Dedham Car Insurance

(How to find the coverage you want at the most competitive price.)

Written by Meg Stefanac
Written by Meg Stefanac

Financial blogger and business owner, Meg Stefanac, has more than 15 years experience working in the financial services industry and enjoys helping individuals make solid financial decisions. Meg has extensive experience writing about insurance and finances and is a key contributor to TrustedChoice.com.

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Even the most careful drivers in Dedham can sometimes get into accidents. From fender benders on Washington Street to multi-car collisions on the Yankee Division Highway, a reliable car insurance policy can save you from facing large financial losses due to a crash.

Shopping for car insurance is easy when you work with an independent insurance agent in Dedham. These agents can help you obtain and compare customized car insurance quotes from a variety of reliable insurers so you can be sure you are getting the coverage you need at a competitive price.

Find an insurance agent near you to learn more.

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Dedham, MA?

The average cost of car insurance in Massachusetts is higher than the national average. Shopping around for the best rate can potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year.

  • National average annual car insurance cost: $1,311
  • Massachusetts average annual car insurance cost: $1,460

Of course, these average rates can only give you a general idea of what you might actually be expected to pay. Car insurance costs vary from one driver to the next because they are based on several different factors. When calculating your rate, insurance companies will take into account such things as:

  • The make, model, and year of every vehicle you are insuring
  • Your age, occupation, marital status, and driving record
  • Your claims history and credit score
  • Information about the other licensed drivers in your household
  • Whether you own or rent your home
  • The amount of coverage you are purchasing
  • The amount of your deductible

You can often get rate reductions if you bundle your car insurance with other policies like home insurance or renters insurance. Contact an independent agent in Dedham to learn more about potential discounts and to easily review customized quotes from a variety of highly-rated insurers.

What Are the Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Massachusetts?

Every state has its own minimum coverage requirements for auto insurance. In Massachusetts, all car insurance policies must include liability insurance, uninsured motorist insurance, and personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.

Liability insurance is designed to cover other people’s damage and medical bills if you cause an accident. Personal injury protection insurance is designed to cover your own accident-related medical bills, regardless of fault. In this state, you can buy PIP for just yourself or for yourself and your family.

Massachusetts requires your car insurance to include, at a bare minimum:

  • bodily injury liability insurance: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident
  • property damage liability insurance: $5,000 per accident
  • uninsured motorist insurance: $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident
  • personal injury protection (PIP) insurance: $8,000 per accident

Many Dedham drivers have a lot to lose, so they generally opt to purchase car insurance that has higher-than-required liability limits. Some even purchase umbrella insurance in order to get even more liability coverage than their policy will allow.

Your local insurance agent can help you find the liability and personal injury protection coverage you want at the price you can afford.

What Else Can Dedham Car Insurance Cover?

In addition to the mandatory liability and PIP coverage, your car insurance provider will also offer a variety of coverage options that you may want to include in your Dedham auto insurance policy. These options include:

  • Collision insurance: This covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle if is it damaged or totaled in a collision, even if the accident was your fault. This coverage is typically required by lenders if you are still paying for your vehicle and by dealerships if you are leasing it.
  • Comprehensive insurance: This covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged or totaled due to a non-collision event like a flood or vandalism. This coverage is typically required by lenders if you are still paying for your vehicle and by dealerships if you are leasing it.
  • Roadside assistance and towing: This covers the costs of assistance if your car becomes disabled while you are away from home, such as if you get a flat tire or run out of gas.
  • Gap insurance: This covers the gap between what your car is worth and what you currently owe for it in the event that it is totaled. New cars depreciate quickly, so this coverage may be quite valuable for the first year or two of ownership.
  • Rental car reimbursement: This covers the cost of renting a vehicle while your car is being repaired following a covered event.

Talk to your local insurance agent for help determining which, if any, of these coverage options is a good fit for you.

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What Is the Penalty for Driving without Insurance in Dedham, MA?

Driving without insurance in Massachusetts is illegal, and when it comes to enforcement, this state isn’t playing games. Penalties for driving an uninsured vehicle can include:

  • A fine ranging from $500 to $5,000
  • Jail time for up to one year
  • The suspension of your driver’s license for 60 days to one year
  • A fee of $500 to be paid to the state’s assigned risk plan (MAIP)

These tough penalties are the main reason that this state has one of the lowest rates of uninsured drivers in the country.

  • Percentage of US drivers who are uninsured: 12.6%
  • Percentage of Massachusetts drivers who are uninsured: 6.2%

If you are in a collision caused by an uninsured driver, that person is responsible for compensating you and your passengers for resultant damage and necessary medical treatment that go above what your PIP insurance covers. However, these funds can often be difficult to collect.

Uninsured motorist insurance was created to ensure that you can receive timely compensation without the need to take legal action against the at-fault driver. While it is optional in many states, Massachusetts requires drivers to carry uninsured motorist insurance. Talk to a local independent insurance agent to learn more.

Does Dedham Car Insurance Cover against Auto Theft?

The auto theft rate in Dedham, as well as the state of Massachusetts, is lower than the national rate. Even so, residents of this city report about 30 vehicle thefts a year. 

  • National auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 2.94
  • Massachusetts auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 1.18
  • Dedham auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 1.30

Be aware that you can only get compensation for a stolen vehicle if your car insurance policy includes comprehensive (or “other than collision”) coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers more than just auto thefts. It can also reimburse you for repair costs if your car is damaged in another non-collision event like a fallen tree or a hailstorm.  

Talk to an independent insurance agent to find out how much it will cost you to include comprehensive coverage in your Dedham car insurance policy.

Why Let an Independent Insurance Agent in Dedham Help You?

You can ask a local independent agent for assistance when you are looking for the best auto insurance policy to meet your coverage and budgetary needs. These agents work for you, not for a particular insurance company, so they can shop around to find you the coverage you want at a great price.

Contact an insurance agent in Dedham to get answers to your insurance-related questions and to start comparing customized car insurance quotes.

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http://www.naic.org/prod_serv/AUT-PB-14.pdf
http://www.city-data.com