Massachusetts requires at least $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per accident and $30,000 of property damage liability, plus $8,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Those limits apply to policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025. Before that, the minimums were 20/40/5.
Massachusetts also limits how insurers set prices. They can’t use your credit, sex or marital status, and your driving record feeds a statewide point system called the Safe Driver Insurance Plan.
Key Takeaways
- Massachusetts requires 25/50/30 liability, $8,000 of PIP and 25/50 of uninsured motorist coverage on policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.
- Underinsured motorist coverage is optional, and any amount you collect from the at-fault driver’s bodily injury coverage is deducted from it.
- Your registration depends on your insurance. After a cancellation, the RMV moves to revoke the registration unless new coverage is reported or you cancel the registration and return the plates.
- A first conviction for driving uninsured brings a fine of up to $500 and a 60-day license suspension, plus a payment of at least $500 to the state’s assigned-risk plan.
Massachusetts Minimum Car Insurance at a Glance
| Coverage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury to others | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $8,000 per person |
| Bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto | $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident |
| Damage to someone else’s property | $30,000 per accident |
| Underinsured motorist | Optional |
| Collision and comprehensive | Optional, but usually required by lenders and lessors |
The Division of Insurance announced the higher limits in its Filing Guidance Notice 2025-A, and they’re set in Chapter 90, section 34A and section 34O of the General Laws. Some pages, including one on mass.gov, still show the old 20/40/5 limits, so rely on sources that list the current 25/50/30 limits. RateFrog’s guide to liability limits explains what the numbers mean.
PIP and Your Right to Sue
Massachusetts is a no-fault state. According to the state’s guide to auto insurance basics, PIP covers medical expenses, up to 75% of lost wages and replacement services, up to a total of $8,000.
In return, lawsuits for pain and suffering are limited. Under Chapter 231, section 6D, you can recover those damages only if your reasonable and necessary medical expenses are more than $2,000, or if the injury causes death, the loss of a body part, permanent and serious disfigurement, the loss of sight or hearing, or a fracture. RateFrog’s guide to PIP and no-fault insurance explains how other no-fault states handle this.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injury is required at the same 25/50 minimums as your liability coverage, under Chapter 175, section 113L. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is optional. If you buy it, the state’s basics guide says, “Any amount collected from the at-fault party’s bodily injury coverage will be deducted from the amount of your coverage.”
For example, if you carry $100,000 of UIM and the at-fault driver’s insurer pays its $25,000 limit, your UIM can pay up to $75,000. Massachusetts law also bans stacking, so you can’t add together limits from several cars or policies. RateFrog’s guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how these coverages work.
How Insurance Is Tied to Your Registration
You can’t register a car in Massachusetts without proof of insurance, under Chapter 90, section 1A. Once you’re registered, your insurer reports a cancellation to the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), as Chapter 175, section 113A requires. The RMV then sends a letter of intent to revoke your registration.
You can head off the revocation if your insurer reinstates the policy, a new policy is reported to the RMV, or you cancel the registration and return the plates. According to RMV guidance, if new insurance takes effect before the revocation date, the revocation is reversed automatically and there’s no reinstatement fee. If the registration is revoked, the RMV’s fee schedule lists a $50 fee for reinstatement after an insurance cancellation. RateFrog’s guide to what happens when insurance lapses covers the broader risks.
RateFrog didn’t find an official Massachusetts source that addresses showing proof of insurance on a phone.
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Massachusetts
Under Chapter 90, section 34J:
| Situation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| First offense | A fine of up to $500 |
| Other offenses | A fine of $500 to $5,000, up to one year in a house of correction, or both |
| Conviction or guilty plea | A 60-day license suspension |
| Second or later conviction or guilty plea within six years | A one-year license suspension |
On top of that, a person convicted or pleading guilty owes the state’s assigned-risk plan the greater of $500 or a year’s premium for compulsory coverage in the highest-rated territory and class. That payment is at least $500 and can be more than the fine itself.
Does Massachusetts Use SR-22 Filings?
RateFrog didn’t find an official Massachusetts page describing SR-22 filings. If the RMV asks you for proof of insurance to reinstate your license, ask exactly what it needs. For how SR-22 filings generally work, see RateFrog’s SR-22 guide.
