Personal Insurance · Auto
Car Insurance in Massachusetts
No two drivers need the same policy. Tetrault Insurance compares your auto coverage across multiple carriers, then walks you through the options in plain language. One conversation, several real quotes, and an agent who is still here at claim time.
Massachusetts Minimums at a Glance
Required on every policy, effective July 1, 2025
What Massachusetts Requires
You cannot register a car in Massachusetts without auto insurance. State law sets four compulsory coverages, and the minimum limits for bodily injury and property damage increased on July 1, 2025. Every policy written in the state today must include at least:
| Compulsory coverage | Minimum limit |
|---|---|
| Bodily Injury to Others | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Personal Injury Protection (PIP) | $8,000 per person, per accident |
| Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Damage to Someone Else’s Property | $30,000 per accident |
Two details trip people up. Bodily Injury to Others only covers accidents inside Massachusetts and does not cover your own passengers, which is why Optional Bodily Injury is the most common upgrade. And PIP is why Massachusetts is called a no-fault state: it pays medical expenses and up to 75 percent of lost wages for you and your passengers, no matter who caused the accident.
How Much Is Enough?
Treat the minimums above as a floor, not a recommendation. With the average new car now selling for nearly $50,000, a single bad crash can blow past the $30,000 property damage minimum on its own. Most insurance professionals and consumer advocacy groups, including Consumer Reports, point to 100/300/100 as a practical baseline: $100,000 per person for bodily injury, $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage. That buffer is what stands between a serious accident and your savings, your home equity, and your future wages.
The upgrade costs less than most drivers expect, roughly $25 per month on average according to industry rate analysis from The Zebra. And 100/300/100 is a baseline, not a ceiling. If you own a home or have significant assets, higher limits or an umbrella policy that kicks in when your auto coverage maxes out may be the better fit. We can run the numbers for you so you can see exactly what each level costs.
Want the Full Breakdown?
Our guide on how much car insurance you actually need walks through the decision in detail, based on what you drive, what you owe, and what you own, including when full coverage makes sense, whether gap insurance is worth it, and when to drop collision on an older car.
Optional Coverage Worth Considering
Most Massachusetts drivers carry more than the minimums. These are the optional coverages we quote most often:
- Optional Bodily Injury to Others. Raises your liability limits above 25/50, covers your passengers, and extends protection to accidents anywhere in the United States and Canada.
- Collision. Pays for damage to your own car after an accident, no matter who caused it, less your deductible. If your car is financed or leased, your lender will almost certainly require it.
- Limited Collision. A lower-cost alternative that pays only when you are not more than 50 percent at fault and the other vehicle is identified.
- Comprehensive. Covers theft, vandalism, fire, falling objects, glass breakage, and animal strikes. Usually paired with collision on financed vehicles.
- Bodily Injury Caused by an Underinsured Auto. Fills the gap when an at-fault driver’s liability limits are too low to cover your injuries.
- Medical Payments. Adds coverage for medical and funeral expenses beyond what PIP pays, starting at $5,000.
- Substitute Transportation. Reimburses rental or transit costs while your car is in the shop for a covered repair.
- Towing and Labor. Covers towing and on-site labor when your car breaks down. If you already belong to a motor club, you may not need it.
Which of these belong on your policy depends on your car’s value, your loan situation, and what you could comfortably pay out of pocket. That conversation is exactly what we are here for.
Getting Massachusetts Car Insurance Quotes That Actually Compare
Massachusetts has a competitive auto insurance market, which means pricing for identical coverage varies from company to company. The catch is that most quote comparisons fail because the quotes are not comparable. To shop properly, hold every quote to the same limits and deductibles. A cheaper quote with $30,000 in property damage coverage is not a better deal than a quote with $100,000.
Ask about every discount. Some discounts are required by Massachusetts law, including discounts for drivers 65 and older and for vehicles with certain safety features. Others, like low annual mileage, multi-car, good student, and bundling home and auto, vary by company. Ask about group plans and installment fees too: many insurers offer reduced rates through employers, credit unions, and other approved groups. And if one quote looks unusually low, check whether it is a six-month policy term rather than a full year.
Or skip the legwork. Because we represent multiple carriers, one conversation with Tetrault produces several comparable quotes at once, matched to the same coverage levels. Request a quote and we will take it from there.
