Massachusetts has adopted a no-fault system for car insurance customers. When someone is injured in an accident, the claim for medical expenses is paid by the driver`s own car insurance company, up to a certain limit. People who have been injured in a car accident have the right to sue to collect damages only if their injuries are higher than the threshold set by the state.
All drivers in MA must have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage in place. This part of the insurance policy is what pays for the medical bills incurred by the policyholder and his or her passengers when an accident occurs. At least $8,000 in PIP must be put in place to comply with state laws.
State law also requires car insurance buyers to buy uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist protection is used to pay for damages over the state threshold when the at-fault driver does not have coverage. The minimum level of this type of insurance required by law is $20,000 to pay for a single accident victim`s injuries and $40,000 to pay for all damages stemming from the same accident.
Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play when the at-fault driver has coverage but does not have enough protection in place to pay for the damages he or she caused. The minimum amount of this type of coverage is the same as for uninsured motorist insurance.
