Cancel Your MA Plates Online

Now you can also cancel your MA plates/registration online at:

http://www.MassRMV.com

 
In the past, in order to cancel your MA auto insurance you had to return your plates to your insurance agent or to the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles.
 
Now you can also cancel your MA plates/registration online at:
 
 
If you do it online, you will need the following info:
 
Your MA plate/registration number.
 
Your MA plate/registration type. (Normal, Vanity, Reserved, Commercial etc)
 
Your MA license number.
 
On the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles home page go to:
 
“Registration/Title” section, click on”Plates” then “Cancel My Plate/Registration.”
 
Once completed you will be able to print an official “Plate Return Receipt.”
 
Remember to notify your insurance agent, so that they can process your insurance policy cancellation.

MA Car Insurance Rates …

MA Auto Insurance: Parts 3 & 12 are Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage.

These limits are important and often over looked.

MA auto insurance rates are all over the map (insurance agent humor: All over the MAIP lol).

Recently our Agency utilized Vermont Mutual’s accident forgiveness endorsement and lowered a woman’s rates, living in Lynn, MA from $2,100 down to $1,465.

Meanwhile, we also improved her Parts 3 & 12 to match her Part 5 limits of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident.

Parts 3 & 12 are Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage.

These limits are important and often over looked.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage (Part 3) protects you & occupants from other driver that may be driving without insurance. If they injure you, this coverage allows you to collect under your own coverage for things like medical bills, lost wages, pain & suffering etc.

Underinsured Motorist Coverage (Part 12) protects you & occupants from other drivers that have less (Part 5) coverage than you have. If they injure you, you can collect the difference between what they carry and what you carry.

* Note: you cannot carry higher Parts 3 & 12 than you do Part 5 (Optional Bodily Injury to Others) Coverage.

We recommend that your Parts 3 & 12 limits match your Part 5 limits.

New Mass Auto Insurance Pages

We recently included some new consumer friendly Pages to our MA Auto Insurance Web Log, namely

We recently included some new consumer friendly Pages to our MA Auto Insurance Web Log, namely:

Kids & Cars

We recommend that parents, in order to best protect assets, consider registering and insuring a vehicle in their child’s name.  In Massachusetts parents are provided 100% insulation from lawsuits arising from bodily injury or property damage claims.

Mass. MGL Chapter 231, section 85A: “If a car is registered to the child and the child gets into an accident causing personal injury and/or property damage, there is no reponsibility on the parent. It does not make any difference who bought the car or who pays for the insurance, or how old the child is so long as we are talking about negligence.”

On this basis it might make sense for parents to consider insuring a vehicle in their child’s name.

MA Excise Tax

In an attempt to de-mystify the annual, pesky excise tax we offer the following excise tax information:

Excise bills are prepared by the RMV 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.

MA Homestead Act

The Homestead Act is designed to allow homeowners in Massachusetts to protect their primary residence against sebsequent attachment, levy or sale to satifsy debts up to $500,000. The Homestead Law does not protect against: taxes or mortgages used to purchase the residence. Homeowners must file for the Homestead Act with The Registry of Deeds office in the county in which the residence is located.

Massachusetts charges a one time Filing Fee of $35 for a Declaration of Homestead.

Click for:  Declaration of Homestead Form (pdf)

Over the years, we’ve found each Page consistently referenced. If you have any ideas or requests, please let us know.

Lowell, MA Registry of Motor Vehicles Moving

The new Lowell, MA Registry of Motor Vehicles will open at 9:00 am on June 7, 2010, located:

In the Edward J. Early Parking Garage Facility at 77 Middlesex Street, Lowell, MA 01852.

The 450 Chelmsford Street, Lowell, MA Registry of Motor Vehicles will close for the last time on Friday, June 4, 2010 at 5:00 pm.

The new Lowell, MA Registry of Motor Vehicles will open at 9:00 am on June 7, 2010, located at:

77 Middlesex Street, Lowell, MA  01852 (in the Edward J. Early Parking Garage Facility)

Road tests will continue to be conducted at the current location (450 Chelsmford Street) until June 30, 2010.

