Other politicians have walked this route before. In 1997, during her second bid for governor, Christie Whitman directed her insurance department to freeze car insurance rates. But insurers with legitimate requests got court-ordered rate hikes. To be sure, car insurance is a huge expense in New Jersey, where it's almost impossible to live and work without a car. The reasons insurance premiums are so pricey here are beyond the control of either lawmakers or the insurers.
New Jersey is the most congested state in the nation.
While fewer are dying on our roads, injury rates are rising. Medical care here is sophisticated and costly. Despite what Mr. Doria says, New Jersey is not a lucrative place to sell auto insurance. The state's excess profits law requires auto insurers making more than an average of 6 percent in profits over three years to refund policyholders for the excess. And five of the nation's 10 biggest insurance companies don't even bother selling insurance to New Jersey drivers.