Top 3 Tips: Save Money on MA Auto Insurance

Top 3 Tips: Save Money on MA Auto Insurance

# 1 Tip for saving money on MA auto insurance: Drive Safely!

#2 Tip for saving money on MA auto insurance: Package your auto insurance with your home or apartment policy!

#3 Tip: Shop Around!

Different companies have different rates for different risks.

Your best choice for “shopping around” for auto insurance is by using your local, independent Massachusetts insurance agent.

Massautoquote.com utilizes the rating power of the independent agent.

Call or click us  to submit an online MA auto insurance quote request form.

Beware: Rear-end Collisions use the “three-second rule”

The American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association suggests using the “three-second rule” to help prevent rear-end accidents.

The “three-second rule” accounts for your reaction time to the movements of the vehicle ahead and your vehicle’s stopping distance.

You should add more time if the road is slippery, if you’re being crowded by a tailgater, if you’re towing a trailer or if you’re driving a large truck.

The three-second rule:

When the vehicle ahead of you passes a stationary object, start counting:  1,001 … 1,002 …

The first second is your reaction time; the next two seconds account for your braking distance

You should not reach the object before you count to … 1,003. If you do, you are following too closely.

At a vehicle speed of 55 mph, the three-second rule creates a gap of 243 feet between cars.

MA Auto Insurance Quotes

 

If you’re looking for Massachusetts auto insurance, you’ve come to the right place.

Massautoquote.com utilizes the power of the Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agent.

Your MA Independent Insurance Agent:

  • Licensed professional with strong customer and community ties.
  • Gives you excellent service and competitive prices because your agent can access the insurance coverage from more than one company.
  • Unlike other agents, your Independent Insurance agent is not beholden to any one company; thus, you don’t need to change agencies as your insurance and service needs change.
  • Assists you when you have a claim.
  • Is your consultant, working with you as you determine your needs.
  • Offers you a choice of Massachusetts insurance plans and programs.
  • Is a value hunter who looks after your pocketbook in finding the best combination of price, coverage and service.
  • Offers one-stop shopping for a full range of products – Massachusetts home insurance, renters, Massachusetts car insurance, business, life and health.
  • Can periodically help you review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs.
  • Treats you like a person, not just another number.
  • Works for you as advocate at claim time, or if you have a billing question.
  • Will assist you with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and offer home, business & life insurance through numerous companies.
  • Customer satisfaction is the key to a Massachusetts independent agent’s livelihood. So, serving you is the #1 concern.

Did We Mention MA Auto Insurance Discounts?

Some of the available discount programs include:

  • Good drivers
  • Good students
  • Driver training
  • Mileage
  • Multi-vehicle
  • Multi-policy
  • Age 65+
  • Air-bag/Passive restraint
  • T-pass (public transportation)
  • Hybrid vehicle
  • Roadside assistance (AAA)
  • Alumni & Professional Organizations
  • Anti-theft
  • Paid in full
  • E-customer
  • Advanced driver training
  • Years at residence

For your free MA auto insurance quote, please fill out our quote request form or call us at: 781-246-8699.

Massautoquote.com will provide you the best MA auto insurance rates, with the best companies, the best coverage, and the best service.

Appealing Your MA At-Fault Accident Surcharge

If you live in Massachusetts and are in an auto accident, insurance companies are required to determine if you are more than 50% at fault by applying specific “standards of fault.”

If your MA insurance company determines you are at fault for the accident, they will send you a Surcharge Notice. This notice will include instructions for appealing the surcharge to the Massachusetts Appeal Board at the Division of Insurance.

If you believe you were less than 50% at-fault for the accident, follow the instructions on the Surcharge Notice to appeal. There is a $50 fee and you must file within 30 days from receiving your Surcharge Noitce; otherwise, you may lose your right to appeal.

If a surcharge is applied to your MA auto insurance premium, you must pay the additional premium while your appeal is pending or your policy will be cancelled. If you win your appeal, you will receive a refund or credit from your insurer for any increased premium paid as result fo the surcharge.

For more details about the at-fault accident appeal process:

Massachusetts Division of Insurance Board of Appeals: 617-521-7478

Massachusetts Consumer Auto Insurance Dilemma

Most agree, MA “Managed Competition” auto insurance has been a good thing.

National insurance companies have come into the state, and MA insurance consumers now have more choices.

There is, however, a flip-side to all the discounts and improved insurance programs:

If you have a poor driving record (at-fault accidents, moving violations, suspensions or revocations) or a cancelled policy, you may have difficulty obtaining MA auto insurance.

The MAIP (Massachusetts Auto Insurance Plan) marketplace is an option available to MA consumers.

The MAIP program requires 25% down-payment on new business.

If cancelled over the past 12 months for non-payment, MAIP requires (like many companies) 100% premium payment in full.

Our independent MA Agency (Johnson & Rohan Insurance) recently lost a longtime, good client (although not a very organized bill payor) due to cancellation frequency.

Late on one too many Statutory Notices of Cancellation, he is now required to pay 100% annual premium in full.

In addition, he had an accident over the past 12 months and the annual premium has gone up.

