Hanover vs. New Jersey Skylands: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, New Jersey Skylands offers significantly more affordable rates than Hanover
• Hanover may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than New Jersey Skylands Insurance
• New Jersey Skylands tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

Hanover or New Jersey Skylands: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Hanover or New Jersey Skylands as potential options, but between the two, which one has cheaper prices for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, New Jersey Skylands has average rates that are around 45% a month less expensive than those from Hanover.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean New Jersey Skylands will be the more affordable option for every single driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Hanover or New Jersey Skylands is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Hanover vs. New Jersey Skylands: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hanover and New Jersey Skylands only compete against each other in New Jersey, where New Jersey Skylands offers the cheaper average prices. New Jersey Skylands drivers tend to pay about $336 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Hanover for their auto insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just where you call home. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. Usually, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 50% less a month by choosing New Jersey Skylands over Hanover.

That being said, both companies will lower rates by the time you turn 25. New Jersey Skylands offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Hanover's average prices drop more than 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest insurance premiums you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

When looking at Hanover and New Jersey Skylands specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? New Jersey Skylands gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $256 cheaper than the national average for Hanover.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are generally less expensive for married policyholders than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married couples usually cover multiple vehicles, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with New Jersey Skylands premiums coming in at about half of Hanover's. The advantage for married drivers with New Jersey Skylands is also obvious, where drivers save around $300 per month.

Hanover or New Jersey Skylands: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which means they'll normally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Normally, women see rates about 7% a month less with Hanover, and around 2% less with New Jersey Skylands.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, New Jersey Skylands comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, women save about $366 per month and men save about $419 with New Jersey Skylands compared to the average Hanover policyholder.

Hanover vs. New Jersey Skylands: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are lots of different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, New Jersey Skylands has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $297. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, New Jersey Skylands again has the edge, with policies averaging around $624 a month to Hanover's 1196.

Is Hanover or New Jersey Skylands Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which company -- Hanover or New Jersey Skylands -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Hanover for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 26% after getting a speeding ticket. New Jersey Skylands policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

But New Jersey Skylands tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 48% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 54% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Hanover can expect to see about an $326 -- or around 35% -- rise in their insurance prices. Drivers who use New Jersey Skylands for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $67 (or 17%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use New Jersey Skylands end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $387 compared to Hanover Insurance's $943.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. On average, New Jersey Skylands will raise your prices around 57% after a DUI, while Hanover's average rates climb by nearly 40%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, New Jersey Skylands tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $747 to Hanover's 1013.

How does Credit Score Impact Hanover and New Jersey Skylands Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Hanover and New Jersey Skylands, which carrier has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Hanover will usually reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Hanover comes in more than 36% less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 24% with New Jersey Skylands compared to average prices from Hanover.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

New Jersey Skylands typically offers lower premiums than Hanover when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 45% per month less with New Jersey Skylands compared to Hanover, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 67% a month.

Is Hanover or New Jersey Skylands Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much New Jersey Skylands charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Hanover, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, New Jersey Skylands is the cheaper company.

Hanover or New Jersey Skylands: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

New Jersey Skylands boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $395 with New Jersey Skylands compared to Hanover. People who live in suburban areas pay about $371 less with New Jersey Skylands compared to Hanover. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, New Jersey Skylands Insurance's average rates are around $411 less than Hanover Insurance.

Hanover vs. New Jersey Skylands Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Hanover and New Jersey Skylands so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Hanover has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. New Jersey Skylands offers a grand total of 18 discounts, while Hanover has 21.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, education discounts, and group discounts -- but Hanover also offers discounts for ABS, annual mileage, driver training, and more.

On the other hand, New Jersey Skylands has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like company car discounts, ESC discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Hanover or New Jersey Skylands Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

New Jersey Skylands might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after a collision.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Hanover might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Hanover and New Jersey Skylands. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Hanover and New Jersey Skylands. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Hanover vs. New Jersey Skylands FAQs

Is Hanover or New Jersey Skylands cheaper?

New Jersey Skylands is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $460 a month with New Jersey Skylands and $853 for Hanover. However, that doesn't mean New Jersey Skylands will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are a range of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Hanover or New Jersey Skylands?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Hanover is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while New Jersey Skylands offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Hanover and New Jersey Skylands offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like age, your driving record, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Hanover and New Jersey Skylands calculate rates using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if Hanover or New Jersey Skylands is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Hanover or New Jersey Skylands at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.