Geico has the best car insurance rates overall for drivers in Newark, N.J., according to a ValuePenguin analysis. The company's average monthly rates are $65 for minimum coverage and $147 for full coverage.

Residents of Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey, pay higher auto insurance rates than those who live elsewhere in the state. Minimum-coverage car insurance costs an average $82 per month statewide, but in Newark the price is 49% higher — $122 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Newark: Geico

The cheapest companies in Newark for minimum coverage are Geico, Plymouth Rock and NJM. Together, these companies charge an average $1,015 per year for minimum coverage. That's $393 cheaper than the city average, which is $1,408 per year.

Overall, Geico has the best rate for minimum coverage. At $775 per year, drivers who insure their cars with Geico pay roughly half as much as the city average.

Minimum coverage in New Jersey covers injuries and damages you cause to another driver and their vehicle. So while you pay less, you also get less coverage and are on the hook for repairs to your own car.

Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Newark: Geico

Geico has the cheapest rate for full coverage in Newark. On average, drivers pay $2,936 per year in Newark for this type of coverage, but Geico charges considerably less — $1,762 per year.

Full coverage combines collision and comprehensive coverages with the minimum required coverages in New Jersey.

Collision coverage pays for damage to your car that results from an accident, while comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your vehicle due to events other than a crash, such as "acts of God" like falling objects, hail and windstorms.

ValuePenguin generally recommends full coverage, particularly to young drivers or those who drive new cars. While you'll pay higher rates, your own car is protected on the road.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with prior incidents

Insurers view incidents like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets or DUI citations as signs of increased risk, and often raise rates to reflect that risk.

We identified the most affordable insurers for Newark drivers who have:

Cheapest car insurance in Newark after an accident: NJM

After an at-fault accident, average rates in Newark increase from $2,936 per year to $4,921 per year — a 68% jump. However, NJM raises rates much less sharply. Newark drivers pay $2,470 per year for a full-coverage policy from NJM after an accident. That's a $2,451 savings per year.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Geico

A speeding ticket was the least-serious offense in our study. Insurers raised rates by just $491 per year, as opposed to $1,328 per year after a DUI and $1,985 per year after an at-fault accident. Geico has the most affordable premium for drivers with a speeding ticket. At $1,762 per year, Geico charges 49% less than the city average of $3,427.

Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a DUI: Plymouth Rock

The cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their record come from Plymouth Rock, NJM and Geico. Plymouth Rock only raises rates $603 per year after a DUI, considerably less than larger companies such as Allstate and Geico.

Cheapest car insurance for married drivers: Plymouth Rock

Married drivers in Newark save about $7 per month on full coverage compared to their single counterparts. ValuePenguin's analysis found that single drivers pay $238 per month, whereas married drivers pay an average $245 per month.

Plymouth Rock again had the most affordable coverage, followed by Geico and NJM. Married drivers pay $162 per month for full coverage from Plymouth Rock, $162 from Geico and $194 from NJM.

Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: Geico

Young drivers in Newark pay far more for car insurance than adult drivers do. Insurers charged our sample 18-year-old driver rates that were 195% higher than the rates they charged our sample 30-year-old driver.

The most affordable full-coverage policy comes from Geico, which charges $3,938 annually for full coverage. While that's not cheap per se, it's significantly more affordable than what companies like Allstate and Progressive charge.

Young drivers can help reduce their car insurance rate by staying on their parents' policy. Getting good grades and leaving their car at home during the academic year can also help young students snag auto insurance discounts.

Best auto insurance companies in Newark, New Jersey

Both companies have high ValuePenguin editor's ratings, indicating a combination of low rates, good customer service and expanded coverage options. NJM also ranked highly in J.D. Power's annual customer satisfaction survey.

Auto theft statistics in Newark

Newark has the largest population in New Jersey and the second-highest auto theft rate. For every 1,000 residents, about five cars get stolen.

Methodology

ValuePenguin gathered quotes from seven of the largest insurers in New Jersey. Unless otherwise noted, our data reflect the quotes these insurers gave a 30-year-old man who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX with full-coverage insurance.

We used the following limits for the full-coverage policy:

ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. Rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings. Your own quotes may be different; utilize the rates in this analysis for comparative purposes only.