N.J. Stat. tit. 39, ch. 6B

N.J. Stat. tit. 39, ch. 6B
in effect

N.J. Stat. § 39:6B-1 Maintenance of motor vehicle liability insurance coverage.

1. a. Every owner or registered owner of a motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this State shall maintain motor vehicle liability insurance coverage, under provisions approved by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, insuring against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury, death and property damage sustained by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance, operation or use of a motor vehicle wherein such coverage shall be at least in: (1) an amount or limit of $15,000 for plans issued or renewed prior to January 1, 2023, $25,000 for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023 but prior to January 1, 2026, and $35,000 for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, exclusive of interest and costs, on account of injury to, or death of, one person, in any one accident; and (2) an amount or limit, subject to such limit for any one person so injured or killed, of $30,000 for plans issued or renewed prior to January 1, 2023, $50,000 for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023 but prior to January 1, 2026, and $70,000 for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, exclusive of interest and costs, on account of injury to or death of, more than one person, in any one accident; and (3) an amount or limit of $25,000 for plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, exclusive of interest and costs, for damage to property in any one accident; and (4) for a commercial motor vehicle, an amount or limit of $1,500,000, exclusive of interest and costs, on account of injury to or death of, one or more persons in any one accident or for damage to property in any one accident; and (5) for a commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds but less than 26,001 pounds, an amount or limit of $300,000, exclusive of interest and costs, on account of injury to or death of, one or more persons in any one accident or for damage to property in any one accident. The provisions of paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection may be satisfied by a commercial automobile insurance policy, fleet insurance policy, commercial umbrella insurance policy, commercial excess insurance policy, similar insurance policy, or any combination thereof. b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, an owner or registered owner of an automobile, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-2), registered or primarily garaged in the State may satisfy the requirements of subsection a. of this section by maintaining a basic automobile insurance policy containing coverages provided pursuant to subsections a. and b. of section 4 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C.39:6A-3.1). c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, an owner or registered owner of an automobile, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-2), registered or primarily garaged in the State may satisfy the requirements of subsection a. of this section by maintaining a special automobile insurance policy containing coverages provided pursuant to subsection b. of section 45 of P.L.2003, c.89 (C.39:6A-3.3). d. Upon the renewal of a policy of insurance that, under its original policy limits, would no longer meet the minimum requirements established pursuant to this section, an insurer shall notify the named insured that the policy limits have been increased to meet the requirements established pursuant to this section. Notice provided pursuant to this subsection shall specify the limit or limits that have been increased to meet the requirements established pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, an insurer shall not be required to receive a signed coverage selection form pursuant to N.J.A.C.11:3-15.7, to increase a policy's limits pursuant to this section. e. As used in this section, "commercial motor vehicle" means a commercial motor vehicle as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1990, c.103 (C.39:3-10.11) and an autocab as defined pursuant to R.S.48:16-1, and shall include commercially registered vehicles. For purposes of paragraph (5) of subsection a. of this section, "commercial motor vehicle" shall also include commercially registered vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more pounds but less than 26,001 pounds. L.1972,c.197,s.1; amended 1998, c.21, s.20; 2003, c.89, s.60; 2022, c.87, s.2; 2023, c.276, s.1.

N.J. Stat. § 39:6B-1.1 Insurer to provide written disclosure of policy limits, circumstances, certain; requirements for request.

1. a. An insurer who receives a request, from an attorney admitted to the practice of law in this State, for disclosure of the policy limits under an insurance policy issued by the insurer to an insured, shall provide written disclosure of the policy limits to the attorney no later than 30 days from receipt of the request. The disclosure shall indicate the limits of all applicable insurance policies and any applicable umbrella or excess liability insurance policies issued by the insurer to the insured. b. A request for disclosure of policy limits shall be in writing and shall include: (1) a statement that the attorney represents an individual who has suffered bodily injury or death alleged to be caused by an accident with an insured under an insurance policy issued by the insurer, entity, or business; (2) the name and last known address of the insured; (3) the date and approximate time of the accident; (4) a copy of the accident report, if available, relating to the accident; and (5) in the case of a motor vehicle accident, a statement from the claimant, or an attorney representing the claimant, providing insurance information, which shall include the claimant's: (a) insurer, policy number, and policyholder name; (b) tort threshold selection; and (c) personal injury protection coverage limit. c. Disclosure of policy limits under this section shall not constitute an admission that the alleged injury or damage is subject to the policy. d. Information concerning the insurance policy shall not be admissible as evidence at trial by reason of disclosure pursuant to this section. The disclosure shall be confidential and available only to the individual injured and the attorney representing the injured person and personnel in the office of the attorney. e. The Department of Banking and Insurance shall publish on its website the email address of each insurer, which shall be supplied by each insurer issuing applicable policies in this State, for the purpose of receiving requests for policy limit disclosures pursuant to this section. L.2022, c.95.

N.J. Stat. § 39:6B-2 Penalties.

2. An owner or registrant of a motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this State who operates or causes to be operated a motor vehicle upon any public road or highway in this State without motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required by P.L.1972, c.197 (C.39:6B-1 et seq.), and an operator who operates or causes a motor vehicle to be operated and who knows or should know from the attendant circumstances that the motor vehicle is without motor vehicle liability insurance coverage required by P.L.1972, c.197 (C.39:6B-1 et seq.) shall be subject, for the first offense, to a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $1,000 and a period of community service to be determined by the court. The court, in its discretion, also may suspend the person's right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State for a period of up to one year from the date of conviction; provided, however, the period of license suspension may be reduced or eliminated if the person provides the court with satisfactory proof of motor vehicle liability insurance at the time of the hearing. Upon subsequent conviction, the person shall be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 and shall be subject to imprisonment for a term of 14 days and shall be ordered by the court to perform community service for a period of 30 days, which shall be of a form and on terms as the court shall deem appropriate under the circumstances, and the court, in its discretion, may suspend the person's right to operate a motor vehicle over the highways of this State for a period of up to two years from the date of the conviction. In deciding the duration of any suspension of the person's right to operate a motor vehicle pursuant to this section, the court shall consider the circumstances of the violation and whether the loss of driving privileges will result in extreme hardship and alternative means of transportation are not readily available. After the expiration of the suspension, the person may make application to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission for a license to operate a motor vehicle, which application may be granted at the discretion of the chief administrator. The chief administrator's discretion shall be based upon an assessment of the likelihood that the individual will operate or cause a motor vehicle to be operated in the future without the insurance coverage required by this act. A complaint for violation of this act may be made to a municipal court at any time within six months after the date of the alleged offense. Failure to produce at the time of trial an insurance identification card or an insurance policy which was in force for the time of operation for which the offense is charged creates a rebuttable presumption that the person was uninsured when charged with a violation of this section. L.1972, c.197, s.2; amended 1983, c.141, s.1; 1987, c.46; 1988, c.156, s.15; 1990, c.8, s.49; 1997, c.151, s.12; 2013, c.237; 2019, c.276, s.17.

N.J. Stat. § 39:6B-3 Uninsured Motorist Prevention Fund.

2. The Uninsured Motorist Prevention Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "fund") is established as a nonlapsing, revolving fund into which shall be deposited all revenues from the fines imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1972, c.197 (C.39:6B-2) and $25 from each fine imposed pursuant to R.S.39:3-29. Interest received on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The fund shall be administered by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Moneys in the fund shall be allocated and used for the purpose of the administrative expenses of the fund and enforcement of the compulsory motor vehicle insurance law, P.L.1972, c.197 (C.39:6B-1 et seq.) by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. L.1983,c.141,s.2; amended 2003, c.89, s.80.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026