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Like most states, Massachusetts requires drivers to carry car insurance. Finding the right car insurance can be confusing. You have to consider the cost of coverage and how it relates to your budget. It’s also important to look at the amount of coverage you want for your vehicle.
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Massachusetts Car Insurance Overview
- The average number of cars per household in Massachusetts is 2.
- The minimum state insurance requirements include:
- Bodily injury to others: $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
- Personal injury protection: $8,000 per person, per accident
- Bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto: $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
- Damage to someone else’s property: $5,000 per accident
- The average annual cost of car insurance in Massachusetts is $1,096.
Read on to learn more about Massachusetts driving and insurance laws. We’ll also show you the best car insurance Massachusetts has to offer for drivers of all types.
Massachusetts Car Insurance Law
It’s easier to choose how much insurance to buy once you have a better understanding of car insurance laws. The limits listed above represent the minimum coverage you need to have in Massachusetts. You’ll also need to show proof of a current insurance policy to register your car.
- Bodily injury to others: This coverage helps cover medical costs or damages to anyone who is injured or killed by your vehicle.
- Personal injury protection: Known as PIP, this protection pays the medical bills and associated costs for you and your passengers when injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
- Bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto: Uninsured auto coverage covers the cost of your injuries if you’re hit by a driver who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage.
- Damage to someone else’s property: Property damage coverage pays for repairs to another driver’s car in the event you cause an accident.
List all drivers who live in your household on your insurance policy. This includes your spouse and licensed children and anyone who might occasionally drive your vehicle, such as a roommate.
Even if these other drivers have their own insurance, it’s a good idea to name them on your policy. Accidents that occur with an unnamed driver in the driver’s seat could result in a denied claim.
Massachusetts Traffic Laws You Should Know
It’s a good idea to understand traffic laws in Massachusetts before you hit the road — for safer driving and a clean record to help keep insurance costs down.
Here are a few driving laws that you may not know:
- Speeding in a rainstorm: Driving over 40 mph in a heavy rainstorm on highways with 50 mph speed limits can lead to a ticket.
- HOV lane usage: Some Massachusetts highways have HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes. They allow cars with 2 or more occupants to cut down on commute times.
- Junior operator restrictions: Drivers under age 18 may not have a passenger under 18 for the first 6 months with a license. However, the exception is if a licensed driver over 21 years of age sits in the passenger seat.
- Distracted driving: The safe driving law bans sending, typing or reading messages to or from handheld devices while operating a vehicle.
Massachusetts Car Insurance Rates per Vehicle
Ever wondered why insurance companies ask for details about the car you drive? They use this information to help determine the potential risk of insuring your car. The type of car you drive doesn’t affect insurance rates as much for basic minimum coverage.
Your vehicle model plays a much higher role in the cost of comprehensive and collision coverage.
- Comprehensive coverage: This coverage protects your car from accidents that aren’t collisions. Common coverage includes theft, natural disasters, a broken windshield and fallen objects such as branches.
- Collision coverage: Collision coverage protects your car against impacts with other objects. Collision coverage helps pay for car repairs if you back into a phone pole, for example.
Newer or higher-value vehicles are more valuable and cost more to repair. Comprehensive or collision coverage takes the value of your car into consideration. Your insurance company pays more to repair a luxury car after an accident or impact. Some vehicles are more prone to theft as well. A model with higher theft rates may have higher insurance rates.
Wondering how to lower your car insurance? Safety features and ratings also play a role in the cost of your car insurance. A vehicle with extra safety features might result in a lower insurance premium. Most modern cars come with basic safety features like airbags and seat belts. Some cars also feature added anti-theft devices that can help lower premiums.
The most popular cars in Massachusetts tend to rank well in safety ratings and are average cost. The top 10 cars in Massachusetts are:
- Toyota Camry
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic
- Honda CRV
- Toyota RAV4
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Highlander
- Subaru Forester
Car Insurance Rates by Credit Score in Massachusetts
The correlation between credit score and insurance cost may seem unrelated, but credit information shows a link between financial management and number of insurance claims.
