Report: Auto Premiums Lower in Verona, Cedar Grove

Garden State residents continue to lead the nation in the cost of auto insurance – and that number may be climbing, according to a recently published report.

But in a twist for Essex County residents, especially those in Verona and Cedar Grove, residents there pay less than the statewide average in premiums – and they have Montclair to thank for it, a published report Tuesday said.

Residents of both townships belong to the greater Montclair territory based as their zip codes and because of that, they ranked as the 21^st lowest location out of 49 in the state, according to onlineautoinsurance.com and published on NorthJersey.com.

That means the average quote for Verona and Cedar Grove is $1,990, or 6.7 percent lower than the $2,130 statewide figure.

Insurance brokers say the two townships low crime rate and population density figures, along with racial breakdown figures, account for the lower insurance rates.

The Caldwells and West Essex pay $1,550 (27.3 percent below the state average), the second cheapest rates in the county, the report said. Conversely, Newark residents average $2,780 per quote (30.4 percent above the average)