Unfortunately, it’s an all too common Massachusetts Consumer Auto Insurance Dilemma.

Saving Money on MA Auto Insurance – Optional Coverage

Coverage Choices – Consumers in MA can lower their auto insurance premiums by deciding on which Optional Coverage is really needed and what level of coverage best fits their situation.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage –

You can save on premium if you exclude yourself, or yourself & household members from some or all of this coverage. You should consider this option if you have a medical and disability income plan.

Collision and Comprehensive Coverage –

If  the actual cash value of your vehicle is not very much, it may be a smart decision to not buy Collision or Comprehensive coverage.

Medical Payments –

If you have health insurance, it may not be necessary to purchase medical payments coverage.

Substitute Transportation –

If you can handle not having a vehicle while your car is in the shop for an at-fault or hit & run accident, then you may decide not to purchase Substitute Transportation Coverage.

Towing & Labor –

If you are a member of AAA, or any other motor club, or if you can absorb any sort of tow or auto disablement fee, you probably do not require Towing & Labor Coverage.

Massachusetts Accident Surcharge Appeals

Our MA independent insurance agency gets quite a few questions about at-fault accident surcharges and accident appeals.

Hopefully you will never get in an auto accident.

If you do, the insurance company will determine fault to decide which insurance company has to pay for damages.

The MA Division of Insurance has 19 Standard of Fault for determining fault in an accident:

  Code Standard
  01 Collision with a Lawfully or Unlawfully Parked Vehicle
  03 Rear End Collision
  05 Out of Lane Collision
  07 Failure to Signal
  08 Failure to Proceed with Due Caution from a
Traffic Control Signal or Sign
  09 Collision on Wrong Side of Road
  10 Operating in the Wrong Direction
  11 Collision at an Uncontrolled Intersection
  14 Collision While in the Process of Backing Up
  15 Collision While Making a Left Turn or U-Turn Across the Travel Path of a Vehicle Traveling in the Same or Opposite Direction
  17 Leaving or Exiting from a Parked Position, Parking Lot, Alley or Driveway
  18 Opened or Opening Vehicle Door(s)
  19 Single Vehicle Collision
  20 Failure to Obey the Rules and Regulations for Driving
  21 Unattended Vehicle Collision
  26 Collision While Merging onto a Highway, or into a Rotary
  27 Non-Contact Operator Causing Collision
  29 Failure to Yield the Right of Way to Emergency Vehicles when Required by Law
  31 Collision at a “T” Intersection

Once fault has been determined, Massachusetts then issues an Accident Surcharge Notification.

Unlike the insurance companies, the state will take into consideration contributing factors in the accident. Things such as: road conditions (snow, ice, rain), weather, other driver negligence, vehicle malfunction etc.

In order to Appeal a Surcharge, you are supposed to file the appeal within 30 days of the surcharge notice date. The cost is $50 and appeal instructions are on the surcharge notice.

Massachusetts Appeal Board: 617-521-7478

Massachusetts Merit Rating Board: 617-351-4400

Can I get a hot tub?

Although State Farm does not have agencies in Massachusetts, I smile every time I see their commercials. Besides being humorous, I feel as though they are advertising directly for our local, independent, Massachusetts Insurance Agency. Their commercials stress the person to person relationship that you hope to have with your agent. In each of their commercials, the client is in some sort of trouble and, rather than panicking, they know who to call: their agent.

This person to person relationship and the trust that goes along with years of working together is what our insurance agency, and all Massachusetts independent agencies strive for each and every day.

Massachusetts Driving Records

Our Independent, Massachusetts Insurance Agency gets many questions about driving records and how accidents and moving violations affect insurance rates.

Motor vehicle violations and at-fault accidents are called surchargeable events.

If you have been licensed for, at least, 6 years and have no surchargeable events then you are a state-best:  “99” driver.

When you first get your license you are a neutral “0” point driver. After 5 years clean driving experience you receive a credit and become a “98” driver.

For a minor (less than $2,000 paid out combined damage) at-fault accident, drivers are surcharged 3 points.

For a major (more than $2,000 paid out combined damage) at-fault accident, drivers are surcharged 4 points.

For the first motor vehicle violation (includes inspection sticker violations), the state will not surcharge you — HOWEVER — if you are a “99” or “98” driver, you lose your credits and become a “0” driver. For each additional motor vehicle violations drivers are surcharged 2 points.

Each surcharge point increases your MA auto insurance by, approximately, 5%.

The best way to save money on insurance? Drive Safely & keep your driving record perfect!

Auto Insurance: MA Managed Competition Redux

For Massachusetts Auto Insurance: It’s a brave new world.

Almost 3 years ago, Massachusetts welcomed “Managed Competition” auto insurance.

As a result, insurance companies entered the state.

Companies already doing business in Massachusetts were forced to sharpen pencils and improve technologies, in an effort to compete against the national and online insurance company infidels.

Insurance Agencies, too, have were forced to sharpen their pencils and embrace new rating technologies.

MA consumers? We’ve found we have choices!

Choices in premiums, choices in endorsements, and choices in insurance programs.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to have your Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agent review, shop and provide you with coverage and premium comparisons.

Call (781-246-8699) or Click us today!