Massachusetts car insurance laws require drivers to carry a minimum amount of uninsured motorist, PIP, and liability insurance, summarized as 20/40/5.

Written by Jacoba Bood

Reviewed by Kathleen Flear

Updated on Dec 12, 2022

Table of Contents

Minimum requirements
No-fault state
PIP
Uninsured motorist
Liability
Limits
Is minimum enough?
No insurance penalties
Additional coverage
CARCO inspection
Cheap insurance
FAQs

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Massachusetts is a no-fault state that requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, uninsured motorist coverage, and personal injury protection.

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Jerry

has compiled all the information you need to know about

Massachusetts car insurance

laws and what it means to live in a no-fault state.

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car insurance

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Read on to learn more about minimum car insurance laws in Massachusetts.

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What insurance do I need in Massachusetts?

All drivers in Massachusetts need to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage, uninsured motorist insurance, and personal injury protection insurance.

Massachusetts is a

no-fault state

where drivers must be able to show their proof of insurance at the request of law enforcement when behind the wheel.

If you lease or loan, you often need to purchase

full-coverage insurance

options like comprehensive and collision insurance, as well. You will not need to prove optional coverage to the state, but you could compromise your loan status if you fail to comply.

Here is a summary of the minimum insurance requirements for Massachusetts:

Type of coverage	Minimum insurance limit
Minimum liability coverage	20/40/5
Bodily injury per accident	$20,000
Bodily injury per person	$40,000
Property damage per accident	$5000
Uninsured motorist coverage
Bodily injury per person	$20,000
Bodily injury per accident	$40,000
Personal injury protection (PIP)	$8000

Massachusetts is a no-fault state

Massachusetts is a no-fault state where an insurance company pays for the injuries of their insured driver, regardless of who was at fault.

This means that drivers must carry medical protection insurance. This lowers the chances of drivers having to deal with the court system after an accident. No-fault insurance systems also help prevent delays in medical treatment that can happen while waiting for another driver’s insurance payout.

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What is personal injury protection (PIP) insurance?

Personal injury protection (PIP)

is a type of insurance that is required in all no-fault states, including Massachusetts. Massachusetts drivers are required to carry a minimum limit of $8000 in PIP coverage.

PIP insurance will help cover the medical costs for you and your passengers, regardless of who was at fault. PIP insurance goes beyond

medical payment coverage

to help cover the cost of rehabilitation, lost wages, or funeral expenses as well.

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What is new car replacement insurance? Do you need it?

What is uninsured motorist insurance?

Uninsured motorist insurance

will help cover the cost of your bodily injuries if you get into an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance. Massachusetts insurance laws require all drivers to carry a minimum limit of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident of uninsured motorist protection.

Liability insurance in MA

Liability car insurance

helps protect drivers from lawsuits if they cause an accident. Liability insurance will only cover the cost of damages for the other party. You will have to purchase additional insurance to help cover your expenses.

There are two main types of liability insurance:

bodily injury liability

and

property damage liability

. Massachusetts requires drivers to carry minimum insurance limits for both.

Key Takeaway Massachusetts is a no-fault state, but drivers still have to carry bodily injury and property damage liability coverage.

What are the mandated car insurance limits in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts drivers need to carry liability insurance limits set at 20/40/5 and uninsured motorist and personal injury protection coverage.

Drivers in Massachusetts need to carry a total of six different types of insurance. Here is a detailed breakdown of the minimum insurance requirements in Massachusetts and what they cover.

$20,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person: Your insurance company will pay up to $20,000 per person to help cover the cost of injuries resulting from an at-fault accident.

$40,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $40,000 is the total amount that your insurance company will pay out to cover the costs of injuries in an at-fault accident.

$5000 in property damage liability per accident: Your insurance company will pay up to $5000 to cover the cost of property damage for other parties in an at-fault accident.

$20,000 of uninsured motorist coverage per person: You could receive up to $20,000 per person to cover the costs of injuries if the other driver doesn’t have insurance.

$40,000 of uninsured motorist coverage per accident: $40,000 is the maximum uninsured motorist payout you will receive for a single accident.

$8000 of personal injury protection (PIP) coverage per person: $8000 is the total amount that your insurance company will pay out to cover the costs of injuries regardless of who was at fault in an accident.

MORE:

What is a no-fault state?

Should I get more coverage than Massachusetts’ required insurance minimum?

Massachusetts drivers have better minimum coverage limits than most states—but it’s always a good idea to upgrade. While drivers have to carry a wide variety of coverages in Massachusetts, the minimum insurance limits tend to be low.

For instance, if you cause an accident where multiple people in your car are injured, the PIP limit of $8000 is likely to fall short when it comes to medical expenses.

Likewise, the property damage liability limit of $5000 is well below the average cost of a new vehicle. You will also have to purchase additional insurance like

comprehensive insurance

and

collision insurance

to help cover damage to your car if you are at fault.

Thankfully, an intelligent tool like

Jerry

is the easiest and most effective way to find a car insurance policy that is customized for you.

After providing you with a comprehensive cross-analysis of the best policies across providers, Jerry will handle the phone calls, paperwork, and renewals for your top pick so that you don’t have to. So why do all that extra work when Jerry can do it better?

What is the penalty for not having car insurance in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts drivers who are caught without proof of insurance will face the following penalties:

Fines from $500 to $5000

Possible jail time (up to a year)

Possible license suspension (up to 60 days)

Pay an amount equal to the highest market price for a one-year insurance premium

Key Takeaway Drivers caught without car insurance in Massachusetts may face steep penalties like fines, license suspensions, or jail time.

Additional coverage options

Massachusetts drivers have plenty of car insurance options to choose from to make their car insurance coverage more robust.

Rental car reimbursement insurance

Rental reimbursement insurance

will help cover the cost of a rental car or alternate transportation while your vehicle is being repaired after a claim.

Collision insurance

Collision insurance will help cover the costs of damage to your car following a rollover or collision situation.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance helps cover you for damage to your car that isn’t a result of driving, like theft, floods, or storms.

Underinsured motorist insurance

Underinsured motorist insurance helps cover your costs if you get in an accident with a driver who has insurance, but not enough to cover the damages.

Roadside assistance

Roadside assistance—also known as

towing and labor coverage

—is a common policy rider that gives you access to emergency roadside services, like tows and tire changes.

Medical payments insurance

Medical payments coverage will help cover medical costs for you and your passengers and is a good supplement to minimum PIP coverage.

Gap insurance

If you end up totaling a car that still has a lease or loan,

gap insurance

will help make up the difference between your payout and any additional money you owe on your loan.

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Do I need a CARCO inspection?

If you want to purchase certain insurance options like comprehensive or collision insurance in Massachusetts, you will have to get a

CARCO inspection

first.

A CARCO inspection is a state-mandated inspection that helps verify your car's details—and it is quick and easy to arrange.

Do I have to pay?

No. There is no fee for CARCO inspections.

Where do I go for the inspection?

Visit

CARCO

to find a site near you and book an appointment.

What do I need to bring?

You only need to know the name of your insurance company. Supporting documentation, like proof of insurance, is not required, but is always helpful.

How to get cheap car insurance in Massachusetts

If you want cheap car insurance quotes in Massachusetts,

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