What is the Best Auto Insurance in Boston, Massachusetts?

Deciphering which company has the most affordable car insurance rates in Boston requires more time in order to find the most economical policy. Each company uses a different method for setting prices, so let’s take a look at the overall cheapest car insurance companies in Boston.

State Farm quotes some of the lowest car insurance rates in Boston at around $741 each year. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, Commerce Group, and OneBeacon also rank well as some of the lowest-priced Boston, MA auto insurance companies.

As illustrated above, if you currently buy coverage from OneBeacon and switched to National Grange Mutual, you may realize annual savings of around $81. Insureds with Arbella might save as much as $179 a year, and Progressive insureds might reduce rates by $198 a year.

To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to get a free quote or click several companies below for low rates.

Be aware that those rates are averages across all drivers and vehicles in Massachusetts and do not take into consideration a specific zip code in Boston. So the auto insurance company that can offer you the best rate may not even be in the list above. That’s why you need to get car insurance quotes using your own driver information and specific vehicle type.

One of the many components that are looked at to help calculate insurance cost is where you call home in Boston. Cities with larger populations likely pay more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates tend to receive cheaper rates.

The information below lists the most expensive areas in Massachusetts to buy car insurance in. Boston is ranked #7 with an annual rate of $1,752 on average, which is around $146 each month.

Premium amounts are approximated as the garaging address in Boston can decrease or increase coverage rates greatly.

The car, truck, or SUV to be insured is one of the largest factors that determines whether or not you find low-cost coverage in Boston. Vehicles with lower acceleration and performance, a great safety record, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost quite a bit less to insure than adrenaline junky models. The next table shows car insurance rates for a handful of the most budget-friendly automobiles to buy coverage for.

Table data represents married female 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, claim-free, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in specific garaging location which can affect coverage prices considerably.

Based upon these rates, you can see that models like the Volkswagen Jetta, Honda CR-V, and Honda Accord will definitely be some of the cheaper vehicles to insure for drivers in Boston.

Discount Boston car insurance rates

Insurance companies that sell policies in Boston may additionally offer discounts that could potentially reduce rates by as much as 40% or more if you meet certain criteria. Larger insurance companies and their possible discounts are shown below.

• State Farm includes discounts for good student, good driver, defensive driving training, safe vehicle, multiple autos, and passive restraint.
• GEICO has savings for daytime running lights, federal employee, air bags, membership and employees, and five-year accident-free.
• Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, online quote discount, multi-policy, online signing, good student, continuous coverage, and multi-vehicle.
• 21st Century has discounts for student driver, 55 and older, driver training, automatic seat belts, and early bird.
• American Family offers discounts including good driver, air bags, early bird, accident-free, and defensive driver.
• The Hartford offers discounts for good student, anti-theft, driver training, air bag, vehicle fuel type, bundle, and defensive driver.
• AAA may have discounts that include good driver, multi-car, multi-policy, pay-in-full, good student, and anti-theft.

The chart below shows the difference between insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The premiums are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, Massachusetts state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles.

The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with multiple policy, defensive driving course, marriage, multiple vehicle, anti-theft, and accident-free discounts applied. When drivers take advantage of discounts, the average savings per year on insurance in Boston is 28% or $501.

Should you buy full coverage?

Reducing premiums for insurance should be important to most vehicle owners, and one of the easiest ways to save on the cost of insurance in Boston is to buy liability only. The illustration below shows the difference between insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The prices are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.

Averaged for all ages 20 through 70, comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy costs an extra $1,576 per year over having just liability coverage. Many of you may wonder when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no specific rule to stop paying for comp and collision coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

There are a few situations where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not drop full coverage.

Why you should be shopping around

Massachusetts insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that will increase or decrease the policy premium. Simply turning a year older, moving across town, or getting a few speeding tickets may generate price changes that can make some companies cheaper in comparison to the competition. Not only may your risk profile change, but companies modify rates as needed as an adjustment for underwriting gains or losses. Heavier than normal losses may cause more expensive premiums, while less frequent claims can result in lower-cost Boston car insurance rates.

For instance, the chart below compares the cheapest car insurance in Boston, MA for a 45-year-old male driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a high credit rating. If we compare prices based on his current rating profile, State Farm might quote the lowest car insurance rates in Boston at $942 a year. This is $293 less than the average price paid by Massachusetts drivers of $1,235. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, Commerce Group, and OneBeacon are also on the list of the cheapest Boston, MA auto insurance companies.

In the next rate comparison, we’ll give the driver in the first example some claims, a lower credit rating, and a blemish on his driving record. Because each company has their own process for determining prices, comparing rates most likely will result in a different list of the cheapest companies as shown below.

Progressive now has the cheapest rate in Boston with Norfolk and Dedham, USAA, Amica, and National Grange Mutual now rounding out the top five. This demonstrates why it is so important to perform a complete rate comparison when trying to get the cheapest insurance rates in Boston.

Car insurance prices are calculated by many different factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest option the last time you shopped around may now be an over-priced policy.

The insurance agents in Boston listed below can help you determine which coverage fits your budget, as some people have coverage questions and would like to get some professional advice when shopping for the best coverage for drivers in Boston. It can be complicated to find the cheapest car insurance policy, and professional agents can give peace of mind knowing your coverage gives you adequate protection in case of an accident or claim. To find a Boston insurance agency in your neighborhood, click the button at the bottom.

View more Boston, MA insurance agencies

How to find low-cost insurance in Boston

It is possible to find better rates, and here are some thrifty suggestions that can help Massachusetts drivers buy cheaper car insurance.

• Drive vehicles with five-star safety ratings
• Prevent rate increases by staying accident-free
• Save money by only buying liability coverage for older vehicles
• Increase the comprehensive and collision deductibles on your policy
• Clean up your credit
• Maintain a clean driving record
• Comparison shop frequently

That final tip is extraordinarily important, as we hit on in this article. Prices charged by auto insurers go up and down frequently, so don’t be hesitant to switch carriers if a lower price can be found.

Many consumers stick with the same company and that’s fine, but is isn’t recommended if that devotion results in you overpaying a considerable chunk of change every month. In just a couple of minutes you could shop around and find cheaper insurance in Boston in Boston.