MA Auto Insurance Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Massachusetts Auto Insurance

what to do if in an auto accident

Lynnfield, MA – January 9, 2015 MassAutoQuote Web Log –

Did you know that if you are involved in a minor fender bender and leave the scene of the accident without contacting the police, you may be breaking the law? …

Lynnfield, MA – January 9, 2015 MassAutoQuote Web Log –

Did you know that if you are involved in a minor fender bender and leave the scene of the accident without contacting the police, you may be breaking the law?

Knowing what to do if you are involved in a car accident will help you to remain calm. Knowing what is expected can help make a stressful and unpleasant situation more bearable and help you avoid unnecessary liability, time and expense.

1. Call the police. If you are involved in an auto accident, either you or someone who is with you needs to call 9-1-1 immediately. Even if you have not sustained injuries or property damage that you are aware of, you must still wait for the police to arrive so that you can report the accident.

2. Do not talk about the incident to anyone. Speak only to the responding police officer. And call your insurance agent right away.

3. Be polite, even if you are really upset. When people get in car accidents, they are often more reactive than normal. Don’t start blaming the other driver. And if the other driver is rude to you, get in your car, lock the door, and wait for the police to come.

If there is a question about who was at fault in your accident, being overly emotional may potentially bias the reporting police officer against you to the point that he or she could give the other driver the benefit of the doubt.

4. Get all contact information from all drivers:

Full name
Address
Phone number and email
Insurance company’s name (and phone number if possible)
Insurance policy number

5. Be respectful to the police officer completing the accident report. You don’t need to go into great detail about what happened. It is probably better not to, because you may not be thinking straight and these reports are very hard to change after the fact. They will, however, be used as evidence by the insurance companies. Be cooperative and calm.

6. Take photographs of both vehicles and the scene of the accident. If one or both cars were totaled and you have no camera or cell phone, you can find out from the reporting officer where the cars are going to be towed and go to the lot later and take photographs of both the inside and outside of the cars. Pictures can help either prove damage or disprove damage.

7. Call your insurance agent or insurance company and report the accident as soon as possible with detailed specifics. You will need to tell your insurance company the following:

How the accident happened
Time and location of accident
Motor vehicles in the accident – cars, trucks, bikes, etc. Include the make and model of each car involved
Contact information for those in the accident
Injuries sustained in the accident
Witness contact information
Police report number, police jurisdiction in which the accident occurred; your insurance company will need the police report number to investigate any claim

8. See a physician immediately or as soon as possible after the accident. Even if you believe you have only a few bruises, it is important to document all injuries, no matter how minor.

If you have sustained serious injuries, documenting the injuries, including taking photographs of the injuries, can play a significant role in any insurance settlement.

The above information will help you streamline what can be a complicated, scary and confusing process.

We Are Here for You Before, During and a Car Accident

www.MassAutoQuote.com’s Independent Massachusetts Insurance Agents are with you every step of the way. Our Agents will make sure you have the proper auto insurance and help you through the claims process should you be involved in an accident.

To learn more about what to do after a car accident, please feel free to call us at: 781-246-8699.

MA Auto Insurance Discounts

Multi-policy Discounts Can Save a Bundle on Auto Insurance Rates

Are you looking for easy ways to save time and money? Then, you should learn more about combining the various types of insurance you have with one insurance company to take advantage of a multi-policy discount …

Multi-policy Discounts Can Save a Bundle on Auto Insurance Rates

You may qualify for a multi-policy discount if you have one or more cars and an apartment or home. But it might be up to you to ask your independent insurance agent about the discounts available to you. Let’s see what kind of insurance policies you can bundle, why it’s beneficial to get a multi-policy discount, and what you can expect to save by consolidating your insurance premiums under one provider.

What Policies Can You Bundle with Auto Insurance?

Chances are that you have more than just auto insurance, but what other kinds of policies can you ask your insurance company about bundling to get the most out of a multi-policy discount? Here are a few examples:

Home: Whether you rent or own your home, the insurance you buy to protect your dwelling is very commonly bundled with auto insurance.

Boat: Enjoy your adventures on the high seas, rivers or lakes more than ever while knowing you’ve done all you can to save money on insurance.

RV: A recreational vehicle is your home away from home. Insure it and other “toys” you drive with the same insurance company and save.

