Yes, you should still be able to obtain New Jersey auto insurance, even with 6 points on your driving record.

According to the New Jersey Department of Business and Insurance (DOBI) in most circumstances, a company cannot refuse to sell you insurance as you are an eligible person. A driver is generally considered an eligible person for insurance in the voluntary or “regular” market if he or she has fewer than seven insurance eligibility points on his or her record.

So in NJ a driver is considered eligible to purchase insurance in the voluntary market if he or she has fewer than seven insurance eligibility points accumulated during the preceding three years. These points are not the same as those on your driving record maintained by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Insurers assign insurance eligibility points to drivers for motor vehicle violations, suspensions and at-fault accidents. Insurers also assign every newly licensed driver, regardless of gender or age, three insurance eligibility points for being an inexperienced operator.

So if the 6 moving violation points translate into 6 insurance eligibility points, you will need to check with insurance companies to find out how many insurance points they will assign you for the violations on your driving record, then you should still be able to purchase car insurance in the voluntary market. If you are a young driver and thus also have 3 inexperience eligibility points placed on you by an insurer then you would be over the 7 point limit and would need to find high risk insurance in the assigned risk market.

The NJ DOBI notes that in accordance with New Jersey regulations for Eligible Person Qualifications, any driver who has accumulated seven or more insurance eligibility points for the three-year period immediately preceding the application for insurance or the three-year period ending 90 days prior to renewal of a policy may not be considered eligible to purchase coverage in the voluntary market. As a result, some insurers will direct them to purchase insurance through the Personal Automobile Insurance Plan (PAIP).

It is important to note, however, that not all insurers in the voluntary market refuse to cover drivers with seven or more insurance eligibility points. If you have seven or more insurance eligibility points it may be a good idea to shop around and compare your coverage and pricing options.

The PAIP is not an insurance company; instead, it acts as an administrative clearinghouse and assigns each driver to a company for coverage. Therefore, this type of coverage is referred to as “assigned risk.” The state has standardized the rates for this type of coverage and they do not vary from company to company. The rates may also be substantially higher than rates in the voluntary market. If you cannot find auto insurance in the voluntary market and thus need to find a PAIP producer in your area, call 1-800-652-2471 or visit the DOBI web site for a list.

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