After years of steady declines, New Jersey’s notoriously high auto insurance rates are on the rise again.
And, to stem the tide, the Christie administration is proposing new rules that would limit the kinds of medical care injured drivers can receive under their auto policies.
The proposed rules could rekindle debate over auto insurance, an issue that dominated New Jersey for decades, when angry motorists regularly revolted against paying rates that were nearly always the most expensive in the nation.
The administration’s proposal also renews the long fight over who rules in disputes over injured motorists. Insurance companies have long sought these proposed changes, saying they will cut premiums. Consumer advocates today said they will hurt accident victims.
New Jersey auto insurance bills got smaller from 2005 to 2008 after former Gov. James E. McGreevey deregulated the insurance market. In 2008 — the most recent year for national figures — New Jersey stood third in the nation, at $1,081 per car.
But state officials say rates began to rise again in 2009, and continue to this day.
The proposed rules would place limits on personal injury protection, which covers medical expenses for accident victims.
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oh please this is rediculous, NYC drivers pay 2-3 times as much as the average NJ driver