If You Can’t Find Coverage
The Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan (MAIP) is how drivers get coverage when no company will write them a policy. The state says any insurance agent can help you apply and get a company assigned to you. The plan is run by Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers under rules approved by the Division of Insurance, and the state notes that the MAIP rate “is generally higher” than a regular policy.
How Massachusetts Insurers Set Rates
Massachusetts bans several common rating factors. Under Chapter 175E, section 4, rates can’t be based in whole or in part on credit information, and risks can’t be grouped by sex or marital status. Age can be used only to lower rates for drivers 65 and older. The state’s basics guide adds that insurers can’t use race, creed, national origin, religion, occupation, income, education or home ownership either.
The Safe Driver Insurance Plan
Your driving record still matters a lot. Under the Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP), incidents add surcharge points:
| Incident | Points |
|---|---|
| Minor traffic violation | 2 |
| Minor at-fault accident | 3 |
| Major at-fault accident | 4 |
| Major traffic violation | 5 |
According to the SDIP regulation, an at-fault accident counts only when the insurer pays more than $1,000, not counting your deductible. Payments of up to $5,000 make it minor, and anything above $5,000 makes it major. The plan looks back six years, though no points are assigned for incidents in the oldest year. If you disagree with an at-fault finding, you can appeal to the Division of Insurance’s Board of Appeal. North Carolina runs a similar point system, which RateFrog covers in its North Carolina guide.
RateFrog’s guide to the factors that affect car insurance rates explains how rating works in states with fewer restrictions.
Cancellation Rules
Massachusetts requires at least 20 days’ notice before a cancellation takes effect, for any reason. If the reason is nonpayment, the regulation says the notice has to show the amount owed and explain that the cancellation won’t take effect if you pay the full amount on or before the effective date. You can also appeal a cancellation to the Board of Appeal, but the appeal has to be filed before the cancellation date. RateFrog’s guide to car insurance grace periods explains what usually happens when a payment is late.
Is Massachusetts’ Minimum Coverage Enough?
The 2025 increase helped, especially for property damage, but a serious crash can still pass $25,000 per person. If a claim is more than your limits, you could owe the rest, and optional UIM is the coverage that protects you when the other driver’s limits are too low. RateFrog’s guide to how much car insurance you need can help you choose, and you can compare car insurance quotes at several coverage levels.
Where to Get Help
The Division of Insurance’s Consumer Service Unit takes calls at 617-521-7794 or 877-563-4467, weekdays from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can file a complaint online through its complaint page. For registration or license questions, contact the RMV.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Minimum Car Insurance in Massachusetts?
For policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2025: $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 per accident, $30,000 of property damage liability, $8,000 of PIP and uninsured motorist coverage of 25/50.
Can Insurers Use My Credit Score in Massachusetts?
No. State law bars insurers from basing rates on credit information, and it also bans grouping drivers by sex or marital status.
What Happens If My Insurance Is Canceled in Massachusetts?
Your insurer reports it to the RMV, which moves to revoke your registration. If a new policy that takes effect before the revocation date is reported to the RMV, the revocation is reversed and no reinstatement fee is due. If the registration is revoked, the RMV’s fee schedule lists a $50 reinstatement fee, which you have to pay before you can register the car again.
When Can I Sue for Pain and Suffering in Massachusetts?
Only if your medical expenses are more than $2,000, or the injury causes death, the loss of a body part, permanent and serious disfigurement, the loss of sight or hearing, or a fracture.
Sources
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance: Filing Guidance Notice 2025-A
- Mass.gov: Basics of Auto Insurance
- M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34A
- M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34O
- M.G.L. c. 231, s. 6D
- M.G.L. c. 175, s. 113L
- M.G.L. c. 90, s. 1A
- M.G.L. c. 175, s. 113A
- Massachusetts RMV: Schedule of Fees
- Mass.gov: Cancel Your Vehicle Registration
- M.G.L. c. 90, s. 34J
- Mass.gov: Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan
- M.G.L. c. 175E, s. 4
- Mass.gov: Safe Driver Insurance Plan
- 211 CMR 134.00: Safe Driver Insurance Plan
- 211 CMR 97.00: Cancellation and Nonrenewal
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance: Board of Appeal
- Mass.gov: Filing an Insurance Complaint