For low mileage drivers, one of the big components that are looked at to determine the amount you pay for auto insurance is where your residence is in Boston. Areas with increased crime or more people will most likely pay more, whereas areas with lower vehicle theft rates and fewer weather claims benefit from lower prices.
The illustration below lists the priciest cities in Massachusetts for infrequent drivers to buy car insurance in. Boston is listed at #7 with the yearly price of $1,752 for coverage, which is around $146 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brockton | $2,143 |
| 2 | Revere | $2,127 |
| 3 | Lynn | $1,979 |
| 4 | Springfield | $1,927 |
| 5 | Lawrence | $1,896 |
| 6 | Malden | $1,860 |
| 7 | Boston | $1,752 |
| 8 | Worcester | $1,746 |
| 9 | New Bedford | $1,698 |
| 10 | Fall River | $1,666 |
| 11 | Somerville | $1,599 |
| 12 | Medford | $1,590 |
| 13 | Quincy | $1,581 |
| 14 | Lowell | $1,527 |
| 15 | Weymouth | $1,506 |
| 16 | Chicopee | $1,500 |
| 17 | Haverhill | $1,468 |
| 18 | Cambridge | $1,461 |
| 19 | Taunton | $1,440 |
| 20 | Framingham | $1,404 |
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Table data uses approximated as vehicle location can influence auto insurance rates substantially.
The car, truck, or SUV you are trying to insure is probably the biggest factor when comparing low-priced coverage for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with lower performance, excellent safety ratings, or low incidents of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than higher performance models. The list below illustrates insurance prices for the most affordable automobiles to insure.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $1,501 |
| Honda Odyssey LX | $1,611 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,627 |
| Honda CR-V EX 4WD | $1,646 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,703 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,712 |
| GMC Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $1,736 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan Hero | $1,743 |
| Volkswagen Jetta S 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,750 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $1,769 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD | $1,864 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LS Regular Cab 2WD | $1,892 |
| Dodge Ram Crew Cab TRX 2WD | $1,899 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 2WD | $1,903 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $1,914 |
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Data based on single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Massachusetts minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in specific location information which can raise or lower prices noticeably.
Based upon the table data, we can expect makes and models like the Ford Escape, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Prius, and Honda CR-V are most likely going to be some of the most economical vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
Finding decent, affordable insurance is easier said than done, and figuring out which companies offer the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for infrequent drivers calls for even more diligence.
Every insurance provider has a different formula to establish rates, so let’s begin by examining the auto insurance companies with the overall cheapest rates in Massachusetts. It’s important that readers know that Boston, MA auto insurance rates are based on many factors which can significantly increase or decrease the policy price. Things like having a birthday, buying a safer car, or getting a couple of tickets may generate price changes that may make certain companies less affordable than competitors.
Best Cheap Insurance Rates in Massachusetts
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm | $733 |
| 2 | National Grange Mutual | $799 |
| 3 | GEICO | $876 |
| 4 | Commerce Group | $902 |
| 5 | OneBeacon | $903 |
| 6 | Progressive | $989 |
| 7 | Arbella | $1,000 |
| 8 | USAA | $1,044 |
| 9 | Norfolk and Dedham | $1,078 |
| 10 | Amica | $1,109 |
| 11 | Safety Group | $1,312 |
| 12 | Quincy Mutual | $1,320 |
| 13 | Vermont Mutual | $1,323 |
| 14 | Travelers | $1,349 |
| 15 | Hanover | $1,386 |
| 16 | MetLife | $1,397 |
| 17 | Peerless | $1,442 |
| 18 | Plymouth Rock | $1,556 |
| 19 | Liberty Mutual | $1,753 |
| 20 | Allstate | $1,755 |
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State Farm normally has some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Boston at around $733 each year. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, Commerce Group, and OneBeacon are also some of the more affordable Boston, MA insurance companies.
In this example, if you currently buy coverage from OneBeacon and switched to National Grange Mutual, you might see a yearly savings of around $104. Policyholders with Progressive might save as much as $190 a year, and Arbella insureds might realize rate reductions of up to $201 a year.
To find out how your current rates compare, click here to get quotes or feel free to get quotes from the companies below.
Remember that these rates are averaged across all drivers and vehicles in Massachusetts and are not factoring in a specific zip code for infrequent drivers. So the company that has the lowest price for you may not even be in the top 21 companies shown above. That helps illustrate why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own personal information and vehicle type.
How to find a good Boston auto insurance company
Ending up with a good quality insurance provider can be a challenge considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in Massachusetts. The company information shown next can help you pick which car insurance providers you want to consider when insurance shopping for infrequent drivers. These ratings only include the companies with a significant amount of written premium nationwide, so companies that focus mainly on Massachusetts business are not factored into these rankings.
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Boston Ranked by Value
- The Hartford
- Farmers Insurance
- Safeco Insurance
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Travelers
- Progressive
- American Family
- GEICO
- Liberty Mutual
Top 10 Large Auto Insurance Companies in Boston Ranked by Claims Service
- Progressive
- USAA
- Liberty Mutual
- State Farm
- GEICO
- Allstate
- The Hartford
- Farmers Insurance
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only
Saving on auto insurance is important to most people, and one common way to find cheaper insurance for infrequent drivers is to only pay for liability coverage. The diagram below shows the difference between insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The rates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
If all age groups are averaged, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs an extra $2,566 per year more than just buying liability only. At some point, every insured wonders if buying full coverage is worth the expense. There is no set guideline to exclude comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
Why you should be shopping around
Boston auto insurance rates are impacted by many things which can substantially decrease or increase the cost of your policy. Improving your credit rating, filing a claim, or getting a few speeding tickets may prompt premium changes that can cause some rates to be cheaper than others.
In addition to those changes, auto insurance companies file new Massachusetts auto insurance rates as often as every three months to reflect underwriting profits or losses. A period of higher than normal claims can cause rate increases, while a lower level of claims may cause cheaper Boston car insurance rates.
For example, the bar chart below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Boston, MA for a 30-year-old female driver with no prior accidents, a clean driving record, and a high credit rating. When quoting prices based on her current risk profile, State Farm may offer the lowest car insurance rates in Boston at $981 annually. This is $254 less than the average policy premium paid by Massachusetts drivers of $1,235. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, OneBeacon, and Commerce Group are the remainder of the cheapest Boston, MA auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from above an accident surcharge, slightly worse credit, and an imperfect driving record. Because each insurer uses a different method to set premium rates, comparing rates may now present a different set of companies as shown below.
Arbella now has the cheapest car insurance in Boston with USAA, Norfolk and Dedham, Amica, and National Grange Mutual now being in the top five. This example illustrates why it is critical to compare lots of rates when trying to get affordable car insurance rates for infrequent drivers. Insurance prices are determined by many factors and can change substantially, so the best price the last time you shopped your coverage around may now cost much more than other companies.