Auto insurance is party of owning and driving a car, but not all auto insurance is the same. As insurance agents, we’ve talked with clients and walked through many accidents—including the ones they didn’t have coverage for. Today we want to give the same advice to you we give to those clients—to know what kinds of auto accidents not covered by standard insurance and what you should know and can do about it when it comes to insurance coverage.

What Does the Required MA Auto Insurance Cover?

Okay, so let’s first go over the “standard MA car insurance,” also know as the minimum requirements. There are four kinds of auto insurance you need in MA, each with their own minimum coverage required.

• Bodily Injury Liability Insurance protects the driver from legal liability if someone is injured by the vehicle (min $20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident).
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers medical expenses, lost wages, and replacement. MA is a no-fault state so whoever causes the accident, the PIP will payout (min $8,000 per person/accident).
• Uninsured Motorist Coverage protects the driver from losses in an accident caused by an uninsured or unidentified driver (min $20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident).
• Property Damage Liability Insurance pays for damage to another person’s property that is damaged by your vehicle when it is being operated (min $5,000 per accident).

Check out more with our full post on MA’s Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance.

Auto Accidents Not Covered Under MA Minimums

Massachusetts auto insurance, especially with the no-fault provision, does provide decent coverage—but it’s far from ideal. As we’ve mentioned in our blog, Does My Car Insurance Protect Against Snow and Ice Damage?, MA has weather and situations which make two additional types of policies important in certain auto accidents, along with general increases:

At-Fault Automobile and Property Damage Accidents

If you’re in an accident and at fault, with the exception of PIP in MA, you’ll need the addition of a Collision Insurance policy to provide coverage. This includes vehicle-related accidents or striking a tree, guardrail, or other impacts.

Wildlife and Falling Debris Auto Accidents

For accidents that don’t include vehicle collisions (vehicle vs. vehicle or vehicle vs. property), such as vandalism, theft, falling objects, larceny, and accidents including birds or animals, you’ll need Comprehensive Insurance. This provides coverage to repair everything from broken glass to fire damage.

Car Accidents Where Your Coverage Isn’t Enough

Often accidents are often much more costly than the coverage provided than the minimums, especially when it comes to personal injuries and damage to property. Rising costs for both vehicle replacement and medical bills mean only having those minimums might cover only 50% of total costs.

At Safeside Insurance, we make it our job to get you the perfect insurance to fit your needs, including making sure you’ve got coverage for all kinds of accidents. We even do license plates if you’ve just moved here! Get an auto insurance quote in minutes and learn why at Safeside, we believe in the right insurance at the right price. Need more help? Contact us directly or call us at (508) 753-8862 to get started!