Massachusetts' Unique Auto Insurance Law: No Mandatory Coverage

In Massachusetts, drivers are required by law to have car insurance. The state mandates a minimum of four types of coverage: Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Damage to Someone Else's Property, Bodily Injury to Others, and Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto. These coverages ensure that drivers are financially responsible for any harm they may cause to others or themselves in an accident. The penalties for driving without insurance in Massachusetts can be severe, including fines, license suspension, and even jail time.

Minimum insurance requirements

In Massachusetts, car insurance is required by law for all vehicles registered to operate in the state. The state mandates that drivers carry proof of insurance in their vehicles at all times. The penalties for violating this law can be severe, with a first offense resulting in a $500 fine or the payment of a year's worth of compulsory insurance. A second offense carries an even higher fine of $5,000 and an increased likelihood of a jail sentence.

The minimum insurance requirements in Massachusetts include four types of coverage:

• Bodily Injury to Others: This coverage protects you from legal liability if you or someone driving your car accidentally injure or cause the death of another person while operating your vehicle. The minimum limit for this coverage is $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): PIP covers medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages, and replacement services up to a limit. The minimum limit for PIP coverage is $8,000 per person, per accident.
• Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto: This coverage protects you, your household members, passengers, and drivers you allow to use your car from losses caused by an uninsured or unidentified ("hit-and-run") driver. The minimum limit for this coverage is $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident.
• Damage to Someone Else's Property: Also known as Property Damage, this coverage pays for damage to another person's property when you, a household member, or another authorized driver causes an accident. The minimum limit for this coverage is $5,000 per accident.

It is important to note that these are the minimum requirements, and you may choose to purchase higher limits of coverage or additional optional coverages to suit your needs and provide greater protection.

Proof of insurance

In Massachusetts, the law requires valid liability insurance to be in place before registering your car or driving on the road. This law is intended to ensure that drivers are financially responsible for any harm they may cause to others or themselves in an accident.

When registering your car in Massachusetts, the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) will ask you to submit an RMV-1 form. Your insurer will need to sign and stamp the insurance certification section to verify your financial responsibility.

However, Massachusetts does not require drivers to carry their auto insurance ID cards as proof of insurance. This is because your registration already details your basic insurance information, and this information is available to law enforcement electronically through the RMV.

If you are driving out-of-state, you will need to be aware of the different laws regarding proof of insurance. Most states require drivers to carry their auto insurance ID cards, and while your registration should suffice, carrying an insurance ID card can help to avoid any issues with out-of-state law enforcement. You can obtain an insurance ID card from your insurance company or agent, or access it through their customer portal or app.

If you are driving in Canada, authorities will want to see evidence that you have adequate coverage meeting the minimum Canadian insurance requirements. Your Massachusetts registration should be sufficient proof, but carrying an insurance ID card may be helpful in this case as well.

Types of Insurance Coverage

There are four types of insurance coverage that are compulsory in Massachusetts:

• Bodily Injury to Others: This protects you or someone you allow to drive your car from legal liability if you accidentally injure or cause the death of someone else while operating your car. It only covers losses if the accident occurs in Massachusetts and does not cover the injury or death of a passenger in your car. You must buy at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 if more than one person is hurt.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Covers medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages and replacement services up to a limit of $8,000.
• Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto: Protects you, anyone you let drive your car, and household members and passengers against losses caused by an uninsured or unidentified ("hit and run") driver. You must buy at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 total for all people injured by the uninsured auto in the accident.
• Damage to Someone Else's Property: Pays for damage to another person's property when you, a household member or another driver you allow to use your car causes accidental damage. You must purchase a policy with a minimum limit of $5,000.

No-fault law

In Massachusetts, the law requires valid liability insurance to be in place before registering your car or driving on the road. This law is intended to protect all residents, so drivers are financially responsible for any harm they may cause to others or themselves in an accident.

Massachusetts is a "no-fault" state, which means that your own insurance covers your medical bills and certain other losses after an accident, regardless of who caused the crash. The no-fault law mandates that auto insurance companies cover your own medical expenses, regardless of fault.

