Here you will find the cheapest car insurance companies in Massachusetts.
Overall, and through the age spectrum, the lowest price carriers are Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce and One Beacon.
Depending or your age and location, each carrier can offer quotes from 21 to 40% lower than the average premium for similar profile drivers.
Other carriers to put on your list to get quotes are National Grange Mutual (owned by Main Street Group), Hanover, and Quincy Mutual.
Each carrier can offer quotes from 18 to 31% lower than the average premium for similar profile drivers.
In this article I am going to cover the minimum requirements in Massachusetts, the least expensive carriers by price, and cost-saving tips for drivers.
If you would like to skip to a certain portion of the article, there is a table of contents down a little and to the right for your convenience.
Note: The lowest prices for a 25-year-old driver are Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beacon. I queried each at $2,054, $2,132, and $2,170 respectfully per year. Which is 34 to 42% lower than the average premium. For more details please see rate table below.
Massachusetts Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
Massachusetts is a no-fault state.
In a no-fault state, each driver’s insurer is needed to pay for the insured’s medical costs with no regard for who caused the accident.
For that reason, each motorist is needed to get Personal Injury Protection (PIP) which covers hospital costs, lost wages, and funeral costs if required.
The minimum amount PIP is $8,000 and is the common amount on most insurance plans.
| Coverage | Massachusetts Minimum Liability Coverage | Recommended Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily Injury Protection | $20,000 / $40,000 | $100,000 / $300,000 |
| Property Damage | $5,000 | $50,000 |
| Uninsured Motorist Coverage BIL | $20,000 / $40,000 | $100,000 / $300,000 |
| Personal Injury Protection | $8,000 limit | $8,000 limit |
| Medical Payments | Optional | $10,000 limit |
| Underinsured Motorist Coverage | Optional | Not Commonly Added |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Optional | $500 deductible |
| Collision Coverage | Optional | $500 deductible |
Bodily Injury Liability
If the insured individual is at-fault in an accident, bodily injury liability covers the other driver’s and their passenger’s hospital charges.
Under the minimum coverage, the insurance firm will pay $20,000 for a singe person with up to $40,000 for all people involved in the car accident.
Note: Affordable quotes are from Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beacon for a 30-year-old driver. I queried each at $1,632, $1,658, and $1,678 respectfully per year. Which is over 41% cheaper than the average premium for similar age drivers. Please see rate table below for more details.
Property Damage Liability
To help cover damages to the other person’s car or damage to public property like a place of business or personal property each driver must have at least $5,000 in property damage liability protection.
Note: Out of all the insurers queried for a 40-year old, I found Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beach as the least expensive. I queried each at $812, $832, $844 respectfully per year. Which is nearly 48% lower than the “mean” quote for similar age drivers in Massachusetts.
Cheapest Auto Insurance in Massachusetts by Age
Below is a table with the cheapest carriers for a driver with good driving history and good credit.
Out of all the insurers I queried the lowest was Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beacon.
Your quotes will be higher or lower based on determining factors used by insurers.
| Massachusetts Company | Average Annual Rate 25 Y/O Driver | 30 Y/O Driver | 35 Y/O Driver | 40 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver | 55 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $2,054 | $1,632 | $1,098 | $812 | $708 | $590 |
| Commerce Insurance | $2,132 | $1,658 | $1,132 | $832 | $712 | $598 |
| One Beacon | $2,170 | $1,678 | $1,144 | $844 | $721 | $602 |
| National Grange Mutual | $2,187 | $1,754 | $1,156 | $865 | $733 | $608 |
| GEICO | $2,195 | $1,755 | $1,176 | $870 | $723 | $610 |
| Quincy Mutual | $2,293 | $1,778 | $1,187 | $880 | $743 | $621 |
| State Farm | $2,327 | $1,798 | $1,233 | $895 | $765 | $622 |
| Allstate | $2,400 | $1,800 | $1,241 | $900 | $789 | $609 |
| Hanover | $2,419 | $1,809 | $1,254 | $908 | $790 | $609 |
| Nationwide | $2,431 | $1,821 | $1,266 | $909 | $798 | $627 |
| Safety | $2,447 | $1,843 | $1,276 | $921 | $800 | $634 |
| Progressive | $2,467 | $1,855 | $1,287 | $923 | $802 | $647 |
| Travelers | $2,519 | $1,876 | $1,304 | $934 | $799 | $645 |
| Arbella | $2,523 | $1,890 | $1,354 | $945 | $798 | $654 |
| MetLife | $2,546 | $1,906 | $1,376 | $956 | $800 | $655 |
| Liberty Mutual | $2,637 | $1,987 | $1,398 | $967 | $803 | $670 |
| Vermont Mutual | $2,678 | $1,989 | $1,428 | $989 | $821 | $643 |
| Encompass | $2,737 | $2,054 | $1,487 | $1,065 | $821 | $658 |
| 21st Century | $2,769 | $2,098 | $1,501 | $1,087 | $843 | $659 |
Personal Injury Protection Coverage
The amount of PIP coverage can rely on the person’s health insurance plan.