Life Insurance: Depending on the insurance company you are working with, you can get a multi-policy discount on life insurance, which most people consider essential to protect their family in the event of an untimely death.

Why Get a Multi-policy Discount?

When you’re already paying several insurance premiums to different providers, it makes sense to bundle the rates. The best reasons to switch your current insurance policies to one company are that you will save time and you will save money.

It’s Convenient to Bundle Insurance Policies

It’s simple, if you have multiple policies with one insurance carrier, you’ll see less paperwork and fewer bills. You’ll not only save yourself time, but your insurance company saves time too, which is one reason they offer the discount in the first place. When you’ve got a multi-policy discount, you’ll conveniently be paying just one insurance provider for your insurance needs.

How Much Money Can You Save?

The multi-policy discount you receive will depend on which policies and how many you bundle with your insurance company. Your discount will also vary from provider to provider. Usually, your multi-policy discount could save you up to 15 percent or more on your insurance rates.

We Help You Find the Best Multi-policy Discount

There are plenty of things you value in life: your car, your home, your health. Insuring yourself against the worst is important, but it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. When you bundle your insurance policies, you’ll save money on the things that are important to you.

MassAutoQuote.com will help you take the fuss out of paying for multiple policies and find the provider that will give you the best multi-policy discount for you. Contact us today to find out what policies you have that qualify for a multi-policy discount.

What Makes My Massachusetts Auto Insurance Rate Go Up?

Driving safe is something that insurance companies love their customers to do. It saves the insurance providers a significant amount of money if their insured clients do not ever have accidents …

Driving safe is something that insurance companies love their customers to do. It saves the insurance providers a significant amount of money if their insured clients do not ever have accidents. Thus, they tend to favor safe drivers with lower policy premiums and incentives like a disappearing deductible for each year they do not file an auto accident claim.

On the other hand, those who are involved in car accidents or who have received a moving violation may be due for a car insurance increase when it comes time for the annual policy renewal. If a car accident involved little or no property damage, there may not be a car insurance increase in the premium. Moving violations, in most cases, do trigger an increase in car insurance.

Factors That May Cause Car Insurance Increases

Type and number of moving violations you receive
Seriousness of a car accident that you are involved in
Cost of the insurance claim you or the other involved driver files
Your level of fault in the car accident, unless you live in a “no-fault” state
Appearance of the moving violation on your Motor Vehicle Report (MVR); or the accident on the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (L.U.E.), which is a database that records claims information.
Number of years you have been with the company without an auto accident

Minimize Moving Violation Cost with Safe Driving Courses

There are ways to minimize the “cost” of a moving violation. For instance, if you take a safe driver’s course to gain insight into driving safe, some insurance companies may decide not to raise your insurance rates. In some cases, your moving violation may be changed to a non-moving violation, so the insurance company will not raise your rates. Each company has its own set of rules for determining just what will trigger a car insurance increase and what factors go into determining driving safe benefits.

Driving Violations and Car Insurance Increases

Drivers with one-car, single driver policies whose driving record included one violation paid 18 percent more on average for car insurance then did drivers who had no moving violations, according to an Insurance.com analysis of more than 30,000 insurance policies purchased in 2010.

Those drivers with two violations paid 34 percent more for their auto insurance; drivers with three violations paid 53 percent more than whose drivers who had no violations. A DUI can result in an insurance company refusing to renew an insurance policy. It seems that driving safe pays off in more ways than one.

Types of Moving Violations Triggering a Car Insurance Increase

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol – DUI
Speeding
Reckless driving
Careless driving
Fleeing from law enforcement officers
Running red lights
Driving the wrong way on a one-way or a divided highway
Improper passing
Lack of child restraint
Unsafe U-turn

Does My Insurance Go Up Immediately?

Generally, increases due to a moving violation or a car accident happen at the time you renew your policy. If you have not told your insurance agent about the accident or the ticket, it may take longer to have an impact. Eventually, your ticket or accident will be discovered. If you decide to switch insurance providers, a claims history or driver’s record will reveal any tickets or accidents.