Your no-fault insurance will cover:

• You, the owner of the vehicle
• Anyone who has your permission to drive your vehicle
• Any passenger riding in your vehicle
• Any pedestrian injured by your vehicle

Your no-fault insurance will pay for the following:

• Medical bills stemming from the car accident
• Up to 75% of lost income due to your inability to work
• "Replacement services" (e.g. for someone to take care of household chores that you're unable to perform because of the accident)

It's important to note that with no-fault insurance, you cannot get compensation for "pain and suffering" and other non-monetary damages resulting from the accident. If you want to pursue compensation for these types of losses, you will need to step outside of the no-fault system and file a third-party insurance claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver. To do this, your injuries must meet certain thresholds set by state law.

Insurance coverages

In Massachusetts, drivers are required to have automobile insurance to register a car. There are four compulsory insurance coverages that must be purchased with minimum limits:

Bodily Injury to Others

This protects you and anyone you allow to drive your car from legal liability if you or they accidentally injure or kill someone while operating your car. It only covers losses if the accident occurs in Massachusetts and does not cover the injury or death of a passenger in your car. The minimum coverage is $20,000 per person and $40,000 if more than one person is hurt.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

PIP covers medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages, and replacement services up to a limit of $8,000. As Massachusetts is a no-fault state, PIP will pay these expenses for you, anyone you let drive your car, anyone living in your household, passengers in your vehicle, and pedestrians, regardless of who caused the accident.

Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto

This coverage protects you, anyone you let drive your car, and household members and passengers (who are not covered under another similar Massachusetts policy) against losses caused by an uninsured or unidentified ("hit and run") driver. The minimum coverage is $20,000 per person and $40,000 total for all people injured by the uninsured driver in the accident.

Damage to Someone Else's Property

Also known as Property Damage, this coverage pays for damage to another person's property when you, a household member, or another driver you allow to use your car causes accidental damage. The minimum limit for this coverage is $5,000.

In addition to these compulsory coverages, drivers may also choose to purchase a variety of optional coverages, such as:

• Additional coverage for bodily injury to others, which provides coverage for passengers in your car and covers accidents that occur outside of Massachusetts.
• Underinsured motorist coverage, which provides protection if you are in an accident caused by a driver who doesn't have enough insurance coverage.
• Comprehensive and Collision coverage, which pays for damage to your car caused by physical contact with another object, such as another vehicle or property. Comprehensive coverage also includes damage or loss to your vehicle caused by something other than a collision, such as vandalism, fire, theft, falling objects, larceny, or contact with a bird or animal.
• Medical payments coverage, which pays for reasonable expenses for necessary bodily injury medical expenses and funeral services for anyone in your car resulting from an accident, or if you or a household member is struck by a car.
• Coverage for substitute transportation, such as a rental car while your car is being repaired.
• Coverage for towing and labor when your car breaks down.
• Accident forgiveness.
• Roadside assistance.
• Auto loan/lease coverage, also known as Gap insurance, which helps pay off your auto loan if your car is totaled or stolen and you owe more than the car's depreciated value.

It is important to note that the minimum coverage requirements may not provide sufficient protection in the event of a serious accident, and most drivers choose to purchase coverage limits beyond the minimum requirements.

Insurance penalties

Driving without insurance in Massachusetts is considered a civil motor vehicle infraction (CMVI) and can result in severe penalties. The state takes this seriously as it deems drivers without insurance a liability to the state and other drivers.

First Offense

If you are found guilty of driving without insurance in Massachusetts, you will face a fine of $500, a suspended license and registration for 60 days, and a $500 reinstatement fee. You may also be required to pay an additional fee of at least $500 to the assigned risk plan (Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan, or MAIP). There is also a possibility of jail time of up to 12 months.

Second and Subsequent Offenses

For a second offense, the fine increases to between $500 and $5,000. Your license and registration will be suspended for one year, and you will have to pay $500 to get your driver’s license back. You may also face a one-year jail sentence.

Failure to Respond to a Citation

If you do not respond to a citation within 20 days, you will be charged a $45 late fee. Requesting a hearing to dispute the citation incurs a $25 filing fee, which is refunded if you win the hearing.

Providing False Insurance Information

Providing false insurance information is considered felony fraud and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of $500 to $10,000.

Frequently asked questions