Therefore, many drivers may have the minimum amount of personal injury protection.
Note: As illustrated, the cheapest carrier is Norfolk and Dedham at $708 for a 45-year-old driver. Other carriers to put on your list to get quotes are Commerce and One Beacon. Both carriers are competitive with prices at $712 and $721 respectfully.
Having the minimum coverage is required to drive legal in the state of Massachusetts.
It is always a good idea to get more coverage for any unforeseen accidents which may occur.
Although there are minimum requirements, the average amount of coverage in the state is as follows:
-
Bodily Injury Liability; $100,000 – $300,000
-
Property Damage Liability; $50,000
-
Uninsured Motorist Protection; $100,000 – $300,000
-
Personal Injury Protection; $8,000
-
Collision Cover; $500 deductible
-
Comprehensive Cover; $500 deductible
-
Medical Payment Cover; $10,000
Uninsured Motorist Protection Coverage
In the state of Massachusetts, uninsured motorist protection is required by state law. The minimum amount of cover for UM is $20,000/$40,000.
Note: All insurers illustrated are competitive for a 55-year old. Inexpensive quotes are with Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beacon. I queried each at $590, $598, and $602 respectfully per year. Which is nearly 50% lower than the average premium for drivers of similar profile.
Best Insurers by Consumer Rating, Complaints, & Rate Change over 18 Months
Below is a list of the best carriers by consumer rating, rate change, and the number of complaints.
I have include the amount of written premiums to coincide with the amount of complaints.
For example, if a carrier has a high number of complaints, but a low amount of written premiums, this should throw up a red flag.
In the instance of the carriers listed below, none of them have anything unusual when it comes to complaints.
Any would have the financial ability to pay out a large claim.
The rate change is 2% to 4% over a 12 to 18 month period which is not out of the ordinary.
The last column includes the average consumer rating from reputable statistical data, JD Power & Associates, and AM Best.
| Massachusetts Company | Written Premiums | Rate Change | # of Complaints | Consumer Rating out of 5 Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Mutual | $68,231,218 | +3.2% | 48 | 4.3 |
| Arbella | $12,279,643 | +2.7% | 28 | 3.8 |
| Preferred Mutual | $18,127,759 | +2.8% | 2 | 3.8 |
| Vermont Mutual | $15,811,188 | +3.7% | 5 | 3.9 |
| MetLife | $65,688,047 | +2.7% | 16 | 3.9 |
| Nationwide | $83,314,800 | +2.6% | 28 | 4.0 |
| Safety Ins. | $84,584,082 | +2.8% | 39 | 3.8 |
| State Farm | $262,762,182 | +3.5% | 2 | 4.3 |
| USAA | $121,637,924 | +2.8% | 10 | 4.6 |
| Main Street American | $32,416,235 | +2.9% | 17 | 3.8 |
| American Family | $89,761,971 | +2.8% | 48 | 4.1 |
| Progressive | $267,698,586 | +2.4% | 108 | 4.3 |
| Commerce | $26,028,246 | +2.9% | 83 | 3.9 |
| Farmers | $78,999,120 | +2.7% | 2 | 4.1 |
| Plymouth Rock | $14,887,515 | +2.7% | 26 | 3.7 |
| The Hanover | $28,324,329 | +2.8% | 14 | 3.6 |
| Allstate | $110,754,375 | +3.4% | 98 | 4.3 |
| Metropolitan | $7,143,879 | +3.1% | 21 | 3.9 |
| GEICO | $178,044,264 | +3.1% | 40 | 4.4 |
| Norfolk & Dedham | $35,439,612 | +2.8% | 6 | 4.0 |
| Tower Group | $10,534,760 | +2.9% | 4 | 3.9 |
| Ameriprise | $33,569,543 | +2.9% | 3 | 3.9 |
| Occidental | $9,224,590 | +3.5% | 6 | 3.9 |
| Pilgrim | $21,374,821 | +3.6% | 6 | 3.7 |
| Encompass | $43,678,893 | +3.1% | 7 | 3.8 |
| Amica | $27,769,370 | +2.9% | 21 | 3.9 |
Average Rate by City in MA
Out of the 48 cities across the state of Massachusetts, a premium can average from $1,765 in Beverly to near $2,600 in Centerville.
