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Massachusetts drivers pay an average of $1,246.08 per year for car insurance according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), that’s about $103.84 per month. Massachusetts drivers pay about 5% more than the countrywide national average of $1,189.64.
The NAIC takes into account all car insurance policies within the state such as drivers who select only state minimum coverage, as well as policies that include various levels of comprehensive and collision coverage. Because car insurance rates are influenced by personal factors, you could find yourself paying significantly less.
In no-fault states, each driver pays for their own injury-related expenses.
Drivers in Massachusetts are required to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage to legally drive. You may see it written as 20/40/5, but we’ll break down what that means.
Massachusetts requires $20,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $40,000 of bodily injury per accident. That’s on the lower end of requirements for this type of coverage across the US, with most states requiring at least 25/50.
This means $20,000 is the most your insurer will pay for a single person injured by you in an at-fault accident. And $40,000 is the maximum amount your insurer will pay if there is more than one person injured by you in an at-fault accident. Any costs outside of your bodily injury limit are required to come out of your pocket.
Massachusetts requires drivers to carry $5,000 of property damage liability to legally drive. This is the lowest required property damage limit across the US, with only two other states with required limits this low.
This means $5,000 is the maximum amount your car insurance company will pay towards damages you cause to another person’s car or property, such as repairs to a car, fence or building. You’ll have to pay out of pocket for any costs beyond your property damage liability limit.
Massachusetts requires all drivers to carry $20,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury per person, $40,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident and $5,000 in uninsured motorist property damage to legally drive. Near half of the states across the US require some sort of uninsured motorist coverage, though some other states let you opt-out.
This coverage protects you if you get hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It pays for your car’s damage or medical bills to you and your passengers.
Massachusetts drivers are required to carry $8,000 worth of personal injury protection to legally drive.
This coverage helps pay your or your passenger’s medical expenses if you’re injured in an accident, regardless of fault. It can also help with up to 75% of lost wages replacement services up to your $8,000 limit.
These state-mandated requirements are the lowest amount of coverage you need to legally drive in Massachusetts, but may fall short if you’re in a major accident. To avoid high out-of-pocket costs after an accident, consider raising your liability limits by balancing coverage, your budget and what you can afford to pay out of pocket for certain damage.
Massachusetts is a no-fault state, which means that you pay for your own medical bills, lost income and other injury expenses after an accident, no matter who’s at fault. File a claim under your personal injury protection for these expenses. However, the state’s no-fault laws don’t apply to property damage like car repairs, according to the legal website Nolo.
For property damage, Massachusetts considers whether drivers are partially at fault under a law called modified comparative fault. Under this law, both drivers are assigned a percentage of fault. Drivers with less than 50% of fault can get paid for damage caused by other drivers.
For example, if you’re 80% responsible for an accident, your insurance will pay 80% of the other driver’s property damage. However, since you’re over 50% at fault, the other driver isn’t required to pay for your property damage.
Shopping around is paramount to finding the best deal for young drivers in Massachusetts. For drivers under age 25, rates can vary as much as $136 per month based on the company.
USAA stands as a top contender for its cost, although Allstate might offer lower rates for other ages.
| Age | Allstate | Progressive | Geico | USAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 | – | $314.08 | $278.40 | $177.63 |
| 25-34 | $145.61 | $187.25 | $168.98 | $147.25 |
| 35-44 | $107.13 | $160.72 | $146.37 | $149.07 |
Allstate comes the closest to the state’s average insurance cost, according to cost information from Savvy. With Allstate, you also can join its safe driver or rewards programs to lower your costs further.
| Company | Allstate | Progressive | Geico | USAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate | $127.35 | $181.01 | $172.68 | $157.98 |
In Massachusetts, you have a variety of major and local companies to choose from. To get started, we recommend our top company picks in the area.
We vetted these companies for their coverage, discounts and perks like local agents or a user-friendly online experience. We also checked ratings from J.D. Power, Better Business Bureau, AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Allstate
Finder score
Since Allstate is a major brand, save extra by bundling your policies. Or try Allstate Milewise if you're a low-mileage driver so that you only pay for the miles you drive.
| Telematics | Drivewise |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | Yes |
| Telematics | Drivewise |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | Yes |
Geico
Finder score
Geico's user-friendly app also gets thousands of nearly 5-star ratings on app stores. Access your insurance card, file photo claims, get maintenance reminders and more
| Telematics | DriveEasy |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
| Telematics | DriveEasy |
|---|---|
| Gap insurance | No |
Arbella
Finder score
Arbella also offers options like gap coverage and accident forgiveness. Plus, qualifying policies will get free coverage like new car replacement, extended roadside assistance and more.
Factors are characteristics specific to you that car insurance companies use to set how much you’ll pay for car insurance. The less risky each of your factors is the less you pay, the riskier you are the more you’ll pay. We’ll break down Bay Stater’s rating factors to keep in mind.
