Massachusetts Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP)
The Massachusetts Safe Driver Insurance Plan is the point system that raises premiums for at-fault accidents and traffic violations and lowers them for clean driving. A minor violation costs 2 points, a minor at-fault accident 3, a major at-fault accident 4 and a major violation 5. Clean drivers earn the Excellent Driver discounts.
Contents
Does your insurer use the SDIP?
The SDIP sets the specific credits and surcharges an insurance company may apply to your premium. Insurers are not required to use it: they may use the state plan or their own merit rating plan, which the Commissioner of Insurance must approve. The SDIP applies to you if:
- your insurance company has chosen the SDIP as its merit rating plan, or
- your policy is written through the Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan (MAIP), the plan for drivers no company will voluntarily insure.
Whatever plan your company uses, the same limits apply: it cannot use an accident or violation that is more than six years old from your policy's effective date, and cannot raise your premium for an incident for more than five years. Ask your agent or insurer which plan they use before you compare quotes, since the same driving record can cost very different amounts from one company to the next.
Which coverages the SDIP affects
Four coverages are subject to SDIP surcharges and credits:
- Bodily Injury to Others (Part 1, compulsory);
- Personal Injury Protection (Part 2, compulsory);
- Damage to Someone Else's Property (Part 4, compulsory);
- Collision (Part 7, optional).
See Massachusetts car insurance requirements for what each coverage pays for.
Surcharge points by type of incident
| Incident | Points | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Minor traffic law violation | 2 | Civil violations such as speeding or failing to obey traffic lights; minor criminal violations such as driving as an unlicensed operator |
| Minor at-fault accident | 3 | Claim payment over $1,000 and up to $5,000 |
| Major at-fault accident | 4 | Claim payment over $5,000 |
| Major traffic law violation | 5 | Criminal violations such as operating under the influence (OUI), leaving the scene of an accident, refusing to stop for a police officer |
If several surcharges come from one incident, it counts as one surchargeable incident. The full list of offenses is in Appendix A of the SDIP regulation (211 CMR 134).
When an accident counts against you
An accident is a surchargeable at-fault accident only when all of these are true:
- You were more than 50% at faultThe insurer that pays the claim decides, using the Massachusetts standards of fault (211 CMR 74.00). For example, a driver who hits the rear of another vehicle is presumed to be more than 50% at fault.
- It involved a private passenger carThe SDIP surcharges apply to private passenger vehicles.
- The claim payment exceeded $1,000Above any deductible, under property damage, collision or limited collision. A bodily injury to others claim over $1,000 is reported when there is no surchargeable property damage or collision claim from the same accident.
Your insurer notifies you and the Merit Rating Board when it finds you more than 50% at fault, and the board adds the accident to your record. Accidents outside Massachusetts can also be surcharged on the same terms, and an insurer can ask for your out-of-state driving record when you apply.
When a ticket counts against you
A citation for an offense on the SDIP list is surchargeable if you pay the fine, fail to pay it, are found guilty or responsible by the court, or are assigned to a driver alcohol education or substance abuse program. Paying a ticket is therefore not a neutral act: if you believe it was unjustified, the back of the ticket explains how to contest it, usually before a clerk-magistrate or judge. If the court finds in your favor, no surcharge applies.
Discounts for clean drivers
| Credit | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Excellent Driver Discount Plus (step 99) | 6 years of driving experience and no surchargeable incidents in the 6-year experience period |
| Excellent Driver Discount (step 98) | Not eligible for step 99, at least 5 years of experience and no surchargeable incident in the 5 years before the policy's effective date; or at least 5 years of experience with exactly one minor, non-criminal violation dated at least 3 years before the effective date |
A driver with a revoked or invalid license is not eligible for these incentives.
Rules that reduce or cancel points
- First minor violation: no points for your first minor, non-criminal traffic law violation in the five years before your policy's effective date.
- Sixth year: no points for incidents in the sixth, oldest year of your policy experience period.
- “Clean in 3”: each incident's points are reduced by 1 if you have 3 or fewer surchargeable incidents in the last 5 years, your most recent surcharge date is at least 3 years old, and you have at least 3 years of driving experience. Points never go below zero.
Example. A driver with 8 years of experience got one speeding ticket 4 years ago and nothing since. It was the first minor violation in five years, so it carries no points, and the driver can still qualify for the Excellent Driver Discount.
How to appeal an at-fault accident
- Check the operatorIf the Notice of At-Fault Accident Determination names the wrong driver, call your insurer: it will withdraw the notice and issue a new one to the right operator.
- File within 30 daysIf you believe you were not more than 50% responsible, appeal to the Board of Appeal by following the instructions on the notice. The fee is $50. Miss the deadline and you may lose your right to appeal.
- Keep payingPay any premium increase while the appeal is pending, or your policy will be cancelled. If you win, the insurer refunds or credits the extra premium.
Check your own record
The Merit Rating Board, part of the RMV division of MassDOT, keeps driving records with traffic violations, at-fault accidents, comprehensive and insurance claims and out-of-state records. You can request your driving record from the RMV before shopping, so you know which incidents an insurer will see. New drivers start with no experience credit: our page on car insurance for new drivers in Massachusetts explains what that means for the first years.
FAQ
How many surcharge points is a speeding ticket in Massachusetts?
Speeding is a minor traffic law violation under the Safe Driver Insurance Plan: 2 surcharge points. Your first minor, non-criminal violation in the five years before your policy's effective date carries no points.
How long do surcharge points stay on your insurance in Massachusetts?
Insurers look back six years. Incidents in the sixth, oldest year carry no surcharge points, and a merit rating plan cannot raise your premium for an incident for more than five years.
What is a surchargeable at-fault accident in Massachusetts?
An accident where you are more than 50% at fault, in a private passenger car, with a claim payment of more than $1,000 above any deductible under property damage, collision, limited collision or bodily injury to others. Up to $5,000 it is a minor at-fault accident (3 points); above $5,000 it is a major one (4 points).
Do all Massachusetts insurers use the SDIP?
No. Insurers may use the state SDIP or their own merit rating plan approved by the Commissioner of Insurance. Policies written through the Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Plan (MAIP) use the SDIP.
How do I appeal an at-fault accident in Massachusetts?
Follow the instructions on your Notice of At-Fault Accident Determination and appeal to the Board of Appeal within 30 days of receiving it. The filing fee is $50. You must keep paying any premium increase while the appeal is pending; if you win, you get a refund or credit.
Related
- Required coverageMassachusetts car insurance requirements: the four compulsory coverages, the higher minimums since July 1, 2025, and optional coverages worth adding.
- New driversCar insurance for new drivers in Massachusetts: why experience counts and age doesn't, adding a teen within 60 days, and how to keep costs down.
- Cheap car insuranceCheap car insurance in Massachusetts without cutting the wrong corners: compare identical coverage, raise your deductible and claim every discount.
Updated October 8, 2026