How to Avoid a Car Insurance Increase

If you have received notice of a car insurance increase at the time of your renewal, you can speak to an independent insurance agent who will help you shop for less expensive insurance. Independent insurance agents generally work with a wide range of insurance providers, so they can help you find a car insurance that meets your needs and your pocketbook.

Questions about Your Insurance Policy?

Talk to an independent insurance agent who has a deep understanding of the issues involved in car insurance increases and the benefits of driving safe. Call, click or stop by Massautoquote.com to learn more about getting the best insurance for the best rate available to you.

MA Auto Insurance: Student Away at School Discount

Most auto insurance carriers consider you eligible for a student-driver away discount if your child attends boarding school or college at least 100 miles from home and does not have regular access to a vehicle. Some may also require the student to be under 23 years of age …

Student-Driver Away Discount – Do You Qualify?

Student-Driver Away Discounts help you save while they learn

Your child is away at school for the year and not using the family car regularly, so you may think it’s time to drop them from your auto insurance policy. That is certainly an option when your child leaves home, but the student-driver away discounts can be a better fit for your family than taking your child off the plan entirely.

Let’s see if you qualify for student-driver away discounts, why the discount is worth it and how much you’ll save.

Who Is a Student-Driver Away Discount For?

Why You Should Get a Student-Driver Away Discount

While it sounds tempting to remove your child from your auto insurance plan while they are at school, there are significant reasons to consider the student-driver away discount instead:

Driving During Breaks: Your child will likely come home from school to visit, and while they’re back, they might borrow the family car. Having your child on your policy means they are automatically covered in the unlikely event of a car accident.
Financial Responsibility: If you still declare your child as a dependent, then you assume financial responsibility for them. This means that, legally, you are their financial provider, no matter how much pocket money they have on the side. This is important because if your uninsured child drives a vehicle and gets into an accident, you are financially responsible for that accident, even though you weren’t involved. Medical and legal costs can be substantially more than paying for a student-driver away discount.
Better Future Rates: Auto insurance companies often give discounts to new clients who were previously dependents on their parents’ policy. Other carriers sometimes charge new clients a higher fee for joining as a young driver without that experience. Keeping your student on your auto insurance plan now can give them a foot up later.

How Can You Validate Your Child for a Student-Driver Away Discount?

Most auto insurance carriers will require verification that your child is at school. Providing your carrier with the correct validation for a student-driver away discount can be very easy. Here are some common ways to prove eligibility:

School Address: Providing the address of your child’s boarding school or college to your insurance agent is usually enough verification for some carriers.
Current Class Schedule: Providing your child’s class schedule shows that your student is currently enrolled in school.

How Much Money Will You Save?

Student-driver away discount rates can depend on which carrier you have. In most cases, you will save between 10 percent and 30 percent on your auto insurance. Though it might seem like a hassle to keep your child on your policy when they do not drive frequently, it may be smart over the long run.

Secure Your Student-Driver Away Discount Today

With a student-driver away discount, you won’t break the bank, and you’ll help your child start on the path to their own insurance policy one day. As your independent auto insurance agent, we take it upon ourselves to make sure that you and your family can drive safely with the peace of mind that you’re getting the best rates possible. Contact us today to find out if you qualify for a student-driver away discount, as well as other auto insurance discounts.

MA Auto Policy Review: Part 12, Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Considering the potential damage from an accident with an underinsured motorist, you should seriously consider buying as much coverage as you can afford and is allowable by the insurance company …

Millions of auto accidents occur every year. Given the high speeds and low weight of cars on the road, many crashes result in serious injuries. While medical advancements can do amazing things to treat injuries, treatment comes at a high cost. Medical bills for even minor injuries can run thousands of dollars.

If you’re hurt in an auto accident, you’re going to want treatment and rehabilitation that restores “normal life” to you and your family. Underinsured motorist coverage can provide the financial help needed when the at-fault driver’s car insurance runs out.

Underinsured motorist coverage is similar to Part 3 on the MA auto policy, uninsured motorist coverage.

Both types of coverage apply only if you are injured in an auto accident where another driver is at fault. Whereas uninsured motorist coverage applies if the at-fault driver either does not have liability insurance coverage or cannot be found, underinsured motorist coverage applies if the at-fault driver has liability coverage but does not have sufficient limits to fully compensate you for damages.

If you’re hurt in an accident and someone else is at fault, the coverage will pay if the other driver’s does not.

