The best cheap car insurance in Massachusetts
Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. We may receive a small commission from our partners, like American Express, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. Terms apply to offers listed on this page. Read our editorial standards.
On average, Massachusetts drivers pay around $1,136 a year for car insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute — about $200 more than the national average. Unlike other states, it does not allow credit score, age, gender, or marital status to determine premiums rates. Other factors like driving record, vehicle type, previous coverage, and miles driven can all play a role in the amount you’ll pay for coverage.
Shopping around for coverage is the best way to ensure you’re getting the best price for yourself. Every company weighs these factors differently, so getting quotes from different companies and comparing them is the best way to find the most affordable policy for you.
Minimum car liability insurance requirements in Massachusetts
In the US, drivers must have liability coverage. If you’re involved in an accident, liability insurance covers damage you cause to the other vehicle, driver, and passengers. If you finance or lease your car, your lender probably requires comprehensive and collision coverage.
Massachusetts does not allow credit score, age, gender, or marital status to determine insurance premiums. Therefore, other factors will weigh more, like your driving history, driving record, location, and type of car you drive.
The two main components of liability insurance are bodily injury and property damage, which most states require. Liability insurance also includes uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage to protect you when an at-fault driver hits you and they have no coverage or not enough coverage.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, Massachusetts requires bodily, property, personal, uninsured, and underinsured coverage. Massachusetts’ minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 — up to $15,000 of injury protection for each person involved in an accident, up to $30,000 worth of injuries per incident, and up to $5,000 of property damages per incident.
Types of liability coverage | Definition |
Bodily injury (BI) | Injury you cause to others, includes medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral expenses |
Property damage (PD) | Damage you cause to others’ vehicle or property |
Uninsured motorist (UM) | Protects you when an at-fault driver hits you with no insurance |
Underinsured motorist (UIM) | Protects you when an at-fault driver hits you with not enough coverage |
Best car insurance for Massachusetts drivers with a clean record
For a driver in Massachusetts age 25 or older with no accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
Travelers | $145 |
GEICO | $156 |
Allstate | $159 |
USAA* | $172 |
Progressive | $178 |
MetLife | $188 |
Safeco | $221 |
Liberty Mutual | $228 |
Esurance | $240 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 1,630 policyholders in the state of Massachusetts
Best car insurance for Massachusetts drivers with one or more accidents
For a driver in Massachusetts age 25 or older, with one or more accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
GEICO | $169 |
Esurance | $189 |
Allstate | $196 |
Progressive | $222 |
Bristol West | $239 |
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 1,630 policyholders in the state of Massachusetts
Average premiums for seniors and teen drivers in Massachusetts
The table below shows the average senior and teen drivers can expect to pay in Massachusetts. Because teen drivers are new drivers with little driving history and more prone to accidents, their rates are high. Most insurance companies offer discounts to teen drivers for good grades or taking driving safety classes.
Senior drivers typically see an uptick in car insurance premiums as they age, but not as much of an increase as new or teen drivers. If you’re still driving in your 60s and 70s, there are ways to negotiate cheaper auto insurance rates, like pay-per-mile usage.
Average premium for seniors | Average premium for teens |
$1,264 per year |
$4,074 per year |
Data provided by Goosehead Insurance
Massachusetts car insurance rates by city
Below is the estimated average annual premium of auto insurance policies per household in Massachusetts’s most populous cities:
City | Average annual insurance premium |
Boston | $1,481 |
Worcester | $1,412 |
Springfield | $1,333 |
Cambridge | $1,555 |
Lowell | $1,429 |
Quincy | $1,503 |
New Bedford | $1,372 |
Brockton | $1,457 |
Lynn | $1,454 |
Newton | $1,748 |
Fall River | $1,362 |
Somerville | $1,546 |
Lawrence | $1,352 |
Framingham | $1,568 |
Haverhill | $1,534 |
Waltham | $1,581 |
Malden | $1,480 |
Brookline | $1,642 |
Medford | $1,577 |
Taunton | $1,515 |
Weymouth Town | $1,549 |
Revere | $1,465 |
Chicopee | $1,414 |
Peabody | $1,523 |
Methuen Town | $1,583 |
Attleboro | $1,597 |
Arlington | $1,686 |
Everett | $1,459 |
Barnstable Town | $1,520 |
Salem | $1,474 |
Pittsfield | $1,443 |
Westfield | $1,507 |
Beverly | $1,569 |
Marlborough | $1,568 |
Leominster | $1,475 |
Fitchburg | $1,440 |
Woburn | $1,624 |
Holyoke | $1,363 |
Chelsea | $1,444 |
Braintree Town | $1,629 |
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Best car insurance in Massachusetts based on customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with car insurance providers may factor into your decision. Five factors make up customer satisfaction: billing process and policy information; claims; interaction; policy offerings; and price. According to a 2021 survey by J.D. Power, a consumer research company that surveys customers, these are the top car insurance companies in the New England region (which includes Massachusetts):
Most popular car insurance companies in Massachusetts based on market share
The following are the most popular car insurance companies in Massachusetts, based on the percentage of insured Massachusetts drivers who use them:
Company | Market share (%) |
MAPFRE | 22.00 |
GEICO | 14.04 |
Liberty Mutual | 10.33 |
Safety Insurance | 8.08 |
Arbella Insurance | 7.51 |
Plymouth Rock Co. | 6.74 |
Progressive | 5.68 |
MetLife | 3.42 |
Travelers | 3.29 |
USAA* | 3.18 |
The Hanover Insurance Group | 2.96 |
Amica | 2.85 |
Allstate | 1.92 |
Quincy Mutual | 1.43 |
Norfolk & Dedham Group | 1.07 |
Vermont Mutual Insurance | 1.01 |
American Family Insurance | 0.88 |
IAT Insurance | 0.76 |
Preferred Mutual Insurance Co. | 0.57 |
State Farm | 0.34 |
National General Holdings | 0.32 |
Chubb | 0.31 |
Concord Group Insurance | 0.30 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Who gets the best cheap car insurance in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts does not allow credit score, age, gender, or marital status to determine your insurance premiums. Therefore, other factors will weigh more, like your driving history, driving record, location, and the type of car you drive.
Another way to save is to shop around — every insurance company prices policies differently, and no two policies are the same. Prices vary greatly depending on whether you get liability, comprehensive, or collision coverage.
Consider the amount of coverage and the types of coverage listed on your quote. Remember, you’re looking for the most coverage for your money. Don’t forget to look at the deductible or the amount you’ll pay out of pocket if you get into an accident.
This content was originally published here.
Responses