Cheapest Auto Insurance for Low Credit Scores in New Jersey

Cheapest Auto Insurance for Low Credit Scores in New Jersey

When talking about auto insurance, the word affordable should not be used anywhere in the article to describe car insurance prices. It’s a simple fact that cheap car insurance for low credit scores can be extremely hard to find. Don’t let that get you down, though, because we will tell you how you can find coverage that is cheaper than what you are paying now.

For New Jersey drivers, one of the components that affect rate quotes is where you keep your car. Urban areas that are densely populated like East Orange, Paterson, and Elizabeth are more likely to have higher rates, whereas areas with less congestion benefit from having to pay less for coverage.

The information below ranks the most expensive areas in New Jersey for low credit scores to buy car insurance in.

Where does New Jersey rank for car insurance cost?
Rank City Annual Premium
1 East Orange $2,597
2 Newark $2,572
3 Paterson $2,472
4 West New York $2,456
5 Elizabeth $2,374
6 Kearny $2,358
7 Union City $2,354
8 Hoboken $2,353
9 Passaic $2,325
10 Clifton $2,276
11 Jersey City $2,253
12 Linden $2,185
13 Bayonne $2,184
14 Camden $2,155
15 Perth Amboy $2,144
16 Fort Lee $2,123
17 Atlantic City $2,106
18 Hackensack $1,999
19 Plainfield $1,976
20 Trenton $1,954
21 New Brunswick $1,932
22 Sayreville $1,863
23 Lakewood $1,819
24 Vineland $1,788
25 Toms River $1,691
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Premium costs are estimated as the vehicle garaging location can modify premium rates significantly.

The vehicle you are buying coverage for is a large factor when consumers are trying to find the most affordable coverage for low credit scores. Vehicles with limited top-end speed, modern passenger safety features, or a positive history of liability claims will cost less to insure than adrenaline junky models.

The information below presents insurance rates for a selection of the most cost-effective automobiles to buy insurance for.

Car Insurance Rates for Popular Cars in New Jersey
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan $1,546 $773 $129
Ford Fusion Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan $1,886 $943 $157
Honda Accord EX 2-Dr Coupe $1,676 $838 $140
Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan $1,458 $729 $122
Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan $1,546 $773 $129
Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan $1,676 $838 $140
Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan $1,580 $790 $132
Toyota Corolla XRS $1,614 $807 $135
Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon $1,504 $752 $125
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Data based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and New Jersey minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in specific location which can influence auto insurance rates greatly.

Insurance Rates for Popular SUVs and Crossovers in New Jersey
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Acura MDX with Tech/Entertainment 4WD $1,646 $823 $137
Buick Enclave XL AWD $1,646 $823 $137
Chevrolet Traverse LTZ AWD $1,416 $708 $118
Ford Escape XLT 2WD $1,260 $630 $105
Ford Explorer XLT 4WD $1,404 $702 $117
GMC Acadia SLT 2WD $1,492 $746 $124
Honda CR-V LX 4WD $1,260 $630 $105
Honda Pilot EX 4WD $1,438 $719 $120
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD $1,614 $807 $135
Kia Sportage LX 2WD 4-Dr $1,370 $685 $114
Lexus RX 350 2WD $1,830 $915 $153
Toyota Highlander 2WD $1,404 $702 $117
Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD $1,492 $746 $124
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Prices based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and New Jersey minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in New Jersey location which can impact coverage rates greatly.

Auto Insurance Rates for Popular Pickup Trucks in New Jersey
Make, Model, and Trim Level Annual Cost Semi-Annual Cost Monthly Cost
Chevrolet Colorado LT Extended Cab 2WD $1,458 $729 $122
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab Diesel 2WD $1,768 $884 $147
Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Hybrid 2WD $1,702 $851 $142
Dodge Ram Crew Cab TRX 4WD $1,742 $871 $145
Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 4WD $1,404 $702 $117
Ford F-250 XL 4WD $1,710 $855 $143
GMC Canyon SLE Regular Cab 2WD $1,370 $685 $114
GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD $1,614 $807 $135
Toyota Tacoma 2WD $1,458 $729 $122
Toyota Tundra SR/5 Double Cab 2WD $1,588 $794 $132
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Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and New Jersey minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can modify price quotes considerably.