MA AG Coakley proposes new consumer protection

AG COAKLEY PROPOSES NEW CONSUMBER PROTECTIONS FOR AUTO INSURANCE MARKETPLACE:

AG COAKLEY PROPOSES NEW CONSUMBER PROTECTIONS FOR AUTO INSURANCE MARKETPLACE:

New Changes Will Ensure Greater Transparency, Enhance Policy Holders’ Ability To Shop Effectively, And Prevent Deceoptive Practices By Insurance Companies Against Consumers

http://www.massagent.com/info/agpr.pdf

MA auto insurance quote

Your MA independent auto insurance agent will shop for the best rates, with the best companies. Your independent agent shops for discounts that are available to you. Your agent will review all your insurance products and package them together to find you the best rates.

Insurance companies are all vying for MA auto insurance market shares.

Some national insurers have eliminated the independent insurance agent. Some have embraced the agent. Some have tried to do both.

Why is a MA Independent Agent important?

Your Agent is important because they write many lines of insurance with many different companies. They represent more than just one company.

Do you pay extra for a MA Independent Auto Insurance Agent?

No. Your independent agent will shop for the best rates, with the best companies. Your independent agent shops for discounts that are available to you. Your agent will review all your insurance products and package them together to find you the best rates.

Massachusetts Home Insurance

This web log was created specifically for our MA auto insurance quoting website. In addition to MA auto insurance, our independent insurance agency writes MA home insurance, life insurance,  property insurance, business insurance, workers compensation insurance, health and disability insurance.

In order to get the best rates it is important to package your home & auto insurance with the same company. We will help review, compare and shop your coverage with numerous, A rated companies.

Request a quote online or call us at:  781-246-8699

Massachusetts Residents Disaster Assistance

For MA homeowners, renters and business owners in the Counties of Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth and Worcester who were affected by flooding beginning March 12, 2010

Apply by phone:

800-621-3362

(TTY 800-462-7585 FOR THE HEARING – OR SPEECH IMPAIRED)

Apply online:

http://www.disasterassistance.gov

Please have the following information available when you call:

  • A phone number in case we need to call you back
  • Social Security number
  • Current mailing address
  • Address of damaged property
  • Brief description of the damages
  • Insurance information (if you have insurance)

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, diability or economic status.

MA Managed Competition underbelly

Another part of the dank underbelly of MA auto insurance “managed competition” is companies now require, for cancelled policies, 100% of annual premium to be “paid in full” before rewriting. This requirement is often unrealistic for those that have had payment problems.

It is this MA insurance agency owner’s belief that MA auto insurance “managed competition” has been a good thing for most MA auto insurance consumers.

However, there is a dark & dank underbelly.

There was a reason Massachusetts moved to government regulated insurance rates under Mike Dukakis. Urban rates were dramatically higher than suburban rates.

Companies are now free to charge whatever they want for rates for, just about, any reason.

Our insurance agency does a ton of auto insurance rating, and we are starting to see large urban area rate increases and big differences between what different companies are charging for rates in different territories.

Another part of the dank underbelly of MA auto insurance “managed competition” is companies now require, for cancelled policies, 100% of annual premium to be “paid in full” before rewriting.

This requirement is often unrealistic for those that have had payment problems.

Still, for most MA auto insurance consumers “managed competition” has brought with it: more choices, lower rates & improved insurance programs.

MA Auto Insurance: Wild West?

Someone recently asked for an example of our MA Auto Insurance: Wild West analogy &, this morning I ran into a perfect MA auto insurance rating example.

Longtime client has an old (99) Honda Accord with, almost, 200,000 miles on it. She lives in Dorchester & carries mimimum-type liability limits ($20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident parts 3, 5 & 12; $100,000 Part 4; No Collision & No Comprehensive Coverage). Not to name names (Travelers) was charging her $1,019 for her June 2, 2010 auto insurance renewal.

We re-rated her with six MA auto insurance companies and one (Vermont Mutual), offers identical coverage at an annual premium of: $576.

$576 vs $1,019!

This is a, not so subtle, reminder to auto insurance consumers & agents in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Shop Your Coverage!