Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Massachusetts to Get the Best Rates

Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Massachusetts to Get the Best Rates

Tuesday, May 30 2017 By Adam Johnson

Massachusetts is known as the Bay State. QuoteWizard has compiled data from a variety of state, federal, and insurance industry sources to help Massachusetts drivers keep high insurance rates at bay.

This page will show you which types of coverage are legally required in Massachusetts, provide information about the cost of driving including average rates, and share some insights about insurance risk to help you protect yourself and your family.

Average Massachusetts Car Insurance Rates

Drivers in Massachusetts shouldn't be surprised to learn that they pay much higher auto insurance rates than the national average. How much more depends on your zip code because some cities and neighborhoods are safer than others in terms of total number of claims filed, crime including vehicle theft, and traffic congestion.

On average, auto insurance in Massachusetts costs $1,035.52 per year. The national average annual cost is $866.31.

Massachusetts Average Annual Car Insurance Rates

Coverage	Rates
Liability	$598.71
Collision	$376.42
Comprehensive	$132.64
Total Cost Per Year	$1,035.52
Price Per Month	$86.29

Finding the right car insurance in Massachusetts for your needs and budget doesn’t have to be stressful. Then again, you want to make sure that whichever company you choose is the right fit, and that means comparing car insurance rates!

Comparing auto quotes can be time-consuming. With a little help from QuoteWizard, you’ll have a policy in no time. We’ll connect you with top auto insurance companies so you can find the best coverage at the best price.

Last year, 38,182 people used QuoteWizard to compare car insurance quotes in Massachusetts from top companies and find the cheapest rates.

Top 10 Vehicles in Massachusetts

These are the most common vehicles owned by Massachusetts drivers requesting car insurance quotes through QuoteWizard in the past year.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Massachusetts

Last year, these were the most common car insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in the state of Massachusetts. Out of the 38,182 Massachusetts drivers that used QuoteWizard to request insurance quotes last year, 3,404 had no car insurance.

Massachusetts State Auto Insurance Laws

Car Insurance Minimum Coverage

If you drive a vehicle registered in Massachusetts, you must maintain a minimum level of insurance coverage of 20/40/5.

This means that any policy must include the following:

• $20,000 of coverage for bodily injury or death of an individual in any single accident
• $40,000 of coverage for bodily injury or death of all individuals in any single accident
• $5,000 of coverage for property damage coverage per incident
• $20,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person
• $40,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per incident
• $8,000 of coverage for Personal Injury Protection

Massachusetts is one of the 12 US states that have a no-fault insurance system. In no-fault states, accident victims can collect benefits from their own insurance companies, regardless of whether the other party is insured.  Liability coverage is meant to help pay for other peoples’ medical and repair bills if you're found at fault in a car accident. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage is intended to pay for your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of who was at fault.

Fun Fact: In 1929, Massachusetts became the first state to require the purchase of car liability insurance.

Required Proof of Car Insurance

While most states will require drivers to show their car insurance identification card to law enforcement, Massachusetts does not require an insurance ID. Instead, your car registration includes your insurance information and acts as your proof of insurance. Because of this, your insurer must take steps to ensure your car is properly registered with the state.

Penalties

You are required by law to carry proof of insurance and failure to do so can result in:

• A fine of between $500 and $5,000
• Up to one year in jail
• A 60-day suspension of your driver's license

State of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Laws

Distracted Driving Laws

The state has banned sending or receiving text messages for all drivers. Massachusetts also bans drivers under the age of 18 from using cell phones at all while driving. However, there is no ban on handheld cellphone use for adult drivers.

SR-22 Requirements

If convicted of any of the following violations, Massachusetts requires an SR-22:

• Driving under the influence
• Reckless driving
• Driving without insurance
• Driving violations resulting in suspension

Minimum coverage requirements of an SR-22

• $20,000 - Maximum amount per person paid for bodily injuries
• $40,000 -  Total amount paid by the policy for all bodily injury to all persons
• $5,000 – Total amount paid for property damage

Massachusetts state law requires an SR-22 filing for a minimum of 12 months. If a driver has a lapse in coverage before the 12-month minimum, the driver is required to renew the filing for another 12-month period.

Implied Consent Law

Massachusetts' Implied Consent law requires that any driver submit to testing to determine the alcohol or drug content of their blood or breath when arrested by law enforcement for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol. Refuse the test and you’ll face the following penalties in addition to those for a DUI:

• First Offense: suspension of driver’s license for 180 days
• Second Offense within 5 years: suspension of driver’s license for 3 years
• Third and Subsequent Violations: suspension of driver’s license for 5 years

OUI/DUI Law and Penalties

If you drive or operate a motor vehicle in the State of Massachusetts with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, you are guilty of Driving While Under the Influence (DUI).

