If you want to drive a car on any public roadway in New Jersey you'd better have car insurance. If you're caught driving without insurance the fines are horrendous and the hassles you are put through later on will having you pulling your hair out. In other words, it's simply not worth it to drive without insurance in New Jersey.
And you shouldn't have to. If money is the problem there are several simple things you can do to reduce the cost of your automobile insurance.
Let's start with your car itself. Not all cars are created equal in the eyes of your insurance company. Some are more likely to be stolen than others and some are more expensive to repair than others. If you really want to get the best rates on car insurance in New Jersey it will pay you to ask your insurance agent for a list of the least expensive cars to insure before you ever purchase a vehicle.
Probably the most important thing you can do to keep you car insurance rates as low as possible to simply to always drive safely and within the law. Don't speed, and don't drive when drinking or impaired in any way. Even one speeding ticket or other moving violation and your car insurance rates will begin to soar.
If you are convicted of a DUI or a DWI your rates will skyrocket and if you receive a second conviction for either offense you'll be stuck treading water in the high-risk insurance pool with little hope of finding insurance at all.
If you can possibly reduce the amount you drive to less than 500 miles per month you can greatly reduce your car insurance costs. Many people achieve this by using public transportation whenever possible and only use their cars for emergencies and special occasions.
Do you have access to a garage where your car can be parked at night? If so let your insurance agent know and you could save on your monthly bill.
Can you add any safety features to your car? Ask your agent if there is any reduction in your rates if you purchase a simple steering wheel locking device. Installing an electronic anti-theft device that shuts off your fuel pump unless a special code is entered is relatively simple and inexpensive and can save you money month after month.
If you're under 25 stay in school and keep your grades up. If you maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average you should qualify for a Good Student Discount, saving you at least 5% on your monthly insurance premium.
If you consolidate all of your insurance policies (homeowner's, life, health etc.) under one insurance company you should receive a hefty Multi-Policy Discount on your car insurance. Also, if you have had your policy with the same company for 5 years or more you should be receiving a special Long Term Discount. Make certain you are receiving it.
One of the most common ways that people reduce the cost of their car insurance is to increase the size of their deductible. You need to be honest with yourself when setting your deductible and seriously consider how much you can actually afford to pay out of your own pocket anytime you have a claim - but the more you can afford to pay yourself, the lower your monthly premium will be.
So now you have enough information to create a car insurance policy on paper which is designed to save you money from the start. To save even more money I want you to go online and find at least 3 different websites that allow you to compare prices among the different insurance companies.
Take the time to compare the cost of your paper policy on at least 3 different websites - and then pick the best price you find. Once you've done that you will know for sure that you have gotten the best rates on car insurance in New Jersey and that you can look forward to saving money on your car insurance month after month.
In order to do this let's start by looking at everything you can do to build a policy from the ground up that will save you as much money as possible.
The minimum car insurance you are required to carry in New Jersey is Liability, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage.
None of these types of insurance will repair or replace your vehicle if you are in an accident, especially if you are at fault for the accident. If you want to protect your own vehicle then in addition to the three types of insurance that I just mentioned, you will also need to buy Collision insurance as well as Comprehensive insurance.
Just so you know, driving without insurance in New Jersey can land you in a lot of hot water. At a minimum you may be subjected to fines, community service, license suspension and when you do buy insurance so that you can legally drive in New Jersey you can count on what is referred to as an "insurance surcharge" ? in other words, yet another fine.
So let's start designing a policy that will cost you as little as possible while still giving you the coverage you need.
The first thing you need to do is to keep your driving record clean. This means you do not have any speeding tickets or other moving violations and that you most certainly do not have any convictions for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Even a speeding ticket will prevent you from getting the best rates on discount car insurance, but a DWI or a DUI will send your rates to the moon.
If you are under 25 years old stay in school and keep your grades up. If you can maintain at least a "B" average then you can save about 5% on your monthly car insurance premium.
Can you keep your car in a garage at night? If so there's another big savings on your insurance.
Do you drive less than 500 miles each month on average? If so there's no reason for you to pay for insurance while your car is just sitting in your garage ? you should be eligible for a Low-Mileage Discount.
Do you have more than one insurance policy with the same insurance company? Maybe you have a life insurance policy, or a homeowner's policy with the same company? If so you should be eligible for a Multi-Policy Discount on your car insurance.
Have you been insured with the same insurance company for at least 5 years? If so ask for a Long-Term-Policy Discount.
Are you 55 or older? If so see if you qualify to take a special driver's refresher course. If you qualify and you pass the test you can shave about 10% off your car insurance bill month after month!
Are you driving an old clunker of a car with little or no Kelly Blue Book value? If that's the case and you are still paying for collision or comprehensive insurance you are simply throwing your premium dollars down the drain.
Along those same lines remember that each year that passes your vehicle loses value according to the Kelly Blue Book. Therefore you should lower the amount (and therefore the cost) of your comprehensive and collision insurance each year ? talk to your agent about how much you could save by simply doing this.
How large of a deductible can you afford? Think carefully before you answer. The higher your deductible the lower your monthly car insurance premium, but keep in mind that however much you set your deductible for, that is the amount of money you are going to have to pull out of your own wallet any time you have a claim. Make sure you can afford your deductible.
O.K., now you've got enough information to create the perfect, low cost car insurance policy. Now it's time to get online and find at least 3 different websites that let you compare prices on policies between different insurance companies.
Each site wants you to think that it is comparing prices at every single insurance company, but that is simply not the case. If you are really serious and want to genuinely save money and get discount car insurance in New Jersey then you're going to have to take a few extra minutes and compare the price of your super policy on at least 3 different websites.
Then simply pick the best price you can find and you're done! You've saved money and gotten the very best deal you could on car insurance here in New Jersey. Congratulations!
Both Alexis Jensen & Larry Nez are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.