Statistically, you’ll file more insurance claims if you have a lower credit score. These claims also happen to cost more than claims from people with good credit. Try to find ways to raise your credit score if your credit history has caused increased premiums.
Here’s the cheapest insurance provider in Massachusetts, based on credit score:
| Credit Score | Cheapest Provider | Rate for State Minimum Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Poor 300–579 | Plymouth Rock Assurance | $1,775 |
| Fair 580–669 | Plymouth Rock Assurance | $1,129 |
| Good 670–739 | Plymouth Rock Assurance | $924 |
| Excellent 740+ | State Farm | $916 |
How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Massachusetts
Good driving habits can help lower your insurance rates. A clean driving record shows insurance companies that you’re a responsible driver and usually means lower risk for the insurance provider.
Good driving habits to help you avoid accidents include:
- Don’t go over the speed limit.
- Ditch your phone and other distractions.
- Keep a safe distance between you and other vehicles.
- Perform regular maintenance on your vehicle.
- Wear your seat belt and use safety devices.
- Use your blinkers and other signaling options.
Your insurance rates are also affected by the type of policy you purchase. There are 2 basic categories of car insurance: standard coverage and full coverage.
- Standard coverage: This refers to the basic coverage needed to meet state minimum requirements. Standard or liability policies don’t include coverage to repair damage to your car from hitting an object or other accidents.
- Full coverage: While no insurance policy covers every cost or risk of driving a car, many people opt for policies that are close. The combination of liability, comprehensive and collision insurance coverage can be called full coverage. Between the 3 types of coverage, your car may be protected from most accidents or disasters.
- State minimum: is the bare minimum coverage for insurance that your state requires you to have to legally drive on the road.
Between the 3 types of coverage, your car may be protected from most accidents or disasters.
See how a good driving record can help save you money on both standard or full coverage policies.
| Insurance Company | State Minimum Insurance | Standard Coverage | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $3,400 | $3,734 | $3,894 |
| GEICO | $2,601 | $2,874 | $2,994 |
| Progressive | $3,515 | $3,907 | $4,083 |
| State Farm | $1,239 | $1,386 | $1,461 |
| Travelers Insurance | $3,195 | $3,609 | $3,810 |
Insurance Rates in MA with Driving Infractions
You might end up with an infraction on your record at some point: Even the best drivers occasionally speed or roll a stop sign. Or maybe you follow someone a little too close and hit a bumper when traffic comes to a quick stop. An accident or ticket on your record can cause insurance rates to spike.
Common driving infractions include:
- Speeding tickets
- Causing an accident
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Running a red light
- Failure to stop or yield
- Illegal U-turn
- Driving the wrong way
Here are some companies you might want to consider if you have driving infractions.
| Insurance Company | At-Fault Accident | Speed Violation | DUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $4,241 | $2,845 | $4,772 |
| GEICO | $3,106 | $2,383 | $3,546 |
| Progressive | $4,541 | $3,976 | $3,602 |
| State Farm | $1,468 | $1,155 | $3,746 |
| Travelers Insurance | $3,813 | $3,501 | $4,079 |
5 Best Car Insurance Providers in Massachusetts
You have unique needs and budget restraints, and you’ll need to narrow down what matters most to find the best insurance provider for you. The company that has the cheapest insurance may be a good option if you’re on a tight budget. A higher premium might be okay if you want the highest level of coverage.
Aside from coverage and affordability, consider outside ratings and rankings of providers. Even a cheap insurance provider should offer a high level of customer service.
We looked into several insurance providers and used ratings and data from J.D. Power and AM Best.
1. Best Overall: Amica Mutual
Amica Mutual Insurance Company provides a wide range of coverage options to meet your needs. In addition, the provider received the 2019 U.S. Auto Insurance Study Award for New England from J.D. Power.
