Dollar-A-Day Insurance (New Jersey SAIP)

New Jersey's Special Auto Insurance Policy offers Medicaid recipients discounted car insurance coverage.
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Renata Balasco

Senior Content Strategist

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Renata joined The Zebra in 2020 as a Customer Experience Agent. Since 2021, she has worked as licensed insurance professional and content strategist.…

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Kristine Lee

Insurance Analyst

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  • 4+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry

Kristine is a licensed insurance agent who joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer. Before joining The Zebra, she was a…

New Jersey's Special Auto Insurance Policy (SAIP)  

The state of New Jersey offers a unique insurance program called the Special Automobile Insurance Policy, or SAIP. Better known as Dollar-A-Day car insurance, this program offers limited auto insurance for recipients of Medicaid, aiming to make car insurance more affordable for people more likely to go uninsured because of financial limitations.


What Dollar-A-Day insurance covers

This program offers limited insurance, covering emergency medical treatment immediately following an accident and treatment of serious brain and spinal cord injuries up to $250,000. It also provides a $10,000 death benefit.

This program does not offer liability or comprehensive coverage, meaning you are not covered if you incur damage to someone’s person or property or to your own vehicle. Without liability coverage, SAIP participants do not meet the state minimum regulations for auto insurance coverage and can be held legally liable for cases of damage to others or their property.

New Jersey's Dollar-A-Day program only allows one car per policy, even if there is more than one person in your household who has Federal Medicaid with hospitalization. All eligible drivers in the same household can be covered on the same policy as long as there is only one vehicle.


Unlimited Medical Coverage

 

Who is eligible for a New Jersey SAIP policy?

SAIP is made for drivers who are eligible for federal Medicaid with hospitalization. Not all Medicaid plans qualify for this program; an insurance agent will be able to confirm whether or not you are eligible for NJSAIP by the number on your Medicaid ID. You must be uninsured in order to apply for this policy.


How to get Dollar-A-Day insurance

Most insurance agencies in New Jersey can issue a Special Auto Insurance Policy to eligible applicants. You can also contact the Personal Auto Insurance Plan customer service line by calling 1-800-652-2471. Officially, SAIP is issued by the National Continental Insurance Company. The plan costs $365 for a one-year policy period if you pay in two installments, and $360 per year if you pay up front.

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New Jersey Dollar-A-Day insurance FAQs

Applicants for the SAIP policy are required to prove enrollment in Medicaid at the time of application and each renewal. If you are de-enrolled from Medicaid during the policy period, the policy will not end immediately: you will retain coverage until the policy expiration date. Once your policy period expires, however, you will need to apply for a different car insurance policy with another provider.
Policies are issued to drivers with a variety of driving records, but you cannot get a policy if your driver's license or registration is revoked or suspended.
To apply for SAIP, you must bring the driver’s licenses of all drivers that will be listed on the policy, your vehicle’s registration, and each driver’s Medicaid ID card.

Affordable auto insurance options in New Jersey

If you don't qualify for SAIP or are no longer eligible to receive the benefits of this program, your best bet for finding affordable car insurance is by shopping around. The Zebra has compiled a list of affordable car insurance providers in New Jersey. Enter your ZIP code below to compare quotes from companies offering coverage in New Jersey.

The Zebra’s auto insurance data methodology

The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool for home and auto insurance rates utilizes the latest ZIP code-level rate filings from across the U.S., sourced from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global. These filings, typically updated annually or biennially by insurers, are verified through Quadrant’s QA process and then integrated into The Zebra’s estimator.

The displayed rates are based on a dynamic home and auto profile designed to reflect the content of the page. This profile is tailored to match specific factors such as age, location, and coverage level, which are adjusted based on the page content to show how these variables can impact premiums.

For a comprehensive understanding, see our detailed methodology.

What's the cheapest car insurance company in New Jersey?

Rank Company Name Annual Premium
1 Travelers $1,168
2 Cal Casualty $1,466
3 NJM $1,558
4 State Farm $1,759
5 Penn National $1,776
6 Metlife $1,971
7 Progressive $2,003
8 Mercury $2,332
9 Allstate $2,656
10 Hanover $5,194

Compare car insurance quotes and find the right policy for you.

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Is SAIP insurance worth it?

Because this program does not meet state minimum requirements and will not cover your or the other party's vehicle in the event of a collision, New Jersey's Dollar-A-Day program should be considered a last resort solution.

While its target policyholders already face financial limitations, choosing a program that leaves you financially vulnerable and unprotected is a risk. If involved in an accident, you will be held financially responsible for damages to the other party's person or property, which may be more difficult for recipients of Medicaid programs to be able to afford. This policy is best for low-risk drivers who drive infrequently and have exhausted all other coverage options.



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About The Zebra

The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.

  • The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
  • The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
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