Establishing which insurers offer the most affordable auto insurance rates for low credit scores takes a little more sweat in order to find the most economical policy.

Every insurance company has a proprietary method for setting prices, so we need to take a look at the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in New Jersey.

Best Cheap Insurance Rates in New Jersey

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Cheapest New Jersey auto insurance companies
Rank Company Cost Per Year
1 21st Century $1,100
2 Travelers $1,156
3 New Jersey Manufacturers $1,271
4 Palisades $1,341
5 Penn National $1,379
6 The Hartford $1,476
7 California Casualty $1,481
8 Allstate $1,538
9 USAA $1,600
10 Mercury $1,651
11 Amica $1,832
12 Progressive $1,862
13 Esurance $1,894
14 MetLife $1,991
15 GEICO $2,174
16 State Farm $2,226
17 Encompass $2,374
18 Liberty Mutual $2,978
19 Hanover $3,987
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21st Century generally has some of the lowest car insurance rates in New Jersey at around $1,100 each year. Travelers, New Jersey Manufacturers, Palisades, and Penn National would also be considered some of the cheaper New Jersey insurance companies.

In the rate table above, if you are a customer of Palisades and switched to Travelers, you may realize annual savings of in the neighborhood of $185. Policyholders with Penn National may save as much as $223 a year, and The Hartford customers might lower prices by $320 a year.

Be aware that those rates are averaged for all ages of drivers and types of vehicles and are not factoring in a rate decrease for low credit scores. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be featured in the above list. That point stresses why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.

Auto insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents

One of the best ways to score low auto insurance prices for bad credit is to drive cautiously and avoid accidents and traffic violations. The illustration below shows how traffic citations and at-fault accidents raise insurance premiums for different age groups. The premiums are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

The data charted above shows the average cost of auto insurance in New Jersey per year with no accidents or violations is $1,920. Get written up for two speeding tickets and the average cost surges to $2,557, an increase of $637 each year. Then add in one accident along with the two speeding tickets and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for low credit scores jumps again to an average of $3,203. That’s an increase of $1,284, or $107 per month, just for being a little careless behind the wheel!

Picking a high-quality insurance provider can be rather challenging considering how many choices drivers have in New Jersey. The company rank data shown next could help you choose which car insurance providers you want to consider when comparing rates. These ratings are for large insurance companies, so companies without a large exposure are not taken into consideration for the list.

Top Auto Insurance Companies for Low Credit Scores
Company Value Customer Service Claims Customer Satisfaction A.M Best Rating Overall Score
Mercury Insurance 87 96 100 87% A+ 93.4
The Hartford 88 96 91 93% A+ 92.6
Progressive 84 94 99 90% A+ 92.4
Travelers 84 93 100 87% A++ 92.3
State Farm 84 93 95 87% A++ 91
Farmers Insurance 87 92 90 85% A 90.6
Safeco Insurance 85 91 87 86% A 88.4
USAA 71 93 98 87% A++ 88
GEICO 73 93 95 85% A++ 87.1
21st Century 85 85 91 89% A 86.9
Liberty Mutual 72 91 97 83% A 86.4
AAA Insurance 85 85 88 86% A 85.8
Nationwide 71 90 93 83% A+ 84.9
Allstate 69 92 92 83% A+ 84.4
American Family 77 96 80 85% A 83.8
Esurance 70 80 89 77% A+ 79.2
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies

How to get the cheapest auto insurance for low credit scores in New Jersey

It’s not impossible to find cheaper rates, and here are many thrifty ideas that can help New Jersey drivers get more affordable coverage.

  • Multi-policy discounts save money
  • Safer vehicles generally have cheaper insurance rates
  • Full coverage may not be needed on older vehicles
  • Higher credit scores can equal lower rates
  • Drive attentively and avoid accidents
  • Keep rates low by comparing prices once a year

The last tip in the list is especially significant, as was noted in the prior article. Insurance prices change frequently, so you should be ready to buy a different policy if you find a cheaper price.

Many drivers have brand loyalty and that’s fine, but we do not recommend it if it’s costing you several hundred dollars every year. It takes less than five minutes to shop around to find cheaper car insurance for low credit scores.