Quotes can vary by 20% or more in the state depending which city or zip code you reside in.
If your quotes are much higher than those which are listed you may have an item in one of your determining factors when the insurers compute your premium.
For instance, a poor credit rating, lapse in premium, or poor driving history can raise your premium price.
If you would like a detailed comparison of more populous cities in Massachusetts please read further below.
| City | Average Rate | City | Average Rate | City | Average Rate | City | Average Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | $1,987 | Dartmouth | $1,879 | Marlborough | $1,988 | Randolph | $1,763 |
| Andover | $1,922 | Everett | $2,139 | Mattapan | $1,917 | Raynham | $2,455 |
| Arlington | $1,900 | Fitchburg | $1,922 | Medford | $1,903 | Rutland | $1,689 |
| Barre | $1,822 | Framingham | $1,911 | Natick | $1,734 | Shrewsbury | $1,768 |
| Beverly | $1,765 | Gloucester | $1,909 | Needham | $1,789 | Somerville | $1,861 |
| Bradford | $2,488 | Haverhill | $1,865 | Newton | $1,917 | Springfield | $2,237 |
| Braintree | $1,999 | Holyoke | $1,871 | North Attleboro | $1,865 | Taunton | $2,376 |
| Brighton | $2,243 | Lawrence | $1,721 | Norwood | $1,899 | Tewksbury | $1,935 |
| Burlington | $2,087 | Leominster | $1,765 | Northampton | $1,947 | Watertown | $1,863 |
| Canton | $1,989 | Linwood | $1,937 | Peabody | $1,938 | Weymouth | $1,872 |
| Centerville | $2,549 | Lynn | $2,139 | Pittsfield | $1,958 | Woburn | $1,823 |
| Chicopee | $1,769 | Malden | $1,854 | Quincy | $1,959 | Yarmouth | $2,034 |
Boston, MA
Boston is a city with expensive auto premiums for all ages.
Finding a low quote is fairly easy if you get quotes from Norfolk & Dedham, GEICO, and Commerce.
I queried each at $1,311, $1,367, and $1,432 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
Which is over 45% lower than the “mean” rate of $2,488 per year.
For a 45-year-old driver I found one insurer less than $900 per year – Norfolk & Dedham at $890.
Then GEICO at $905 followed by Commerce at $987.
All three should help a 45-year old save $7,500 over the year.
One Beacon and National Grange Mutual should be considered since both insurers are more than 40% lower than the citywide average rate in Boston.
| Boston Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,311 | $890 |
| GEICO | $1,367 | $905 |
| Commerce | $1,432 | $987 |
| One Beacon | $1,568 | $1,008 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,577 | $1,086 |
| Quincy Mutual | $1,609 | $1,145 |
| State Farm | $1,644 | $1,189 |
Worcester, MA
Finding cheap rates in Worcester is easy if you get quotes from Norfolk & Dedham, Commerce, and One Beacon.
I queried each at $1,450, $1,455, and $1,487 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
This is more than 25% lower than the average rate of $2,034 per year.
GEICO and National Grange at $1,509 and $1,543 respectfully are 22% lower than average.
For a 45-year-old driver the cheapest quotes are found with Norfolk & Dedham ($1,087), Commerce ($1,132), and One Beacon ($1,156) all three are 35% lower than the citywide average quote.
Out of the 7 insurers queried the highest quotes are from State Farm at $1,643 for a 30-year-old driver and $1,245 for a 45 year old driver.
Each are 19% and 31% lower than the “mean” rate.
| Worcester Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,450 | $1,087 |
| Commerce | $1,455 | $1,132 |
| One Beacon | $1,487 | $1,156 |
| GEICO | $1,509 | $1,180 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,543 | $1,232 |
| Quincy Mutual | $1,589 | $1,244 |
| State Farm | $1,643 | $1,245 |
Lowell, MA
Finding cheaper auto insurance quotes in Lowell is possible if you get quotes from One Beacon, Norfolk & Dedham, and Commerce.