Why Massachusetts Drivers Pay Different Rates
Your premium reflects your driving record, your vehicle, where the car is garaged, your years of driving experience, and the coverage you choose. Massachusetts also bans rating factors that many other states allow. Insurers here cannot use your sex, marital status, race, creed, national origin, religion, age, occupation, income, education, home ownership, or credit information to set your rate.
Your driving record is the biggest lever you control. Under state-approved merit rating plans, insurers cannot use accidents or violations older than six years, and cannot surcharge you for them for more than five. If you believe an at-fault accident determination is wrong, you have the right to appeal it to the Board of Appeal within 30 days.
If keeping your premium affordable is the priority, the state Division of Insurance points to the same levers we use every day: shopping around, driving safely, choosing appropriate coverage levels, and taking every discount you qualify for. And if your renewal premium jumps without a claim or violation to explain it, that is a good moment to have us re-shop your policy across our carriers.
Massachusetts Car Insurance Questions We Hear Every Week
Do I have to add my spouse to my car insurance?
In Massachusetts, you must list all licensed household members on your policy, along with anyone else who customarily drives your car. That includes your spouse if they live with you and hold a license. Leaving a household driver off your policy is risky: if the information you give your insurer is incomplete, the company may refuse to pay claims under the optional parts of your policy. The same rule applies to newly licensed children, who must be reported to your insurer within 60 days. If a household driver’s record is raising your premium, talk to us about your options rather than leaving them off the policy.
Can I cancel my car insurance at any time in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts gives you the right to cancel your auto policy at any time, and you may receive a partial refund of prepaid premium. The refund is not issued until your insurer receives proof that your registration and plates were cancelled or that coverage was transferred to another carrier. There is also a window worth knowing at renewal: once you receive your actual renewal invoice, you have 30 days to switch companies without a penalty. Cancel outside that window and a penalty may apply, so talk to us before you make the move.
What is non-owner auto insurance?
A non-owner policy is liability-only coverage that follows you as a driver rather than insuring a specific vehicle. It can protect you when you regularly borrow or rent cars, and it helps you avoid a lapse in coverage between vehicles, which keeps your insurance history clean. If you drive often but do not own a car, ask us whether a non-owner policy fits your situation.
What are the minimum car insurance requirements in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts requires four coverages on every policy: bodily injury to others of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, personal injury protection of $8,000, uninsured motorist bodily injury of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, and property damage of at least $30,000. These minimums took effect July 1, 2025.
What if no insurance company will cover me?
Massachusetts drivers who cannot find coverage in the voluntary market are assigned a company through the Massachusetts Auto Insurance Plan, known as MAIP. We can help you understand your options and work toward qualifying for the voluntary market again.
Why Buy Through an Independent Agency?
Car insurance is sold three ways. Captive agents quote one company. Direct insurers sell online with no agent at all, which works until a claim gets complicated. Independent agents like Tetrault represent multiple carriers, quote your exact coverage across several of them, and tell you honestly which one fits.
In 2022, Tetrault Insurance was admitted to Insurance Services of New England (ISNE), a select group of agencies committed to a high standard of professionalism and independent service. Through ISNE, we have access to most of the top insurance companies offering coverage in Massachusetts, which means your quote comparison draws from a deep bench of carriers, not a thin one. And the team comparing your options is led by people who know the work: president Paul Tetrault, a licensed broker for over 50 years, and vice president Jennifer Tetrault Ciesielski, a CPA and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter.
We do not disappear after the sale, either. The same team picks up the phone when your renewal raises questions, walks you through a claim, and adjusts your coverage when your life changes.
“Great experience from the first call, took my info and got back to me fast. Simple and easy.”
“Everyone here is knowledgeable and friendly. I just bought a new car and all it took was one phone call and everything was taken care of.”
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We compare your coverage across multiple Massachusetts carriers, matched to the same limits.
Request a Quote Call (508) 995-8365Serving the SouthCoast
A SouthCoast Agency, Family Owned Since 1980
Tetrault Insurance has insured drivers across the SouthCoast for more than four decades, from daily commuters on I-195 and Route 140 to families running two cars and a teenager’s first sedan. We serve New Bedford and the surrounding SouthCoast communities.
Our office is at 4317 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, right off Route 140, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for lunch). On-site parking is available, or call ahead at (508) 995-8365.
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Tell us about your vehicle and your drivers, and we will quote your coverage across multiple Massachusetts carriers. No pressure, no jargon, and no policy you do not understand. We protect you like family.