How Important Is Underinsured Motorist Coverage?

How many people do you think carry sufficient liability coverage to pay medical bills for serious injury? Many states only require $25,000 in liability limits, which is amazingly little when you consider the potential for serious injuries. In reality, bills from even a short hospital stay can surpass the limits of many drivers’ liability coverage, and your underinsured motorist coverage may be needed to pay the difference. When you consider the relatively low minimum auto liability limits required by most states, it’s easy to see that your potential costs from an accident with an underinsured motorist can be very significant.

How Much Coverage You May Need

The rule of thumb is that underinsured motorist limits, if provided separately, should be the same as the liability (and uninsured motorist) limits on the policy. The legal damages from an injury or a death in an accident can include areas like loss of income and other costs of recovery. These can exceed the direct bills from the doctor and hospital. A death claim can also include potential future earnings and loss of care and services to survivors.

Considering the potential damage from an accident with an underinsured motorist, you should seriously consider buying as much coverage as you can afford and is allowable by the insurance company.

Protect Yourself if Someone Else Is at Fault

Massautoquote would love to earn your Massachusetts auto insurance business. We welcome the opportunity to review your coverage and discount programs. Call, click or stop by today to help determine your insurance needs.

Auto Accident Surcharge Appeal

Unlike the old days, page 1 Google rankings are getting harder and harder to come by.

For the key word phrase: “MA AUTO INSURANCE,” behind the insurance behemoths, usually on the middle of Google’s page 2, you’ll find our humble, local Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agency Quote Request website …

Unlike the old days, page 1 Google rankings are getting harder and harder to come by.

Still, not is all lost.

Going back to Massautoquote’s first web log entry in 2008:

The Massautoquote.com Blog is our attempt to demystify the changes in the auto insurance system and to educate Mass. consumers about different discount and coverage programs.

Instead of finding us on Google’s page 1 for such competitive phrases as: “MA AUTO INSURANCE” or “MA AUTO INSURANCE QUOTE,” you’ll find us on page 1 for more consumer-friendly topics of help such as: “MA AUTO INSURANCE SURCHARGE APPEAL” and “KIDS AND CARS IN MA.”

So, to the point:

Have you been found “at-fault” in a Massachusetts accident?

Have you received the surcharge notice?

If so, this means your insurance company paid out over $500 and have determined you to be more than 50% at-fault.

If you believe you were less than 50% at-fault, Massautoquote believes you should appeal the surcharge.

When determining fault in an accident, unlike the insurance companies, the Board of Appeals takes into consideration contributing factors; such as: road condition (icy, wet, snow-covered), visibility, erratic driving, etc.

The cost to appeal the surcharge is $50 and the Massachusetts Board of Appeal tells us it is taking about 8 months before your receive your hearing date.

You can appeal a surcharge either: in person, by written statement, or by selecting someone to appear on your behalf.

Hearings are scheduled in: Boston, Brockton, Peabody, Plymouth, Somerville, Springfield, Waltham, or Worcester.

Mass.gov Board of Appeal Contact information

http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/consumer/insurance/auto-insurance/appeal-license-revocation/board-of-appeal-contacts.html

Board of Appeal
Division of Insurance
1000 Washington St, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118-6200
Phone (617) 521-7478
Fax (617) 521-7772
Email: BOA Mailbox

Merit Rating Board
P.O. Box 55889
Boston, MA 02205-5889
Phone: (617) 351-4400

Real-Time Massachusetts Auto Insurance Quotes!

Now we offer “real-time” MA auto insurance rates with two of our companies, Safety Insurance and Vermont Mutual Insurance!

Did you know MassAutoQuote.com offers Real-Time Massachusetts auto insurance quotes?

Real-Time quotes were, once upon a time, a thing of science fiction to the Massachusetts independent insurance agent landscape.

Now, with the assist from comparative rating vendor, Boston Software, we offer “real-time” MA auto insurance rates with two of our companies, Safety Insurance and Vermont Mutual Insurance!

Keep in mind, however, if our system shows you a rate, this is not the final premium offer.

Often, there are large, additional discounts available and insurance programs designed to save you money.

We also have numerous other auto insurance companies that we utilize to shop your insurance.

