Best Car Insurance in Massachusetts

No, you do not need uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) insurance in Massachusetts. In fact, drivers in Massachusetts do not even have the option to purchase UMPD coverage.

Instead of UMPD, you can purchase collision insurance, which is an optional type of coverage that pays to repair or replace your vehicle after any accident, regardless of fault.

Insurance companies in Massachusetts do not have a specific amount of time in which they must settle an insurance claim. Instead, state law requires them to settle claims "promptly".

Even though Massachusetts does not require a specific timeframe for the resolution of insurance claims, you still have the right to an efficient settlement. If you think that your insurance company is violating the law or operating unethically, you can file a “bad faith” lawsuit, which can award you the original settlement amount with added interest and penalties.

With that being said, it's important to remember that several factors can affect exactly how long it takes for an insurance company to settle a claim. For example, severe accidents, claims involving bodily injury, and poor communication between involved parties can all slow down the process.

A DUI in Massachusetts affects insurance for 6 years, which is the maximum period that insurance companies can look back at a driver's motor vehicle record. But even though insurance companies in Massachusetts only raise rates for six years after a DUI, the conviction will remain on your driving record for 10 years.

On average, a DUI raises insurance rates in Massachusetts by 104%. The exact amount that your rate will go up depends on your insurance company, since each insurer uses a different algorithm to calculate premiums.

If you can't afford your rate after a DUI, you should shop around for a new policy and compare quotes from at least three different insurers to see if you can get a better deal. In Massachusetts, the cheapest car insurance companies after a DUI are The Hanover, State Farm, and Plymouth Rock.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to DUI insurance.

No, you cannot insure a car with a salvage title in Massachusetts. Salvage vehicles are cars that have been declared a total loss, meaning they're too damaged to be worth repairing and cannot be driven legally. As a result, no legitimate car insurance company writes policies for them.

Although insurance companies in Massachusetts won't insure a car with a current salvage title, you can get coverage if you have the vehicle repaired and inspected by a state-certified mechanic. If it's declared safe to drive, the DMV will issue the car a reconstructed title. Several insurance companies, including Allstate and Geico, sell policies to vehicles with a reconstructed title.

Keep in mind that some insurers will only sell liability insurance for reconstructed cars, meaning that they won't pay for any physical damage to the vehicle. Even if you are able to get collision and comprehensive insurance, your policy may not cover the full value of the car if it's totaled again.

You can get car insurance discounts in Massachusetts based on how you drive, the car you own, and your relationship with your insurance company. In Massachusetts, car insurance companies are allowed to consider factors like driving experience and insurance history when setting premiums. That means there are also discounts available for driving safely with continuous insurance. In Massachusetts, insurance companies cannot use occupation, education, or homeownership status to determine rates. That means you can't get discounts for owning a home or being affiliated with certain employers or educational institutions.

Almost anyone can get a discount on car insurance in Massachusetts because most insurance companies make it easy to qualify for a variety of savings. Massachusetts insurers typically offer discounts that fall into one of three categories—policy discounts, driver discounts, and vehicle discounts.

Policy discounts typically reward customer behavior that is desirable to the insurance company. For example, most Massachusetts drivers can save by registering for paperless billing or getting both home and auto policies from the same company. Driver discounts are available to Massachusetts residents who are lower-risk to insure, like those with clean driving records. And vehicle discounts help drivers save if their car has certain safety features or anti-theft systems.

Car Insurance Discounts in Massachusetts

Remember, discounts vary among different insurance companies, so it's always best to contact the provider directly to determine which discounts you qualify for.