You have surely seen all the captivating ads from insurers like GEICO and Farmers claiming the cheapest rates, so drivers should just pick the company with the best ad, right?
That is not the case, however, as there are a ton of unknown factors such as what coverage limits you want, your financial responsibility, and if you want the added protection of full coverage. If you keep reading, we will teach you about the types of things that cause high car insurance rates and should give you some help in finding cheaper rates.
One of the more important factors that are looked at to help calculate the amount you pay each year for auto insurance is where you keep your vehicle. Cities with more crime and/or more people are more likely to pay higher prices, whereas areas with less crime or weather claims have the benefit of cheaper car insurance.
The illustration below ranks the priciest cities in Massachusetts for state employees in which to buy car insurance. Boston comes in at #7 costing $1,805 for the average insurance policy, which is approximately $150 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revere | $2,148 |
| 2 | Brockton | $2,080 |
| 3 | Lynn | $1,939 |
| 4 | Malden | $1,917 |
| 5 | Lawrence | $1,858 |
| 6 | Springfield | $1,851 |
| 7 | Boston | $1,805 |
| 8 | New Bedford | $1,768 |
| 9 | Worcester | $1,695 |
| 10 | Fall River | $1,649 |
| 11 | Somerville | $1,616 |
| 12 | Medford | $1,574 |
| 13 | Lowell | $1,557 |
| 14 | Quincy | $1,534 |
| 15 | Haverhill | $1,482 |
| 16 | Chicopee | $1,470 |
| 17 | Cambridge | $1,461 |
| 18 | Weymouth | $1,461 |
| 19 | Taunton | $1,440 |
| 20 | Framingham | $1,390 |
| 21 | Brookline | $1,386 |
| 22 | Waltham | $1,382 |
| 23 | Peabody | $1,378 |
| 24 | Methuen | $1,361 |
| 25 | Newton | $1,324 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Rate quotes are approximated as specific Boston zip code can change insurance rates noticeably.
Buying affordable auto insurance is hard enough, and finding out which companies quote the cheapest auto insurance rates for state employees will involve a bit more work. Every insurance provider uses their own calculation for determining rates, so first we will examine the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in Boston.
It’s important that you understand Boston, MA auto insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the policy premium. That is why it is important to compare lots of rates to get the lowest auto insurance quotes for state employees. Insurance prices can be altered by many different factors and change substantially, so the cheapest option the last time you checked may now be one of the more expensive options.
Compare Cheap Insurance Quotes in Massachusetts
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm | $733 |
| 2 | National Grange Mutual | $831 |
| 3 | GEICO | $842 |
| 4 | OneBeacon | $885 |
| 5 | Commerce Group | $902 |
| 6 | Arbella | $1,000 |
| 7 | Progressive | $1,029 |
| 8 | USAA | $1,066 |
| 9 | Norfolk and Dedham | $1,068 |
| 10 | Amica | $1,109 |
| 11 | Vermont Mutual | $1,284 |
| 12 | Quincy Mutual | $1,320 |
| 13 | Travelers | $1,336 |
| 14 | Safety Group | $1,352 |
| 15 | Hanover | $1,386 |
| 16 | MetLife | $1,439 |
| 17 | Peerless | $1,457 |
| 18 | Plymouth Rock | $1,541 |
| 19 | Liberty Mutual | $1,753 |
| 20 | Allstate | $1,755 |
| Find Your Rate Go | ||
State Farm has some of the lowest car insurance rates in Boston at around $733 per year. National Grange Mutual, GEICO, OneBeacon, and Commerce Group would also make the list of some of the best Boston, MA auto insurance companies.
As the rates illustrate above, if you buy coverage from Commerce Group and switched to National Grange Mutual, you might achieve a yearly savings of about $71. Massachusetts drivers with Arbella might save as much as $169 a year, and Progressive customers might reduce rates by $198 a year.
Be aware that those estimates are averaged across all insureds and vehicles and do not factor in an exact vehicle garaging location for state employees. So the auto insurance company that fits your needs best may not even be in the list above. That is why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own specific driver and vehicle information.
The car, truck, or SUV requiring coverage is probably the biggest factor when comparing quotes for the best coverage for state employees. Vehicles with higher performance characteristics, poor passenger safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost much more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The table below presents coverage premiums for the more affordable vehicles to insure in Massachusetts.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 4WD | $1,400 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4WD 2-Dr | $1,565 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,581 |
| Toyota RAV4 Limited 4WD | $1,656 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,706 |
| Ford Explorer XLT AWD | $1,714 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $1,744 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,749 |
| Nissan Rogue S AWD | $1,773 |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $1,782 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,776 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,783 |
| Ford F-150 XL Super Cab 4WD | $1,778 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | |
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 safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in Boston, MA location which can lower or raise coverage rates noticeably.
Looking at the numbers, you can infer that cars like the Honda CR-V, Jeep Wrangler, Honda Accord, and Toyota RAV4 will definitely be the cheaper vehicles to insure for state workers.
The diagram below illustrates how choosing a deductible can impact insurance prices when quoting cheap insurance for state employees. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
A 40-year-old driver could reduce rates by $266 a year by increasing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $400 by switching to a $1,000 deductible. Even younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could potentially save up to $672 every year by selecting a higher deductible.
When using a larger deductible, it will be required to have additional funds in a savings account to allow you to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense that comes with higher deductibles.
How accidents and violations affect rates
The easiest method to find the cheapest auto insurance premiums in Boston for state workers is to be a cautious driver and avoid accidents and violations. The information below highlights how traffic violations and at-fault collisions influence insurance premiums for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
In the prior example, the average cost of an auto insurance policy in Massachusetts per year with no accidents or violations is $1,818. Factor in one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $2,058, an increase of $240 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the 12-month cost of auto insurance for state employees jumps again to an average of $2,739. That’s an increase of $922, or $77 per month, just for not keeping your driving record clean!
Full coverage rates vs. liability-only
Buying cheaper auto insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one way to pay lower rates for insurance for state employees is to not insure for full coverage. The chart below illustrates the comparison of insurance prices when comparing full coverage to liability only. The costs are based on no violations or claims, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
If all age groups are averaged, physical damage coverage costs an extra $2,387 per year more than buying just liability insurance. Lot’s of drivers question if physical damage coverage is worth the money. There is no written rule of when to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your vehicle’s book value is $9,500 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $8,500 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $850 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.