Insurance
Car Insurance in Massachusetts
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 1, 2026
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The four coverages every Massachusetts policy must have
| Required coverage | Minimum since July 1, 2025 | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury to others | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per crash | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $8,000 per person | Medical bills, 75% of lost wages, and help with daily tasks, no matter who caused the crash |
| Uninsured motorist | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per crash | Your injuries when a driver with no insurance, or a hit-and-run driver, is at fault |
| Damage to someone else's property | $30,000 | Other people's cars, fences, and property you damage |
The 2025 change raised the bodily injury and property damage minimums. If your policy renewed after July 1, 2025, check your declarations page to see the new limits.
Is Massachusetts a no-fault state?
Yes. Your $8,000 in PIP pays medical bills and part of lost wages first, no matter who caused the crash. It covers you, anyone you let drive your car, people who live with you, your passengers, and pedestrians your car hits.
The gap in the required bodily injury coverage
This is the part most people miss. The required bodily injury coverage has two limits:
- It only covers crashes in Massachusetts. Drive into New Hampshire or Rhode Island and it doesn't apply.
- It doesn't cover the passengers in your own car.
Optional bodily injury coverage fixes both. It covers crashes outside Massachusetts, covers your passengers, and raises your limit, for example to $40,000 per person and $90,000 per crash, or higher. If you ever drive out of state or carry family or friends, ask what optional bodily injury costs.
Optional coverages to know
- Underinsured motorist. This pays when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough. It's reduced by what their policy pays. With $50,000 of this coverage and an at-fault driver who pays $25,000, you could get up to $25,000 more.
- Collision and comprehensive. These pay to fix or replace your own car. A $500 deductible is common. If you have a loan or lease, your lender will likely require both.
- Medical payments. Usually sold in amounts of $5,000 or more. It can pay what PIP doesn't.
How your driving record changes your price: SDIP
Massachusetts uses the Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP). Tickets and at-fault crashes add points. Points can raise your price, and a clean record can earn you a credit.
| Incident | SDIP points |
|---|---|
| Minor traffic violation (like most speeding tickets) | 2 |
| Major traffic violation (like drunk driving) | 5 |
| Minor at-fault crash (claim of $1,000 to $5,000) | 3 |
| Major at-fault crash (claim over $5,000) | 4 |
A crash counts as at-fault when you're found more than 50% at fault and the claim is more than $1,000.
What works in your favor:
- Your first minor, non-criminal ticket in five years gets no points.
- "Clean in 3." If your most recent incident was at least three years ago, each incident's points can drop by 1.
- Excellent driver credits go to drivers with five or six clean years.
Not every company uses SDIP. Insurers can use their own merit rating plan instead. Ask each company how it treats one ticket or one small crash. The answers can differ a lot.
What insurers in Massachusetts can't use to set your price
Massachusetts has some of the strictest rules in the country on this. Insurers can't price your policy on:
- your sex, age, or marital status
- your race, creed, religion, or national origin
- your job, income, or education
- whether you own a home
- your credit
Where you keep your car can affect your price, and so can your driving record, your car, and your coverage choices.
There's one age rule that helps: Massachusetts law requires a discount for drivers 65 and older.
Registering a car and adding drivers
You must have car insurance to register a car in Massachusetts. Line up your policy before you go to the RMV.
Adding a new driver: if a child in your household gets a license, you must tell your insurer within 60 days. List every licensed person in your home and anyone who drives your car regularly. Leaving someone off can put your claim at risk.
Is car insurance expensive in Massachusetts?
Prices vary a lot by town, record, and car. A driver in Boston will usually pay more than a driver in the Berkshires. One thing working in your favor: only about 7.9% of Massachusetts drivers were uninsured in 2023, one of the lowest rates in the country.
What usually raises a Massachusetts quote:
- SDIP points from recent tickets and crashes.
- Higher limits and optional bodily injury. These cost more, but they also close the gaps above.
- Where the car is kept. Dense areas mean more claims.
- Your car. Newer cars cost more to fix.
Not a quote or an offer. Your price comes from the insurance company.
[Compare quotes]
Two things to check when you compare:
- Policy length. If one quote is much lower than the rest, it may be for 6 months, not 12.
- Optional bodily injury. A quote at the state minimums still leaves your passengers and your out-of-state driving uncovered. Make sure every quote includes optional bodily injury at the same limit.
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Related services
Own a home in Massachusetts? See Massachusetts homeowners insurance. Want protection above your car policy's limits? See umbrella insurance.
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