Simply submit a MA auto insurance quote to us and we will show you the best rates and different coverage options.

Call, click, or stop by.

Massachusetts Auto Accidents: Standards of Fault

When determining fault in a Massachusetts auto accident, MA insurance companies use the following Standards of Fault:

– Collision with a lawfully or an unlawfully parked vehicle
– Rear-end collision …

When determining fault in a Massachusetts auto accident, MA insurance companies use the following Standards of Fault:

Collision with a lawfully or an unlawfully parked vehicle
Rear-end collision
Out-of-lane collision
Failure to signal
Failure to proceed with due caution from a traffic control signal or sign
Collision on wrong side of road
Operating in the wrong direction
Collision at an uncontrolled intersection
Collision while in the process of backing up
Collision while in the process of backing up
Collision while making a left turn or a U-turn across the travel path of a vehicle travelling in the same or opposite direction
leaving or exiting from a parked position, a parking lot, an alley, or a driveway
Opened or opening vehicle door(s)
Single-vehicle collision
Failure to obey the rules and regulations for driving
Unattended vehicle collision
Collision while merging onto a highway or into a rotary
Noncontact operator causing collision
Failure to yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles when required by law
Collision at a “T” intersection(you entered from side road)

For For more information regarding MA automobile insurance, call the Massachusetts Division of Insurance Consumer Hotline at: 617-521-7777 or visit their website: http://www.mass.gov/doi. For more information regarding your driving record, call the Massachusetts Merit Rating Board’s Customer Service Section at: 617-351-4400 or visit their website at: http://www.mass.gov/mrb.

For a competitive, Massachusetts Auto Insurance quote, please call or click us today.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Flashback: 2008

“For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value …”

We published the following article on April 21, 2008 and find it worth a re-print.

Geico entered the Massachusetts auto insurance market in May of 2009. They spent a billion dollars on advertising in 2013 and they are a marketing force.

However, five years after their Massachusetts auto insurance market launch, this independent insurance agent’s fear of the little green lizard is gone.

We compete against them and we’ve taken business from them.

Six year after the article, our belief still rings true:

Ma Auto Insurance & the little, green lizard

Boston, MA – 4/21/2008

Never in the history of the Massachusetts Professional, Independent Insurance Agent community, have five letters been so feared.

Not, “t-h-e-f-t.”

Not, “f-r-a-u-d.”

And no, not, “c-l-a-i-m.”

I am talking about “G-E-I-C-O.”

Not since my childhood Godzilla days, have I been so scared of a lizard.

For years they have advertised in our proud, Commonwealth and for years I have smugly told customers, “GEICO? They don’t even write insurance in Massachusetts!”

Nationally they don’t use Independent Agents, either.

They use call centers and service centers and they don’t write home insurance.

When you work with an Independent, Professional Insurance Agent you are working with someone who who has your best interest in mind. You are working with someone who will shop your insurance with many different companies to get you the best rate. You are working with someone who is your advocate at claim time. Who, at GEICO, works as your advocate? Who, at GEICO, sells multi-lines of insurance and shops your insurances with many different companies?

Like the chilly winds of our Massachusetts’ autums, it seems inevitable that GEICO is coming. When? I don’t know. 2009? 2010 at the latest, is my guess.

For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value.

RMV telling MA consumers: Go Online!

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is encouraging consumers to go online.

We recommend you go online too, then go running rather than to the RMV.

According to a news release on the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles website (MassRMV.com), Registrar Celia Blue is encouraging MA consumers to go online to renew licenses and registrations.

The article quotes Blue: “MassRMV.com is designed to help our customers save time and to allow our branch employees to focus on more complex transactions. By making MassRMV.com their first stop, customers will find they are able to renew in a matter of minutes or discover they need in-person attention at one of our branches.”

As witnessed recently by this local, independent insurance agent (btw: that offers complimentary Registry running services) the Registry of Motor Vehicles can be a zoo, with lines out the door.

The Registry mails postcard reminders letting consumers know if they are eligible to renew online.

A new picture, for licenses, is required every 10 years.

All vanity and trailer plates expire at the end of November. Commercial plates renew at the end of December.

According to the article: “Many commercial renewals require the registrant to visit a branch in person, making the last days of each year some of the busiest for RMV branches.”