following companies provide free rate quotes in New Jersey. To get the best auto insurance in New Jersey, we recommend you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Affordable rates by taking advantage of these eight discounts
Auto insurance companies do not advertise all possible discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following list contains some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to bring down your rates.
- Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
- Mature Driver Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company they may give you a discount of up to 20% and get you inexpensive Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG insurance in Jersey City.
- Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
- Discount for Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for several vehicles with one company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- College Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Jersey City and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can stop better under adverse conditions and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Please keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though it appears you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Car insurance companies that may include many of the previously listed discounts possibly include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask all the companies how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered on policies in Jersey City. If you would like to view insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in Jersey City, click here.
When to get advice from an agent
Certain consumers still like to have an agent’s advice and that can be a great decision One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Buying insurance from local agencies is definitely important in Jersey City.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance data is transmitted to participating agents in Jersey City that can provide free Jersey City car insurance quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you have a need to compare prices from a specific auto insurance provider, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
If you want a reputable insurance agent or broker, you should know the different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Auto insurance policy providers can be described as either exclusive or independent.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type can sell policies from many different companies so they can quote policies with multiple insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If premiums increase, they simply switch companies in-house which makes it simple for you.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you need to get quotes from independent agents to have the best price comparison.
Featured below is a small list of independent agents in Jersey City who may provide free rate quotes.
Royale Insurance Agency
2184 John F. Kennedy Blvd – Jersey City, NJ 07305 – (201) 656-1800 – View Map
JFK Insurance Agency
746 Bergen Ave – Jersey City, NJ 07306 – (908) 425-1544 – View Map
Blake Agency
370 Pacific Ave – Jersey City, NJ 07304 – (201) 209-0065 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only place business with one company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive insurance agents are well trained on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
The following is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Jersey City that are able to give price quotes.
Farmers Insurance – Mofalc Meinga
447 Central Ave – Jersey City, NJ 07307 – (201) 435-1616 – View Map
Tawanda Jackson – State Farm Insurance Agent
688 NJ-440 – Jersey City, NJ 07305 – (201) 209-0290 – View Map
Mansa Nicome – State Farm Insurance Agent
86 NJ-35 – Neptune City, NJ 07753 – (732) 776-9999 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent should depend on more than just the quoted price. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- How long has their agency been in business in Jersey City?
- Are they full-time agents?
If you receive answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that will insure your vehicles.
Educate yourself about car insurance coverages
Having a good grasp of your policy can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are the normal coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Liability coverages
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 15/30/5 which means a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers claims like repair costs for stationary objects, loss of income and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. New Jersey state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why low liability limits may not be adequate.
Medical expense coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for doctor visits, prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses, X-ray expenses and EMT expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision insurance
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims like hitting a mailbox, sideswiping another vehicle, damaging your car on a curb and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible on your SLS AMG to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive protection
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and theft. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (New Jersey limits are 15/30/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Compare but don’t skimp
Throughout this article, we presented many ways to save on Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG insurance in Jersey City. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the most savings is with a small mutual company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
While you’re price shopping online, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
More resources
- Choosing an Insurance Company (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford F-150 in Jersey City? (FAQ)
- How Much are Jersey City Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 50? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Jersey City Auto Insurance for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Jersey City? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Real Estate Agents in Jersey City? (FAQ)
- Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)