I queried each at $1,050, $1,089, $1,132 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
All three insurers are 35% lower than the “mean” rate of $1,937.
For a 45-year old the cheapest options are with One Beacon ($844), Norfolk & Dedham ($855), and Commerce ($880) for full coverage.
All insurers illustrated are 50% lower than the “mean” rate in Lowell which equates to over $800 in yearly savings.
Out of the 7 carriers I queried the most expensive is MetLife at $1,376 for a 30-year old and $980 for a 45-year old.
Both quotes are 33% and 51% lower than the “mean” rate.
| Lowell Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| One Beacon | $1,050 | $844 |
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,089 | $855 |
| Commerce | $1,132 | $880 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,156 | $905 |
| GEICO | $1,167 | $965 |
| Quincy Mutual | $1,245 | $967 |
| MetLife | $1,376 | $980 |
Cambridge, MA
If you want to save on your auto premium in Cambridge, get quotes from One Beacon, Commerce, and GEICO.
I queried each at $1,089, $1,121, and $1,155 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
All three insurers are over 41% lower than the “mean” rate of $2,087.
Norfolk & Dedham and National Grange are certainly worth getting quotes from too since both insurers are 34% lower than the average rate.
For a 45-year-old driver the cheapest quotes are with One Beacon, Commerce, and GEICO.
All three clustered between $832 and $886 per year which is 50% lower than the citywide average.
| Cambridge Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| One Beacon | $1,089 | $832 |
| Commerce | $1,121 | $849 |
| GEICO | $1,155 | $886 |
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,189 | $921 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,245 | $946 |
| Hanover | $1,367 | $980 |
| MetLife | $1,399 | $998 |
Brockton, MA
The average rate in Brockton is a whopping $2,243 per year.
You can find lower quotes with Norfolk & Dedham, One Beacon, and Commerce.
I queried each at $1,655, $1,690, and $1,789 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
Or approximately 29% lower than the “mean” rate.
It is worth getting quotes from GEICO and National Grange since both carriers have competitive prices.
For a 45-year-old driver I queried 4 carriers lower than $1,300 per year for full coverage.
The least expensive is Norfolk & Dedham at $1,233, followed by One Beacon at $1,244, then Commerce at $1,251.
I found all three provide more than $500 in savings for a vehicle owner with good driving history.
| Brockton Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,655 | $1,233 |
| One Beacon | $1,690 | $1,244 |
| Commerce | $1,789 | $1,251 |
| GEICO | $1,832 | $1,287 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,879 | $1,354 |
| Hanover | $1,890 | $1,387 |
| MetLife | $1,959 | $1,483 |
Revere, MA
The 2nd most expensive city in Massachusetts is Revere with an average auto premium at $2,455.
If you want cheaper rates start by getting quotes from Norfolk & Dedham, GEICO, and One Beacon.
I queried each at $1,680, $1,732, and $1,765 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
All three carriers are 22% lower than the citywide “mean” rate.
For a 45-year-old driver, the cheapest quotes are with Norfolk & Dedham, GEICO, and One Beacon.
I queried each at $1,208, $1,254, $1,290 respectfully for full coverage.
Norfolk & Dedham is 49% lower than the “mean” rate while GEICO is 48% lower.
More than $1,100 in yearly savings if you opted to get a premium from either company.
Out of the 7 carriers queried the most expensive is MetLife at $1,990 per year for a 30-year old and $1,432 for a 45-year-old driver.
Both quotes are 17% and 28% lower than the “mean” rate in Revere.
| Revere Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,680 | $1,208 |
| GEICO | $1,732 | $1,254 |
| One Beacon | $1,765 | $1,290 |
| Commerce | $1,790 | $1,321 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,843 | $1,355 |
| Hanover | $1,900 | $1,390 |
| MetLife | $1,990 | $1,432 |
Chelsea, MA
The most expensive auto premiums are in Chelsea at $2,549 per year.
To find cheaper rates start by getting quotes from Norfolk & Dedham, One Beacon, and Commerce.
I queried each at $1,732, $1,780, and $1,832 respectfully for a 30-year-old driver.
All three carriers are 23% lower than the average rate.
