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Is auto insurance mandatory in Massachusetts?

If you want to register a vehicle in the state of Massachusetts, you must purchase the minimum amount of liability insurance required by law. The compulsory, or minimum amount of auto liability insurance that must be carried in the state of Massachusetts is bodily injury coverage of 20,000 per person injured in any one accident and 40,000 for all persons injured in any one accident(commonly denoted as 20/40). Property damage coverage of 5,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident is mandatory as well. Finally, personal injury protection (PIP) which covers up to 8,000 in medical, work loss expenses, and funeral expenses without regard to fault is mandatory, but there is a provision for a deductible of up to 8,000.

Although keeping up with the state minimum requirements are all that is needed, only purchasing the state minimum insurance requirements is usually not the best choice. For example, without optional bodily injury to others, you would have no bodily injury coverage out of state, on private roads(that includes most parking lots and driveways), and for occupants in your car. Finally, 5,000 in property damage hardly covers anything today. Remember, these minimum limits were set decades ago and have not kept up with inflation and the costs associated with that. Most state mandatory limits for property damage are now 25,000. Massachusetts remains one of a very few states remaining with the lowest limit of 5,000.

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