Written by Kylie Sheridan
Springfield, MA · Local Auto Insurance
Massachusetts requires every registered vehicle to carry four coverages: bodily injury to others, personal injury protection (PIP), bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto, and damage to someone else’s property. That’s the legal floor — and for most drivers, the floor is not where you want to live. Here’s what each piece does and where the gaps are.
What are the four required coverages?
Bodily injury to others pays when you injure someone outside your car in Massachusetts. The required limits are low, and notably, this compulsory coverage doesn’t apply to accidents outside the state.
Personal injury protection (PIP) covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages for you and your passengers, regardless of who caused the accident — that’s why Massachusetts is called a “no-fault” state for injuries.
Bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto protects you if the at-fault driver has no insurance. It exists because some drivers, despite the law, carry none.
Damage to someone else’s property pays for the other person’s car or property when you’re at fault. The required minimum is modest — think about what a routine fender-bender with a new SUV actually costs.
What’s not included at the state minimum?
Two big things. First, collision and comprehensive — damage to your own car — are entirely optional. If your car is financed or leased, your lender will require them anyway. Second, optional bodily injury extends your liability protection to higher limits and to accidents outside Massachusetts. If you have savings, a home, or income to protect, raising these limits is usually the highest-value dollar in your policy.
How do deductibles and limits change my premium?
Raising your collision deductible lowers your premium; raising liability limits increases it — but usually by less than people expect, because the incremental cost of higher limits is small compared to the first dollar of coverage. This is exactly the kind of trade-off worth walking through with an agent rather than a slider on a website.
Do I have to buy from one specific company?
No — and rates for identical coverage vary meaningfully between carriers in Massachusetts. That’s the entire case for using an independent agency: we quote the same coverage across every carrier we represent and show you the spread.
Requirements and limits change; confirm current Massachusetts minimums when you buy. Want your policy translated into plain English? Get a free review or call us — it takes about two minutes to start.