Yes, if you live in Massachusetts then your insurance must be from MA as well. Part of registering your vehicle is obtaining auto insurance from a MA authorized insurance provider so you cannot continue to carry your Florida insurance on a Massachusetts registered vehicle.

When converting your out of state vehicle registration (Florida in your case) to Massachusetts registration the second step that the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) notes is that you must go to a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent to obtain an active insurance policy and have the agent complete, stamp and sign your Application for Registration and Title (RMV-1).

The MA Registry of Motor Vehicles lists all the necessary steps you must take to convert your FL title and registration to MA on its site. You may not be aware that MA does not have insurance cards as proof of insurance. Instead your vehicle’s Registration is used as proof of insurance. This is done since when you get auto insurance in MA your insurer will stamp an application for registration as proof that you have purchased the minimum liability insurance or more.

So once you transfer over your registration, title and insurance from FL to MA if you travel outside of Massachusetts it is recommended to have your insurance policy or get proof of insurance from your insurance provider to carry with you. Your agent or insurance company can provide these documents so that you can show them to law enforcement outside of Massachusetts where an insurance card or other proof of insurance is required to be shown.

Here is some information on Massachusetts' minimum amount of auto insurance that is compulsory per state law. There are a few requirements to car insurance in MA. Part of this mandatory car insurance is Bodily Injury (BI) Liability coverage of a minimum of $20,000 per person and a total of $40,000 per accident and Property Damage (PD) Liability coverage of a minimum of $5000. This coverage is commonly referred to as 20/40/5 coverage.

Another required element of MA auto insurance is Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Massachusetts state law requires a minimum Personal Injury Protection coverage of $8,000. This coverage pays for replacement services and 75% of any lost wages due to an accident. PIP coverage pays for medical expenses in excess of $2000 that are not paid for by your own medical insurer.

A forth element of a MA compulsory insurance is Uninsured Motorist or Bodily Injury caused by an Uninsured Auto. A minimum of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident is required. This coverage only pays for injuries and not for property damage caused by an uninsured or unidentified (hit and run) driver.

Once you have moved to Massachusetts and have become a resident you need to change over your Florida driver's license and registration per MA laws. Their laws say that once you have established residency in Massachusetts, you must obtain a MA driver's license to retain your driving privileges, there is no grace period. The same is also said for registering your vehicle, again no grace period once you have established residency. Having a Massachusetts bank account or a utility bill is enough to show MA residency.

Massachusetts is known for having higher auto insurance rates and until early 2008 all rates for automobile insurance had been set by the Commissioner of Insurance under what was known as the "fix-and-establish" system. Under this system, if you requested a premium quote for the same coverage from different companies, each of those companies would give you the same price for that coverage - unless you were eligible for a group discount.

Since April 1, 2008, automobile insurance companies will begin using their own rates. Although these rates may vary, they must still be approved by the Commissioner of Insurance. Under the new system, if you request premium quotes for the same coverage from several different companies, you will probably receive different quotes from each of them based on their rating systems. When selecting your coverage, you should consider the different rates, benefits, and services offered by the companies as they compete for your business under the new system of managed competition.

Rates are still higher than other states and the MA Division of Insurance states that many factors contribute to these high costs. The state is densely-populated with the majority of its drivers living in urban areas where accidents are more likely to happen. In addition, Massachusetts' higher cost of living means higher costs for medical care, auto repairs and litigation costs.

The bottom line is that Massachusetts has more property damage and bodily injury claims per vehicle than nearly every other state per their Division of Insurance. As the number of claims increases, so does the cost of insurance. When claims decrease, insurance rates decrease as well.

When you move and have established residency in Massachusetts you will need to obtain MA insurance for your vehicles so that they can be registered and titled in MA. You can start shopping around for car insurance quotes now, get started here with us by using our car insurance estimator.