Car insurance requirements in New Jersey
What the law actually requires, and why it usually isn’t enough.
Every figure on this page is sourced and dated. Requirements change when legislatures amend them, so we say where ours came from and when we last checked.
What New Jersey compels you to carry
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Personal injury protection (PIP)
- Uninsured motorist
- Underinsured motorist
Drivers elect between limited and full tort. The cheaper option restricts your right to sue for pain and suffering — a decision worth understanding before taking the discount.
What’s specific to New Jersey
These limits rose on 1 January 2026 from 25/50/25. They apply to standard policies issued or renewed on or after that date.
New Jersey also offers a Basic Policy with far lower limits, under which uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not available.
Drivers choose between limited and full tort ('right to sue'), which affects when you can sue for pain and suffering.
Why the minimum is a floor, not a recommendation
State minimums are set by legislation. They reflect what lawmakers judged to be the least a driver should carry — often decided years ago and rarely revisited. New Jersey’s figures say nothing about your circumstances.
The consequence is concrete: if you cause an accident and the claim exceeds your limits, the remainder can come from you. Liability coverage is the part of the policy protecting everything you own, which is why the sensible question is what you’d have at risk — not what the statute permits.
Checking this yourself
You should not have to take our word for it. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance publishes the current requirements, handles complaints, and maintains a licence lookup so you can verify anyone selling you a policy.
Find the New Jersey insurance department via the NAIC directoryNew Jersey car insurance questions
New Jersey requires at least 35/70/25 — $35,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $70,000 per accident, and $25,000 of property damage liability. Verified 2026-08-17.
New Jersey operates an choice / limited tort system. Drivers elect between limited and full tort. The cheaper option restricts your right to sue for pain and suffering — a decision worth understanding before taking the discount.
Minimums are a legal floor set by legislation, not an assessment of what you'd need. If a claim exceeds your limits the difference can come from you, so the honest test is what you'd have at risk in a serious at-fault accident — not what the statute permits.
The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance publishes the current requirements and a licence lookup. We list our source and the date we last verified these figures on this page, and requirements do change — legislatures amend them.
Get a New Jersey quote
We’re licensed in New Jersey and work with multiple carriers, so we can compare rather than sell one company’s product.
Requirements verified 2026-08-17 against NJ Dept of Banking & Insurance Bulletin 25-06 (primary source). State insurance law changes — confirm current requirements with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance before relying on any figure here. General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Quote My Policy LLC is a licensed insurance producer.