New Jersey Car Insurance Coverage - Nationwide (2024)

Car insurance laws in New Jersey

As a resident of New Jersey, you are required to carry car insurance and purchase coverage before you register your vehicle. Insurance coverage and cost may also vary depending on where within the state you live. Before you get started, here are some important factors to keep in mind:

No-fault insurance

New Jersey is a state where carrying no-fault insurance is mandatory. If you happen to get into a car accident, no-fault insurance will reimburse you for any hospital or medical expenses, wage losses from an inability to work, and if necessary, any funeral costs. No-fault insurance will cover these expenses regardless of who is responsible for the accident. It does not, however, cover any damage to your car.

Teen driving laws in New Jersey

Young drivers are eager to get out on the open road and experience that kind of freedom for the first time in their lives. To ensure safety for everyone, it’s important to become familiar with the laws new drivers in New Jersey must follow.

Teenagers in New Jersey may apply for a learner’s permit once they turn 16. At 17 they can receive their probationary license which allows drivers to be on the road unsupervised while still abiding by the rest of the learner’s permit rules. At 18 drivers may receive a full driver’s license. You can learn more about the rules young drivers in New Jersey must follow here.

Minimum insurance requirements for New Jersey

The minimum amount of New Jersey auto insurance coverage is $15,000/$30,000/$5,000. In the event of a covered accident, your limits for bodily injury are $15,000 per person, with a total maximum of $30,000 per incident. It also covers up to $5,000 for damage to another person’s property.

Liability coverage

As a resident of New Jersey, there are two types of liability coverage your insurance policy must include: property damage and bodily injury.

• Property damage safeguards your assets if you are found legally responsible for a covered accident. It covers certain damage you may cause to the property or vehicle of another party.
• Bodily injury safeguards your assets if you’re found legally responsible for a covered accident, including certain expenses associated with bodily harm sustained by the other parties.

Liability coverage also provides for your legal defense if a lawsuit is brought against you as a result of a covered accident.

Optional New Jersey insurance coverages

It’s often a good idea to add the following coverages to your policy so you can enjoy the security of being protected on the road:

Comprehensive

This type of New Jersey auto insurance coverage is used to repair your vehicle when physical damage occurs from non-collision related incidents (subject to deductible). Such incidents include theft, fire, vandalism, glass breakage, and contact with animals.

Collision

Collision coverage is used to repair your vehicle when physical damage occurs from collision with another vehicle or object (subject to deductible).

Uninsured/underinsured motorist

Protects you in the event of an accident where the other party is at-fault and either doesn’t carry insurance or whose insurance limits are not enough to reimburse you for damages they caused.

• Bodily injury helps pay for damages due to bodily injury that you and other passengers of your vehicle are legally entitled to from another driver who is not insured or is underinsured.

Personal injury protection (PIP)

Reimburses a portion of wage loss, medical expenses and essential services incurred as a result of an accident to eligible injured parties (i.e. passengers or pedestrians).

Tailor your policy with these options

Accident Forgiveness

With this optional coverage, Nationwide will not raise your auto insurance rates following your first at-fault automobile accident. Learn more about Accident Forgiveness.

Roadside Assistance

Nationwide Roadside Assistance coverage is available in two different levels, Basic and Plus, so you can choose the one that works best with your budget. Get covered for fuel delivery, lockout service, jump-starts and more.

Good as new vehicle replacement

This feature has various options that offer greater coverage for your new vehicle.

Loss of use/rental car expense

If you can’t drive your car due to a covered loss, this coverage helps pay for a rental car or other transportation expenses so you can get back on the road.