Tips For Beginner Massachusetts Motorcycle Riders

Take the MA Rider Training Course. More than 90% of the motorcyclists involved in crashes are self-taught or learned from family or friends. In addition, you will be eligible for an additional 10% discount on your MA motorcycle insurance policy.

Riding a motorcycle in Massachusetts is challenging and fun. It can also be dangerous.

Much like your auto insurance policy, the cost of your motorcycle insurance will be determined by driving record, experience, town, year, make, model, and value of the bike.

Tips For Beginner Riders:

– Take the MA Rider Training Course. More than 90% of the motorcyclists involved in crashes are self-taught or learned from family or friends. In addition, you will be eligible for an additional 10% discount on your MA motorcycle insurance policy.

– Get your MA motorcycle learner’s permit by passing a knowledge test based on the MA drivers’ license manual. This test may be taken without an appointment at any full-service Registry of Motor Vehicles.

– To earn your MA motorcycle license, pass the Beginner Rider Course or the RMV’s road test.

– Wear protective riding gear. State law requires motorcycles and their passenger (also moped riders) to wear a helmet. State law also requires motorcyclists and their passengers to have eye protection. To better protect yourself from the elements and the road, wear a long sleeve shirt or jacket, long pants, over the ankle footwear, and full finger gloves.

– Insure, Register, and Inspect your motorcycle. There are mandatory and optional insurance coverages available for motorcycles. Obtain registration, license plate, and title for your motorcycle by having your MA insurance agent prepare and stamp a Registry Form 1 for you. Within 7 days of getting your motorcycle registered, get your MA inspection sticker. Each year you must have your motorcycle reinspected between January 1 and May 31.

– Share the road. Ride defensively and be courteous. Never try to save time by weaving through traffic. Use both electric and hand turn signals and your horn to communicate with other drivers. Position yourself on the road to avoid the blind spots fo drivers. Wear highly visible clothing to be seen by other drivers. Look for drivers taking left turns in front of you, especially at intersections — most crashed between cars and motorcycles occur this way.

– Have Fun!

Does Your MA Auto Policy Go on Vacation with You?

Before relaxing on a long vacation, there are many things you need to think about: airline tickets, hotel reservations, and car rental. What about your auto insurance coverage?

If you have your own MA personal auto insurance policy then your coverage will follow you in the United States, U.S. Territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

If you travel to Bermuda, Europe, Mexico or other international destinations, you MA personal auto insurance coverage will NOT follow you and you will want to purchase coverage from the rental company.

Contact your MA independent insurance agent to see if the coverage you carry is adequate.

MA Auto Insurance Coverage: Substitute Transportation

On your MA auto insurance policy, Substitute Transportation is a sometimes overlooked & often over-priced coverage.

It used to be the cost of $30 per day of Substitute Transportation Coverage was 2 times the cost of $15 per day coverage.

Then the insurance industry pulled a fast one. They increased the cost of $30 per day Substitute Transporation Coverage to 4 or 5 times the cost of $15 per day Coverage.

The cost of $15 per day coverage is around $12 per year.

The cost for $30 per day coverage is around $52 per year.

Substitute Transportation pays for a rental vehicle while your car is in the shop for a covered insurance loss.

If another, identifiable vehicle hits your car then the other company is obligated to reimburse reasonable rental expenses, whether you carry Substitute Transportation or not.

When renting a Substitute Transportation vehicle from a rental company, you can usually get into an economy-type vehicle for around $23 or $24 per day.

Although, if you’re a victim of a hit & run or at-fault in an accident, $15 per day of Coverage will not pay for a rental in it’s entirety: it will pay a portion.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Quotes

Since 1999 Massachusetts has seen many things, including:

  • The completion of the Big Dig!
  • The New England Patriots Dynasty (3 Super Bowls)!
  • Not one, but two Red Sox World Series!
  • Another Celtics banner hoisted to the rafters!
  • The Bruins hoist the Stanley Cup for themselves!
  • Massautoquote.com has provided thousands and thousands of free MA auto insurance quotes!

In addition, we’ve provided coverage explanations, recommendations and saved our clients money, while providing the very best in customer service.

Customer service includes saving money, but also: assitance with the Massachustts Registry of Motor Vehicles, help at claim time, and answers to billing questions.

To utilize your local, free Massachusetts auto insurance quote champion, call or click us today!

Massachusetts Auto Inspection Sticker Blues

In Massachusetts, a ticket for an expired vehicle inspection sticker is the equivalent, in auto insurance citation points, of a moving violation.

According to the MA Department of Insurance:

Surcharge points are incurred if you:

cause an at-fault accident
are convicted of or pay a fine for a traffic law violation
are assigned to an alcohol education program
An expired inspection sticker is considered “pay(ing) a fine for a traffic law violation.”

 

Perhaps the cruelest of all surcharge points on the personal MA Auto Insurance Policy is the one for an ”expired inspection sticker” citation.

In Massachusetts, a ticket for an expired vehicle inspection sticker is the equivalent, in auto insurance citation points, of a moving violation.

According to the MA Department of Insurance:

Surcharge points are incurred if you:

  • cause an at-fault accident
  • are convicted of or pay a fine for a traffic law violation
  • are assigned to an alcohol education program

An expired inspection sticker is considered “pay(ing) a fine for a traffic law violation.”

A $40 ticket results increased insurance costs for 6 years! About 20% increase the first three years, diminshing the following three .

Check your MA Inspection Sticker:  Don’t let it lapse!

Massachusetts Auto Insurance: Accident Forgiveness

 

The Massachusetts auto insurance market has long been neglected many of the discount and insurance programs consumers in other states have had.

