Assemblywoman Annette Quijano was joined by several legislators and advocates Monday in Trenton, calling on the Assembly to pass a bill that would change the way auto insurance rates are calculated in New Jersey.
“Unfortunately, certain car insurance companies use education, occupation, employment status, homeownership status, marital status and credit scores. These factors have nothing to do with a person’s driving record and only serve to create a two-tier system that punishes the poor and working class New Jerseyans,” said Quijano (D-Union).
The Senate took up this issue in the last legislative session, passing a bill that would prohibit insurance companies from using socioeconomic factors that have nothing to do with a driver’s record. Several states — including California, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New York — have recently passed similar laws. But the bill has not moved in the Assembly, despite several members calling for its support, including many from the Legislative Black Caucus.
Insurance companies have lobbied hard against any changes, defending the existing rate calculation factors as actuarially justified.
