New Jersey A 3421: Establishes an animal abuser registry.

Bill Text

A3421 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3421 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman HEATHER SIMMONS

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes "Car Insurance Reduction Act"; 
modifies current law addressing requirements of automobile insurers for 
underwriting; rate calculations and reductions; and reporting requirements to 
State.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning automobile insurance rates, amending 
P.L.1997, c.151, and supplementing Title 17 of the Revised Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 15 of P.L.1997, 
c.151 (C.17:29A-46.2) is amended to read as follows:

���� 15.� a.� Insurers shall put in 
writing all underwriting rules applicable to each rate level utilized pursuant 
to section 14 of P.L.1997, c.151 (C.17:29A-46.1).� An insurer may take into 
account factors [, 
including, but not limited to, driving record characteristics] appropriate 
for underwriting and classification in formulating its underwriting rules; 
provided that no underwriting rule based on motor vehicle violations shall be 
formulated in such a manner as to assign any named insured to a rating tier 
other than the standard rating tier applicable to the insured's territory 
solely on the basis of accumulating four motor vehicle points or less.� In 
addition to other factors that an insurer may consider, an insurer shall take 
into account driving record characteristics to formulate its underwriting 
rules.� No underwriting rule shall operate in such a manner as to assign a 
risk to a rating plan on the basis of the territory in which the insured 
resides or any other factor which the commissioner finds is a surrogate for 
territory. No underwriting rule shall operate in such a manner as to assign a 
risk to a rating plan on the basis of an insured holding a standard motorcycle 
license or standard basic driver's license issued pursuant to R.S.39:3-10, or 
standard probationary license issued pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1950, c.127 
(C.39:3-13.4).� No underwriting rule shall operate in a manner as to assign 
a risk to a rating plan on the basis of the education level, occupation, or 
credit history of the insured. An insurer which knowingly fails to transact 
automobile insurance consistently with its underwriting rules shall be subject 
to a fine of not less than $1,000 for each violation.

���� b.��� All underwriting rules 
applicable to each rate level as provided for in section 14 of P.L.1997, c.151 
(C.17:29A-46.1) shall be filed with the commissioner and shall be subject to 
the commissioner's prior approval.� All underwriting rules shall be subject to 
public inspection.� Except as provided in subsection d. of section 27 of 
P.L.1990, c.8 (C.17:33B-15), insurers shall apply their underwriting rules 
uniformly and without exception throughout the State, so that every applicant 
or insured conforming with the underwriting rules will be insured or renewed, 
and so that every applicant not conforming with the underwriting rules will be 
refused insurance.

���� c.���� An insurer with more 
than one rating plan for private passenger automobile insurance policies 
providing identical coverages shall not adopt underwriting rules which would 
permit a person to be insured for private passenger automobile insurance under 
more than one of the rating plans.

���� d.��� An insurer that revises 
its underwriting rules with respect to the assignment of insureds to rating 
tiers based on the number of accumulated motor vehicle points, as provided by 
subsection a. of this section, as amended by P.L.2003, c.89, shall certify to 
the commissioner that the revised rule will produce rates that are revenue 
neutral based upon the insurer's current coverages and book of business.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.271, s.19)

���� 2.��� (New section) Every 
insurer authorized to write private passenger automobile insurance policies in 
this State shall:

���� a.���� as part of a policy, provide 
to each insured a detailed explanation of the rating plan used to determine the 
premium charged to an insured, including if factors unrelated to the driving 
record of the insured were used.� The explanation provided to the insured shall 
be made available through the Internet website of the insurer; and

���� b.��� allow the insured, or a 
consumer if not yet insured by the insurer, to compare coverage options offered 
by the insurer, along with estimated premiums for each coverage option offered 
by the insurer, within the Internet website of the insurer.

���� 3.��� (New section)� Every 
rate filing for private passenger automobile insurance shall contain an 
appropriate reduction for personal injury protection coverage, bodily injury 
liability coverage, property damage coverage, and physical damage coverage