Because Massachusetts auto insurance was highly state regulated many insurers left the state and some refused to enter the market.

In 2008 Massachusetts welcomed managed competition auto insurance and everything changed.

Now consumers can choose between many companies and rates can vary by hundreds of dollars.

Now, more than ever, MA auto insurance consumers should utilize the professional, discount shopping skills of the independent insurance agency.

One of the new programs many Massachusetts auto insurance companies now offer is: “Accident Forgiveness.”

Some companies make you buy it, some companies make you earn it.

Some companies will only include Accident Forgiveness if you have a perfect driving record, some will include it if you’ve had up to one previous accident.

Another MA company will give it to you only if you have a perfect driving record AND you’ve been insured with them for four years.

What is Accident Forgiveness?

Accident Forgiveness does not erase accidents already on your driving record. Instead, if you have the endorsement on your policy they will forgive future at-fault accidents.

Are all insurance companies’ Accident Forgiveness program the same?

No. Each company offers the program only to certain drivers. New drivers, or new insurers, or those with multiple accidents may not qualify.

Consumers placed with a company through the MAIP program may not qualify either. Check with your agent or company to see if you qualify.

Does Accident Forgiveness make sense for you?

Sometimes the Accident Forgiveness program is bundled with the “Disappearing Deductible” endorsement. Sometimes it makes financial & coverage sense to include the endorsement and increase your collision deductible.

Contact MassAutoQuote.com if you have any questions about Accident Forgiveness or concerns about your MA auto insurance policy.

We welcome the opportunity to review your insurance and offer different coverage and premium options.

Are You A New Massachusetts Driver?

If you are a new Massachusetts driver (or the parent of a new, MA driver), you should be familiar with the Massachusetts’ Junior Operator Law.

If you are a new Massachusetts driver (or the parent of a new, MA driver), you should be familiar with the Massachusetts’ Junior Operator Law.

Sobering statistics show that three out of every ten 16 year old drivers will be in a serious crash. Almost one of every five 17 year old drivers will be in a serious crash. More than one of every ten 18 year old drivers will be in a serious crash.

As a way to attempt to combat these statistics Massachusetts has strict Junior Operator rules & regulations. Both Junior Operator & parents should know what these rules are. Some of these regulations include:

The Junior Operator may not operate a motor vehicle within the first six (6) months after receiving a Junior Operator’s License while any passenger under the age of 18 is in the vehicle (other than the Operator or an immediate family member/sibling), unless the Junior Operator is accompanied by a person who is at least 21 years old. This person who is at least 21 years old must have at least one year of driving experience, hold a valid driver’s license from Massachusetts or another state, and must occupy the seat beside the Junior Operator.
 

The Junior Operator may not operate a motor vehicle during the hours of 12:00 am (midnight) to 5:00 am unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Parents will want to talk with their new operators about the privilege, dangers & responsibilities of driving a motor vehicle. Practice with your new operator, buckle up & remember to drive safely!

For a copy of the Massachusetts’ Junior Operator Law (pdf) Brochure:  Click here

#1 Tip to Save You Money on MA Auto Insurance …

(drum roll, please …)

1.) Drive Safely!
First and foremost, Massachusetts credits good drivers! The best automobile drivers in Massachusetts get the best rates. If you have been licensed over 6 years and have had no moving violations (speeding tickets etc), no at-fault accidents, no revocations or suspensions then you are a 99 driver (Class 10). The next best drivers are the 98. From here driving records go from 0 (neutral/ number of points that new drivers are given) to 45. Points are given out for moving violations and at-faults accidents. 0 points for a first moving violation (although you lose your credit points – so, in fact you lose two “credits”), two points for each consecutive violation. A “minor” at-fault accident (less than $2,000 combined damage) is a 3 point surcharge and a “major” accident is 4 points. Contact us if you would like to review your driving record.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance: Disappearing Deductible

Many insurance companies now offer some sort of “Disappearing Deductible” program.

Some companies make you qualify for their program with a perfect, or near-perfect, driving record.

Some companies charge for the endorsement, some include as part of a package endorsement.

Often, if you qualify for the program, it can make a lot of sense.

Vermont Mutual Insurance Company, for example, offers their “Advantage” endorsement for $49 per vehicle.

This endorsement, among other things, includes a “Disappearing Deductible” program. The program works like this: when you add the endorsement, Vermont Mutual will give you an automatic, year 1 credit of -$200 toward your Collision deductible.

If you have a $500 Collision deductible and you get in at-fault accident (or are the victim of a hit & run), then Vermont Mutual will apply the credit and, instead of the $500 deductible, a $300 deductible will apply.

If you carry a $1,000 Collision deductible, an $800 would apply.

Each year you go accident-free, an additional – $100 deductible will apply, up to a maximum of -$500 credit, after four years without an accident.

If you are able to choose a disappearing deductible program, we recommend you consider increasing your Collision deductible from $500 to $1,000.

The savings more than pays for the cost of the endorsement.

Please call or click us with any questions or to discuss your available options.

 

MA Automobile Excise Tax

As a reminder, and in an attempt to de-mystify the annual, peskyMassachusettsautomobile excise tax, we offer the following excise tax information:

Excise bills are prepared by the Registry of Motor Vehicles according to information on the registration. They are sent to city/ town assessors who commit them to local tax collectors for distribution.

The excise tax rate is $25 per $1,000 of valuation (NADA) subject to the following percentage formula:

In the model year: 90%; second year: 60%; third year: 40%; fourth year: 25%; fifth year & beyond: 10%

If you have turned in your plates on the vehicle you are getting excise taxed on, or if you have transferred plates and got rid of the vehicle, you may be eligible for abatement. Abatement instructions are located on your excise tax bill.