Palisades (Plymouth Rock Assurance in New Jersey) auto insurance

Overview

Palisades is the New Jersey insurance group that underwrites most Plymouth Rock Assurance auto policies sold outside New England. New Jersey drivers know it as Plymouth Rock; the NAIC reports it separately as the Palisades Group. It ranked #44 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data, with $786.8 million in auto premiums and a 0.21% national share.

The relationship with Plymouth Rock is real but indirect. The lead company, Palisades Safety and Insurance Association, is a reciprocal insurance exchange organized under New Jersey law. Its attorney-in-fact, Plymouth Rock Management Company of New Jersey, runs the business for a management fee and is a subsidiary of The Plymouth Rock Company of Boston. Plymouth Rock's own annual report says the Palisades companies are not owned by The Plymouth Rock Company; Plymouth Rock has supplied $18.6 million of surplus notes and preferred stock, about 2.3% of Palisades' equity at the end of 2025, and consolidates Palisades in its financial statements. That is why Palisades appears in the rankings separately from the Massachusetts-based Plymouth Rock Assurance group.

The Palisades group includes Palisades Insurance Company, Palisades Property and Casualty, High Point Property and Casualty, High Point Safety and Insurance, High Point Preferred, Twin Lights, Teachers Auto Insurance Company of New Jersey, AtHome Insurance Company and Rider Insurance Company. Policies are sold through independent agents, directly online and by phone, and through Prudential Financial professionals, although Prudential is not affiliated with Plymouth Rock or Palisades.

History

Jim Stone founded The Plymouth Rock Company in Boston in 1982 and remains its chairman. Its New Jersey business is written through the Palisades reciprocal and its High Point, Twin Lights and Teachers Auto subsidiaries. Plymouth Rock's 2003 transaction with Prudential brought over a book of policies it still calls its Legacy business, and Prudential Financial professionals continue to distribute Plymouth Rock-branded auto and home policies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York.

In 2018 Palisades agreed to take over renewal rights to MAPFRE's New Jersey personal auto business, and AM Best noted that the group had recently entered Pennsylvania and applied for licenses in New York and Connecticut. In October 2019 Palisades acquired Rider Insurance Company, a motorcycle insurer that was to continue writing in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The group also runs the Teachers' Insurance Plan for educators, which Plymouth Rock's 2025 annual letter describes as a $75 million book that grew 24% that year. The same report puts the Palisades companies' 2025 income at $117 million, up from $30 million in 2024. Operations are run from Woodbridge, New Jersey.

Auto insurance coverage

In New Jersey, a standard policy must include bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. New Jersey is a choice no-fault state, so you also choose between limited and full tort options. Palisades policies add optional collision, comprehensive, substitute transportation (rental) and towing and labor coverage.

Plymouth Rock-branded policies include some features at no extra charge, including Get Home Safe, which reimburses up to $50 once per policy year for a taxi or rideshare home when driving would be unsafe. First Class Roadside Assistance is optional on most policies and included with Teachers' Insurance Plan policies. Customers with comprehensive coverage can use the GLASSCARE program for windshield and window repair.

Discounts and programs

YUBI (Your Usage-Based Insurance) is the telematics app for customers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut who manage their policies directly. It applies a participation discount of up to 10% per participating driver at the start; at renewal, the best-scoring drivers can see rates 20% lower and the worst-scoring drivers 20% higher, and drivers who do not complete the renewal requirements are removed and can face an increase of up to 20%. Customers who buy through independent agents can join Road Rewards, which offers rewards such as gift cards for safe trips. The guide to usage-based insurance covers the trade-offs.

Other discounts include paying in full, a defensive driving course discount of up to 5% on applicable New Jersey coverages, bundling auto with home, condo or renters coverage, multi-car savings and affinity group discounts for members or employees of sponsoring organizations (one group discount per policy).

Claims

Claims can be reported online or by phone at 833-511-7625 (833-511-ROCK), or by texting "Claims" to 22022. Each claim gets a claim number and a personal representative, and status can be tracked online. Plymouth Rock offers several ways to get damage appraised: CarPics photo appraisals, often with an estimate within hours; Crashbusters mobile claim service, where a representative meets you and may issue a check on the spot; and Door to Door Valet Claim Service for customers with comprehensive or collision coverage, which picks up the car and manages repairs. Work done at Plymouth Rock's 100% Guaranteed Repair Shops is guaranteed for as long as you own or lease the car, and settlements can be paid by Zelle, direct deposit, check or eCheck.

Ratings and reputation

AM Best upgraded the members of the Palisades Group and the related High Point Homeowners Group to A- (Excellent) in August 2018, citing improved underwriting results and a stronger catastrophe reinsurance program, while noting that the companies are concentrated in a single state. AM Best's February 2020 release on Rider Insurance said the Palisades ratings were unchanged, and Plymouth Rock's website stated in October 2026 that every company it manages is rated A-.

Satisfaction trails the region's leaders. In the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Plymouth Rock Assurance scored 622 in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes New Jersey and Pennsylvania, ninth of 14 ranked brands and below the 651 regional average; Erie (704) and NJM (699) led. Plymouth Rock's 2025 annual letter acknowledged that its focus on growth had let service slip, pointed to its Consumer Reports and J.D. Power rankings, made restoring service a priority, and said complaints in its direct business had fallen 40% under new leadership.

Who it suits

Palisades suits New Jersey drivers who like Plymouth Rock's claims conveniences and want flexibility in how they buy, whether through an independent agent, online or a Prudential professional, and educators who qualify for the Teachers' Insurance Plan. Drivers who rank satisfaction scores first may want to compare it with higher-scoring regional insurers.

• Strengths: Several ways to buy and get service; photo, mobile and valet claim options with a lifetime repair guarantee at partner shops; Get Home Safe and GLASSCARE extras; strong 2025 earnings, according to Plymouth Rock.
• Weaknesses: Below-average 2026 J.D. Power score in the Mid-Atlantic; YUBI can raise a participant's rate by up to 20% at renewal; the structure is confusing, with many underwriting companies sharing a brand with a separate Massachusetts group; the most recent AM Best press release detailing the group's rating dates from 2018.

How to contact Palisades (Plymouth Rock Assurance in New Jersey)