Massachusetts car insurance: minimums, SR-22 rules and costs

Last updated: November 12, 2026

Massachusetts drivers must carry at least $25,000/$50,000 of bodily injury liability and $30,000 of property damage liability, plus personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. In 2023, insured drivers in Massachusetts spent an average of $1,326.46 on car insurance, 4% above the national average of $1,281.60, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That makes Massachusetts the 17th most expensive of the 50 states and D.C. by that measure.

Minimum car insurance required in Massachusetts

Coverage	Minimum
Bodily injury liability, per person	$25,000
Bodily injury liability, per accident	$50,000
Property damage liability, per accident	$30,000
Personal injury protection (PIP)	$8,000 per person
Uninsured motorist (UM)	$25,000 / $50,000

You'll often see this written as 25/50/30. The first two numbers are the bodily injury limits in thousands of dollars (per person and per accident), and the last is property damage. Those amounts are the most the policy pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. Anything above them can come back to you personally.

Massachusetts raised its minimums on July 1, 2025. Bodily injury liability went from 20/40 to 25/50, property damage from $5,000 to $30,000, and required uninsured motorist coverage to $25,000/$50,000, according to the state's Division of Insurance.

Is Massachusetts a no-fault state?

Yes. Massachusetts is one of 12 states with a no-fault auto insurance law, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Your own personal injury protection pays your medical bills after a crash, whoever caused it. You can only sue the other driver for pain and suffering once your injuries pass a monetary threshold.

SR-22 rules in Massachusetts

The state Division of Insurance's consumer pages don't mention SR-22 filings. What they stress is that every vehicle on Massachusetts roads must be insured, you need insurance to register a car, and a lapse in coverage can mean higher rates later.

If a court or the Registry of Motor Vehicles requires proof of insurance after a violation, ask your insurer what it needs to file.

What drives car insurance costs in Massachusetts

Average spending in Massachusetts rose 12% from 2019 to 2023, compared with 19% nationwide. Here's average annual spending per insured vehicle, from the NAIC:

Year	Massachusetts average	U.S. average
2019	$1,182.69	$1,075.08
2020	$1,169.84	$1,047.76
2021	$1,165.14	$1,060.23
2022	$1,181.06	$1,124.45
2023	$1,326.46	$1,281.60

The NAIC's "average expenditure" is total written premium divided by insured vehicles. It isn't a quote, and your own price depends on your driver profile and the coverage you choose.

Uninsured drivers. An estimated 7.9% of drivers in Massachusetts were uninsured in 2023, lower than the national estimate of 15.4%. That's the 7th lowest rate among the 50 states and D.C. When more drivers are uninsured, insured drivers' own uninsured motorist coverage pays more claims, which pushes up its price.
Crash deaths. Massachusetts recorded 363 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2024, or 0.59 per 100 million miles driven, lower than the U.S. rate of 1.19 (the lowest of the 50 states and D.C.). Severe crashes drive up bodily injury claim costs.
Where and how crashes happen. In 2024, 8% of Massachusetts's crash deaths happened in rural areas (U.S.: 41%), 29% involved speeding (U.S.: 29%), and 21% of those killed were pedestrians (U.S.: 18%).
No-fault rules. Mandatory PIP means every policy pays for its own driver's medical costs, which shapes what you pay for that part of the policy.

Ways to save on car insurance in Massachusetts

Compare at least three quotes. Insurers weigh the same facts differently, so prices for the same driver in Massachusetts can vary widely. More ways to lower your bill.
Check your uninsured motorist limits anyway. Even at 7.9%, uninsured and underinsured drivers are common, and UM coverage is usually inexpensive. How UM coverage works.
Shop at renewal. Even where prices rise more slowly, your own renewal can jump after a claim, a move or a new car. When to compare.
Review your PIP options. In a no-fault state, PIP is a big part of the bill. Ask how different PIP limits, deductibles or coordination with your health insurance change the price.
Pick a deductible you can actually pay. Raising it lowers your premium, but only if you could cover it after a claim. How deductibles work.
Know how long incidents count. According to the Division of Insurance, the Merit Rating Board doesn't use incidents more than six years old, and a surcharge can't apply for more than five years.
If no insurer will cover you, there's MAIP. The Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan assigns drivers who can't find a willing insurer to a company for up to three years.
Ask about discounts. Common ones include safe driver, multi-car, bundling, paying in full, good student and usage-based programs. They're not always applied automatically.

See other states in our car insurance guides by state.

Sources

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DriveCheaper may be paid by companies shown on this site. How we make money. This page is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Laws and prices change, so confirm details with your insurer or your state's insurance department or DMV.