This high honor is the result of excellent ratings in all award categories.
You may pay slightly above average premiums if you opt for full coverage, but you should feel comfortable with Amica’s rating; the overall satisfaction rating from J.D. Power is considered among the best.
2. Cheapest Car Insurance in Massachusetts: Plymouth Rock Assurance
No other insurance provider offers cheap car insurance rates for Massachusetts like Plymouth Rock Assurance. Plymouth Rock is hard to beat for cheap insurance.
You’ll find an A- rating from AM Best and proof of its financial strength to cover claims.
You want to know your insurance company is financially stable enough to pay claims, and Plymouth Rock passes with flying colors.
3. Best Coverage for Multiple Cars: Infinity Insurance
Infinity Insurance claims an excellent rating from AM Best company for its ability to pay claims. This strong financial outlook is even better when you consider its deep discount for multiple vehicles.
Many providers offer a discount when you insure multiple cars. Infinity’s 38% discount for insuring more than 1 car is unmatched by other providers.
4. Best for Military Personnel: USAA
USAA is often a leader in almost every category for the J.D. Power insurance rankings, but due to its restrictive nature, the company doesn’t qualify for most awards — it’s only for military families.
Active, retired and honorably separated officers or personnel of the U.S. military qualify for USAA coverage. Widows of deceased USAA policyholders and adult children of current or previous policyholders also qualify.
- Active military members
There are few options for car insurance that are better than USAA; premiums tend to be lower than many other providers and you’ll find plenty of coverage choices to meet any need.
5. Best for Switching Coverage: Gabi
Gabi uses insurtech to quickly compare your current policy to every major insurance company available in your area. This lets you compare plans side-by-side to get the best rate.
The best thing about Gabi is that they are different than a traditional insurance quote aggregator. Rather, they're licensed insurance providers able to provide coverage in all 50 states. There’s no fees to use Gabi and getting a quote typically takes less than 2 minutes. From there, it’s easy to switch your policy and buy the cheaper option directly from Gabi.
If you're looking for the best rate in MA, use Gabi to compare plans from trusted providers.
Best Car Insurance Boston
For Boston drivers, we recommend the following providers:
Boston drivers to concentrate on State Farm, GEICO, Progressive and Travelers. Let’s break them down further.
The Best Auto Insurance in Massachusetts
There are plenty of insurance options in Massachusetts — so take the time now to understand different types of car insurance coverage. Don’t be afraid to ask agents at different companies questions so you can get quotes from the top providers and ultimately choose the right policy for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is my car insured for?
With a standard auto insurance policy, your vehicle is insured using actual cash value, which means that a deduction may be taken for depreciation based on age or usage. As your vehicle ages, it’s worth less money which reduces the insurable value. If you own a collectible or classic car, you’ll want to consider a specialized classic car insurance policy that insures your vehicle to its full value without a deduction for depreciation.
Does auto insurance cover business use?
In most cases, the business use of your vehicle is not covered by your auto insurance policy and can lead to denied claims. However, where you’re most likely to risk losing coverage is when you are transporting products or passengers, which insurers define as livery (or ride sharing endorsement). If your job requires traveling from point A to point B or C to visit customers, attend conferences, or perform other tasks, your personal auto insurance is likely to provide coverage. Get a customized quote now for the best deal.
What is no-fault auto insurance?
No-fault insurance refers to the medical coverage on an auto insurance policy that pays for injuries to you and your passengers. Each state has its own rules for insurance, so not every state is a no-fault state. In a no-fault state, your own auto policy governs your medical coverage regardless of who was at fault in the accident. See the best providers for no-fault insurance.
*Quotes were obtained using the following profile: base 2015 Toyota Camry, male, 40-years-old. Policies reflect state minimum coverage options. We make every effort to provide the most accurate quotes based on the profile above. Due to the many combined variables involved in insurance quotes, the only way to get an accurate quote is to enter your own information through our partners' secure websites.
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