| Factor | How it affects your rates |
|---|---|
 Age | How old you are is a top factor in determining your car insurance rates. With each passing year, you earn more experience on the road. More experience can equal cheaper rates. Teen drivers pay the most, but rates begin to level off around your 20’s with drivers over 50 paying the least. |
 Gender | Massachusetts is one of seven states that bans the use of gender in calculating car insurance premiums. Insurers rely on factors such as age, location, driving record and what type of car you drive. |
 Location | Where you live affects your rates, including where you park your car. High theft rates, high traffic and a high number of uninsured drivers could mean higher rates. Massachusett’s vehicle theft rate stands at 99.2 vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the FBI’s most recent report on vehicle theft rates. That’s well below the national average of 246 vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, and ranks fifth lowest in the US. As for uninsured drivers, 3.5% of Bay Staters on the road are uninsured. That’s the second lowest percentage of uninsured drivers in a state across the US according to Insurance Information Institute. |
 Vehicle and mileage | Your car’s make, model and trim directly affect how much you’ll pay for car insurance. Things like its cost, safety ratings, the likelihood of theft and sportiness all help insurers determine its cost to insure. Safer and cheaper vehicles score the lowest rates, with luxury vehicles with higher repair costs resulting in higher premiums. And, the more you’re on the road, the more at-risk you are to get in an accident, which means higher premiums. However, according to the Bureau of Transportation, Bay Staters drive an average of 31.2 miles per day, that’s slightly below the average across the US of 36.1 miles per day. |
 Credit score | Massachusetts is one of five states that can’t use your credit score against you when setting rates. This means you won’t be penalized for bad credit, but you also won’t see any favorable rates for holding a high credit score. |
 Coverage | The more coverage you get and the higher limits you choose, the more protection you’ll have and the more you’ll pay in monthly premiums. And, if you opt for full coverage car insurance that includes comprehensive and collision, the amount of your deductible weighs into your costs too, higher deductibles mean lower monthly premiums. |
 Driving Record | The better your driving record, the lower your premium. If you’re in an at-fault accident you could see rates increases from 20% to 50%. And DUI’s in Massachusetts can increase your rate by around 67%. These types of violations typically stay on your record for about three years. |
Massachusetts doesn’t use SR-22 forms, but the state’s RMV will inform you if you need a financial responsibility form. Usually, this is required if you’ve been convicted of a DUI, have too many speeding tickets, or you’re found driving without auto insurance. Learn more about Massachusetts and SR-22 forms.
Bay Starters pay slightly more on average for auto insurance, but they experience less vehicle theft and have a very small population of uninsured drivers compared to other states. If you’re a heavy commuter, rely on your car daily, or have room in your budget for additional coverage, we have some suggestions.
The more you’re on the road, the higher likelihood of a vehicle accident – that’s where collision coverage can offer additional protection. It covers physical damage to your own vehicle and could help you replace your car if it’s totaled. Collision coverage could step in if you get into a vehicle accident, your car rolls or flips, or you hit a stationary object.
Consider collision coverage if . . .
Bay Starters that live in mountainous areas, such as the Appalachians, may want to consider special peril coverage. Sometimes comprehensive coverage doesn’t cover major floods or landslides, which can happen in hilly or mountainous areas. Flood damage can be devasting to a vehicle and often needs to be replaced in severe cases, and special peril coverage could save the day if your comprehensive coverage doesn’t cover it.
Consider special peril coverage if . . .
We’ve pulled the top 10 companies by market share that offer coverage in Massachusetts according to S&P Global. Compare top companies by three major rating agencies along with our overall score.
| Provider | BBB Rating | JD Power Rating | NAIC complaint ratio | National market share % | Finder score | Go to site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State Farm | A+ | 847/1000 | 1.93 | 16.2 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | |
Geico | A+ | 832/1000 | 1.42 | 13.6 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | |
Progressive | A+ | 830/1000 | 1.05 | 13.3 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | Get Quotes |
Allstate | A+ | 827/1000 | 2.71 | 10.4 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | |
USAA | A+ | 884/1000 | 1.9 | 6.3 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | Get Quotes |
Farmers | A- | 820/1000 | 1.64 | 4.9 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | |
Liberty Mutual | A+ | 827/1000 | 2.2 | 4.7 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | Get Quotes |
Travelers | A+ | 820/1000 | 3.28 | 2 | ★★★★★ 4/5 | |
The Hartford | A+ | 833/1000 | NR | 0.7 | ★★★★★ 3.5/5 | |
Amica | A+ | 867/1000 | 1.96 | 0.5 | ★★★★★ 4/5 |
Of Massachusetts’s largest cities, Plymouth has the cheapest rates and Malden has the most expensive car insurance rates. Malden drivers could face rates 2 times more than Plymouth drivers.
| Company | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $5189 |
| Progressive | $4040 |
| Liberty Mutual | $5762 |
| Plymouth Rock | $3714 |
| Geico | $3496 |
| Company | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $4484 |
| Progressive | $3646 |
| Liberty Mutual | $4619 |
| Plymouth Rock | $3136 |
| Geico | $2812 |
| Company | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $3558 |
| Progressive | $2781 |
| Liberty Mutual | $3989 |
| Plymouth Rock | $3184 |
| Geico | $2488 |
| Company | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $5151 |
| Progressive | $4969 |
| Liberty Mutual | $5750 |
| Plymouth Rock | $3914 |
| Geico | $4767 |
| Company | Annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $4045 |
| Progressive | $3323 |
| Liberty Mutual | $4224 |
| Plymouth Rock | $2853 |
| Geico | $2713 |
Many insurers offer roadside assistance as an optional extra, and a few offer it free, typically when you buy collision and comprehensive coverage. Roadside help could come in handy when you’re driving in Mass, since the hilly roads and numerous potholes can do a number on your tires and shocks. The frequent construction to repair road conditions makes it even more likely you’ll hit a pothole, stray nail or misplaced road barrier, or have a run-in with someone swerving to avoid the same road conditions.
When you’re driving in Massachusetts, you’ll run into some of the busiest roadways in the country. The right car insurance coverage is important for your peace of mind. Carefully research your choices to get the best coverage for your family and budget.
To learn more, from laws and regulations to how you can find the best values on coverage, visit our comprehensive guide to car insurance.
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