Coverages You Must
Buy Parts 1 - 4
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1. Bodily
Injury to Others
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pays for damages
(e.g. medical expenses, pain and suffering) to anyone injured
or killed by your car only in an accident that occurs in
Massachusetts, up to a basic limit of $20,000 per person
and $40,000 per accident. Injuries to the driver or passengers
in your car are not covered under this Part; please
refer to Personal Injury Protection (Part 2) for information
about that coverage.
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If you drive outside of Massachusetts or in
places where the public has no right of access, or if
you drive with guests in your car, please see Optional
Bodily Injury to Others (Part 5), for coverage that will
protect you in such situations. |
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You could be sued for much more than the
required ($20,000/ $40,000) limits for Bodily Injury to
Others. Buying higher limits under the Optional Bodily
Injury to Others (Part 5) coverage may protect you from
large losses. The limits you select will depend on your
personal financial situation; limits of $100,000 per
person, $300,000 per accident are commonly
selected.
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2. Personal Injury
Protection (PIP)
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pays up to $8,000 to you or anyone you let drive
your car, anyone living in your household, passengers and
pedestrians, no matter who causes the accident. Personal
Injury Protection pays for medical expenses, replacement
services and 75% of any lost wages.
Your PIP coverage
pays for medical expenses in excess of $2,000 that are not
paid for by your medical insurance only after these expenses
have been submitted to the medical insurer to determine what
it will and will not pay. Your PIP coverage will not
pay for expenses over $2,000 that your medical insurer
would have paid if the injured person had sought treatment in
accordance with the terms of your health plan.
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Your health insurance may not cover all of
your medical expenses from an auto accident such as
cosmetic and dental services, co-payments and
deductibles. Also, your disability policy may have long
waiting periods. The small savings from the larger
deductible may not be worth it. |
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The driver and passengers, while riding a
motorcycle, are not covered by PIP. However, the owner
of the motorcycle must purchase this coverage to
protect other people who may be injured by the
motorcycle. |
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You can save on your premium by excluding
yourself, or yourself and household members, from some
or all of this coverage. You should consider this option
if you have a medical and disability income plan. The
portion of each claim you have agreed not to be covered
for is called a "deductible." | |
Note: PIP covers owners of cars and
motor-cycles, and members of their households, if they are
injured while occupying or struck by a car that does not have
Massachusetts Compulsory Insurance.
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3. Bodily Injury
Caused By An Uninsured Auto
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protects you, anyone you let drive your car,
household members and passengers (unless covered by another
Massachusetts Policy with similar coverage) against losses
caused by an uninsured or unidentified ("hit and run") driver.
A minimum limit of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident
is required. This coverage does not pay for property damage or
damage to your auto.
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4. Damage to Someone
Else’s Property
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pays for damage to another person’s property and
costs associated with the loss of use of that property, when
you, a household member or another authorized driver cause an
accident. A minimum limit of $5,000 is required.
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With the rising costs of automobile and
property repair, it may make sense to purchase more than
the required $5,000 minimum limit. This can be done at
minimal cost. Limits of $50,000 or $100,000 are
frequently purchased. Note that only 3% of all drivers
purchase the $5,000 minimum. | |
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