Are you paying too much for car insurance? A new study says the answer is probably yes.

The average New Jersey driver is paying more than $1,500 in car insurance. In Connecticut, the cost is more than $1,600, and in New York it's nearly $1,800.

The survey by Consumer Reports found that 6 in 10 people could save money on insurance just by shopping around.

Tobie Stanger, with Consumer Reports, says some insurers actually penalize long-time customers.

"They can look at various data that's been collected about you to get a sense of how sensitive you are to price changes," Stanger says. "And if the information changes show you're not sensitive to price changes, they may raise your rate."

Drivers can also save money on insurance by telling their insurer if their daily commute is under 20 miles, taking a safe driver course and asking about a good student discount.