The penalties for a first offense DUI conviction are:

• Up to 30 months in jail
• A fine of between $500 and $5,000
• 1-year driver’s license suspension

The penalties for a second offense DUI conviction are:

• Between 30 days and 30 months in jail
• A fine of between $600 and $10,000
• 2-year driver’s license suspension
• Required installation of an ignition interlock device

The penalties for a third offense DUI conviction are:

• Between 150 days and 5 years in jail
• A fine of between $1,000 and $15,000
• 8-year driver’s license suspension
• Required installation of an ignition interlock device

The penalties for a fourth offense DUI conviction are:

• Between 1 and 5 years in jail
• A fine of between $1,500 and $25,000
• 10-year driver’s license suspension
• Required installation of an ignition interlock device

The penalties for a fifth offense DUI conviction are:

• Between 2 and 5 years in jail
• A fine of between $2,000 and $50,000
• Permanent driver’s license suspension

Booster Seat Law

• Children are required to ride in an approved child safety seat until they are 8 years old or over 57 inches tall.
• Children older than 8 years old or taller than 57 in tall must wear safety belts.

Graduated Driver’s License Program

Massachusetts has implemented a 3-tier graduated driver's license system beginning with a learner's permit and ending with full driver privileges once all conditions are met.

To obtain a Class D permit you must be at least 16 years old. Once a Class D permit is acquired, enrollment in a driver's education course is required. In order to graduate to the next phase and acquire a junior operator license (JOL) the following requirements must be met:

• 30 hours of classroom instruction
• 12 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction
• 6 hours of in-car observation

To obtain your junior operator license you must:

• Be 16 ½ years old
• Have held your learner’s permit for 6 months
• Complete a state-approved Driver’s Education program. Your parent or guardian must also complete 2 hours of driver’s education instruction
• Have satisfied the requirement for 40 hours of supervised driving

Senior Drivers in Massachusetts

Massachusetts requires drivers 75 or older to renew their driver’s license at the (Registry of Motor Vehicles) RMV and must pass a vision test.

Seat Belt Laws

In Massachusetts, anyone over the age of 13 is required to wear a seatbelt in a moving vehicle. The maximum fine for a first offense is $25.

Vehicles Registered in Another State

When you drive a vehicle in Massachusetts that’s required to be registered in another state, you must have the type of insurance required by that state. You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to law enforcement if requested.

The Cost of Driving in Massachusetts

Average Car Insurance Rates

The average cost of car insurance in Massachusetts in 2014 was $1,035.52, which ranks as 9th most expensive in the United States. That’s substantially higher than the national average of $866.31.

Fuel Taxes

The state of Massachusetts taxes gasoline and diesel fuel at 26.5 cents per gallon. This is in addition to the Federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline, and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. The total tax on regular gasoline is 44.9 cents per gallon in Massachusetts. For diesel fuel, the total tax works out to 50.9 cents per gallon.

Car Insurance Risk in Massachusetts

Traffic Fatalities

In 2014 Massachusetts totaled 328 traffic fatalities (4.86 deaths per 100,000 people) well below the national average of 10.25 deaths per 100,000 people.

Vehicle Thefts in Massachusetts

In 2014 there were 8,260 stolen vehicles (122.5 per 100,000 people), which was down from 9,121 in 2011 (136 per 100,000 people). The 2014 mark of 122.5 vehicle thefts per 100,000 people in Massachusetts is well below the national average of 216.2 vehicle thefts per 100,000 people.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Massachusetts

Source:  National Insurance Crime Bureau - Hot Wheels Report 2014

1. 1996 Honda Accord
2. 1998 Honda Civic
3. 2000 Dodge Caravan
4. 1999 Toyota Camry
5. 2004 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)
6. 2013 Toyota Corolla
7. 2013 Nissan Altima
8. 1999 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
9. 1999 Ford Explorer
10. 1998 Honda CR-V

Uninsured Drivers

The percentage of Massachusetts residents estimated to be driving without insurance is only 3.9%, the lowest of any state. The national average is 12.9%.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Company Market Share

Ranked by Direct Premiums Written in 2014

Source: Insurance Information Institute

Rank	Market Share	Company
1	24.9%	Mapfre/Commerce Insurance Company
2	13.2%	Liberty Mutual
3	10.3%	Safety Insurance Group Inc.
4	8.8%	Arbella Mutual Insurance Company
5	6.6%	Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation
6	6.5%	Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
7	4.6%	MetLife Inc.
8	3.3%	Progressive
9	3.1%	Amica Mutual Insurance Co.
10	2.9%	Hanover Insurance Group Inc.

Massachusetts Division of Insurance

Website:

http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/government/oca-agencies/doi-lp/

Commissioner of Insurance:

Daniel R. Judson

Address:

Division of Insurance
1000 Washington St
Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118-6200

Phone:

(617) 521-7794

Toll Free:

(877)-563-4467

TTD/TDD:

(617) 521-7490

Sources:

• FBI Uniform Crime Report
• NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System
• Insurance Information Institute – Minimum Coverage Levels by State
• American Petroleum Institute
• National Insurance Crime Bureau
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Insurance Information Institute – Insurance Expenditures by State
• Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
• Massachusetts Firm Foundation

QuoteWizard.com LLC has made every effort to ensure that the information on this site is correct, but we cannot guarantee that it is free of inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. All content and services provided on or through this site are provided "as is" and "as available" for use. QuoteWizard.com LLC makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this site or to the information, content, materials, or products included on this site. You expressly agree that your use of this site is at your sole risk.