Since quotes vary wildly in Chelsea it would be smart to get quotes from all carriers illustrated.
For a 45-year old the lowest rates are with Norfolk & Dedham ($1,289), and One Beacon ($1,347), and Commerce ($1,389).
All three are 45% lower than the citywide “mean” rate.
The highest carrier I queried is MetLife at $2,041 for a 30-year old and $1,539 for a 45-year old.
Both quotes are 17% and 24% lower than the average rate within the city.
| Chelsea Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,732 | $1,289 |
| One Beacon | $1,780 | $1,347 |
| Commerce | $1,832 | $1,389 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,890 | $1,455 |
| GEICO | $1,900 | $1,487 |
| Hanover | $1,921 | $1,500 |
| MetLife | $2,041 | $1,539 |
Waltham
Waltham drivers can find the least expensive premiums by getting quotes from One Beacon, Grange, and Norfolk & Dedham.
I queried each at $1,511, $1,555, and $1,603 per year for a 30-year old.
Which is 34% lower than the average premium for drivers of similar age and profile.
Commerce and Hanover are 25% lower than the median price making any of the carriers illustrated worth getting quotes from.
A 45-year old can get an affordable premium by getting quotes from One Beacon, Grange, and Norfolk & Dedham.
Each queried at $1,054, $1,123, and $1,180 per year for a 45-year-old driver.
Or nearly 40% lower than the median quote for drivers of similar age.
There is a price variance of near 30% among the lowest and highest price insurers making it vital to compare quotes for drivers of any age in Waltham.
| Waltham Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| One Beacon | $1,511 | $1,054 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,555 | $1,123 |
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,603 | $1,180 |
| GEICO | $1,630 | $1,230 |
| Commerce | $1,710 | $1,287 |
| Hanover | $1,825 | $1,330 |
Brookline
If you aren’t getting the least expensive premium in Brookline then your probably getting quotes from the wrong companies.
To start, get quotes from One Beacon, Grange, and Norfolk & Dedham.
I queried each at $1,487, $1,545, and $1,600 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
Which is 38% to 44% lower than the average premium for drivers of similar age and profile.
Commerce would be a good choice with low quotes at $1,632.
A 45-year old can get low quotes with One Beacon and Grange.
I queried each below the $1,000 mark with quotes at $912 and $987 respectfully per year for full coverage.
Both carriers are 40% lower than the “mean” rate for drivers citywide.
In fact, each of the insurers illustrated are worth getting quotes from.
Hanover with quotes at $1,245 was over 12% cheaper than the average policyholder in Brookline.
| Brookline Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| One Beacon | $1,487 | $912 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,545 | $987 |
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,600 | $1,085 |
| Commerce | $1,632 | $1,128 |
| GEICO | $1,689 | $1,190 |
| Hanover | $1,775 | $1,245 |
Peabody
Drivers in Peabody can get cheap rates by getting quotes from One Beacon, Grange, and Norfolk & Dedham.
I queried each at $1,543, $1,589, and $1,655 per year for a 30-year-old driver.
Which is 32% to 38% lower than the median premium for drivers of similar age and profile.
Commerce and Hanover are over 22% lower than the “mean” rate with quotes at $1,689 and $1,705 respectfully.
A 45-year old can get the lowest rate by getting quotes from One Beacon, Grange, and Norfolk & Dedham.
I queried each at $1,043, $1,087, $1,155 per year for full coverage.
Or 34% to 39% lower than the “mean” quote for 45 year old drivers in Peabody.
| Peabody Company | 30 Y/O Driver | 45 Y/O Driver |
|---|---|---|
| One Beacon | $1,543 | $1,043 |
| National Grange Mutual | $1,589 | $1,087 |
| Norfolk and Dedham | $1,655 | $1,155 |
| Commerce | $1,698 | $1,198 |
| Hanover | $1,705 | $1,269 |
| GEICO | $1,768 | $1,375 |
Resources & Motor Vehicles Information
| Department of Insurance | Department of Transportation | Department of Motor Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 Washington St #810, Boston, MA 02118 (877) 563-4467 | 519 Appleton St. Arlington, MA 02476 (781) 641-8300 | 1250 St James Ave, Springfield, MA 01104 (800) 858-3926 |
| Website | Website | Website |
Sources
http://www.iii.org/article/background-on-compulsory-auto-uninsured-motorists
http://www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources
http://www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources
