Best cheap car insurance companies in Boston
To help you find the best cheap car insurance in Boston MA, ValuePenguin collected tens of thousands of auto insurance quotes from the largest companies in Massachusetts. We ranked companies based on factors like customer support, coverage and cost.
Minimum-coverage policies meet insurance requirements in Massachusetts, with $20,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $40,000 per accident, uninsured motorist coverage with those same amounts, as well as $5,000 in property damage coverage and $8,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Full-coverage quotes include higher liability limits, plus comprehensive and collision coverage.
Cheapest car insurance in Boston: Safety
Safety has the cheapest rates for full-coverage car insurance in Boston, with an average quote of $119 per month.
That's 46% less than the city average of $218 per month.
Average rates in Boston are 22% higher than in Massachusetts overall.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Boston
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Boston
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | $119 |
| Geico | $124 |
| Progressive | $146 |
| Farmers | $166 |
| Hanover | $174 |
Cheapest liability insurance quotes in Boston: Hanover
Hanover offers Boston's cheapest minimum-coverage insurance policies, with an average rate of $38 per month.
Hanover's rates are half the average in Boston, and $2 per month less than the second-cheapest option, Farmers.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Boston
The difference between the cheapest and most expensive companies in Boston is $99 per month, which makes clear the value of shopping around for the cheapest policy.
Cheap minimum-coverage car insurance in Boston
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
|
| Hanover | $38 |
|
| Farmers | $40 |
|
| Safety | $45 |
|
| Geico | $48 |
|
| Progressive | $81 |
| Arbella | $103 |
| Plymouth Rock | $108 |
| Travelers | $137 |
Cheapest quotes for teen drivers in Boston: Geico
Geico has the cheapest full-coverage quotes for young drivers in Boston.
Geico has by far the cheapest full-coverage insurance for teen drivers in Boston, at $315 per month, which is over $100 less than any other company. For minimum coverage, Hanover's average rate is $122 per month, which just edges out Geico, at $131 per month.
Monthly car insurance rates for young drivers
Company | Liability only | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $131 | $315 |
| Progressive | $196 | $432 |
| Farmers | $153 | $519 |
| Hanover | $122 | $551 |
| Safety | $216 | $552 |
Young drivers typically pay more for auto insurance than their adult counterparts. Insurers view their inexperience on the road as a sign of increased risk and raise rates to account for that. An 18-year-old in Boston pays more than two and a half times as much for minimum coverage as a 30-year-old driver.
Teen drivers who want to avoid paying sky-high rates should stay on their parents' policy if possible. Keeping a teen on a parent's policy may cost half as much as a teen purchasing their own policy.
Other ways for young drivers to reduce their car insurance rates include taking a defensive driving course or getting good grades. Insurers view these steps as a sign of decreased risk and offer discounts because of it.
Cheapest car insurance in Boston after a speeding ticket: Geico
Geico has the cheapest rates in Boston for drivers with a speeding on their records, with an average price of $136 per month. That's $48 less per month than the second-cheapest option, and less than half of the city average.
Cheapest Boston car insurance after a speeding ticket
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $136 |
| Progressive | $184 |
| Safety | $188 |
| Farmers | $208 |
| Hanover | $283 |
Car insurance rates in Boston increase by 34% after a speeding ticket, to $292 per month for full coverage. That's not ideal, but it's less expensive than the increase after an at-fault accident (52%) or a DUI (71%).
Cheapest car insurance in Boston after an accident: Geico
Geico offers the cheapest car insurance for Boston drivers after an accident, at $178 per month. That's 46% cheaper than the city average of $332 per month.
Cheapest auto insurance after an accident
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Geico | $178 |
| Progressive | $199 |
| Safety | $228 |
| Farmers | $304 |
| Hanover | $308 |
Average rates go up by 52% for Boston drivers after they get into an at-fault accident. Progressive and Plymouth Rock raise rates the least, $53 per month, although Plymouth Rock is one of the most expensive options overall.
Cheapest car insurance after a DUI in Boston: Progressive
Progressive has the lowest rates for Boston drivers seeking affordable insurance after a DUI, at $171 per month for full coverage. That's a 17% increase from the company's base rates.
Cheapest Boston car insurance after a DUI
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $171 |
| Geico | $203 |
| Hanover | $254 |
| Safety | $328 |
| Farmers | $352 |
Boston drivers with a DUI pay an average of $372 per month for full coverage, an increase of 71% compared to a driver with a clean record. A DUI is one of the most serious citations you can have on your record.
Cheapest quotes for teens with traffic citations: Geico
Geico has the cheapest coverage in Boston for young drivers with blemishes on their driving record.
Minimum coverage from Geico for an 18-year-old after a speeding ticket is $131 per month, 40% less than the city average. Young drivers with an at-fault accident pay an average of $161 per month, 34% less than average.
Monthly minimum-coverage quotes for teens after an incident
Company | Speeding ticket | Accident |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | $131 | $161 |
| Hanover | $158 | $163 |
| Farmers | $161 | $197 |
| Progressive | $209 | $216 |
| Safety | $216 | $252 |
Best Boston car insurance companies
Arbella is the best-rated car insurance company in Boston, based on a combination of customer service, coverage flexibility and low rates.
Arbella gets very few complaints from customers, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means customers are satisfied with their service.
Best car insurance companies in Boston, MA
Company |
Editor's rating
| |
|---|---|---|
| Arbella | ||
| Geico | ||
| Farmers | ||
| Safety | ||
| Travelers | ||
| Progressive | ||
| Hanover | ||
| Plymouth Rock |
Customer service scores might not be something you consider when purchasing a policy, but they can be very important if you have to make an insurance claim. Good service can reduce delays and stress, and may even save you money if you get your car back faster after repairs.
Average car insurance quotes in Boston by neighborhood
The lowest car insurance rates in Boston can be found in ZIP code 02222, which includes the West End neighborhood, while the highest rates are in 02128, East Boston and the area around Logan International airport.
Car insurance rates are fairly stable across Boston: 14 of the city's 18 ZIP codes have the same average rates.
Full-coverage quotes in Boston by ZIP code
City | Average monthly rate | Percent from average |
|---|---|---|
| 02108 | $216 | -1% |
| 02109 | $216 | -1% |
| 02110 | $216 | -1% |
| 02111 | $216 | -1% |
| 02113 | $216 | -1% |
Rates in a specific area may be higher because of factors such as population density, the number of cars on the road, traffic congestion or higher crime rates.
What's the best car insurance coverage in Boston, MA?
Although minimum coverage is the cheapest option, it might leave you in a bad position after an accident. Minimum coverage will not pay for damage to your own car if you are at fault, and it might not cover the full cost of damage and injuries to another driver.
A full-coverage policy includes collision and comprehensive coverage, in addition to the minimum coverages legally required in Massachusetts. Minimum coverage in Massachusetts covers other drivers' injuries and legal fees you may incur after an accident, up to a certain limit, but it does not cover any damage to your own car.
- Comprehensive coverage: Pays for damage to your car that happens when you're not on the road, such as due to animals, falling objects or theft.
- Collision coverage: Pays for damage that results from a crash, no matter who is at fault.
We recommend most drivers choose full coverage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does car insurance cost in Boston?
In Boston, car insurance costs $75 per month for minimum coverage, on average, and $218 per month for full coverage. The average rate for full coverage is 22% higher than the state of Massachusetts overall.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Boston?
Why is car insurance expensive in Boston?
Car insurance is so expensive in Boston because of a range of factors, including the city's population density, which means considerably more traffic and typically more accidents. Full-coverage car insurance costs 22% more in Boston compared to the state overall.
Methodology
ValuePenguin pulled quotes from the largest insurance companies in Massachusetts. Unless otherwise noted, rates are for a 30-year-old man who has a full-coverage policy for a 2015 Honda Civic EX and good credit.
Minimum-coverage policies match the minimum requirements in Massachusetts, while full-coverage policies include more liability than the state minimum, as well as comprehensive and collision.
Coverage type | Full-coverage limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection | $8,000 |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
Quadrant Information Services supplied the rate data in this analysis. Rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and are intended for comparative purposes only. Your own quotes may differ.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.