How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Massachusetts

Between state fines and insurance rate hikes, the cost of speeding in Massachusetts can hit you harder than potholes on the Pike. Even a single speeding ticket signals to insurers that you may pose a greater risk on the road, which causes your auto rates to increase. Aside from paying Massachusetts speeding ticket fines, which start at $50 and increase by $10 for each mile per hour over 10 mph, Bay State drivers pay an average of $587 more per year for full-coverage car insurance after receiving a speeding violation. Knowing how your auto rates can increase after a speeding ticket may help you ease up on the gas pedal and keep more money in your wallet.

How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Massachusetts?

Drivers in Massachusetts experience an average rate increase of 28 percent after a speeding ticket violation. As a result, drivers need to shell out an extra $49 each month on average to stay insured.

If your carrier participates in the state’s Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP), your first speeding ticket may be waived.

If your carrier doesn’t use the SDIP, don’t panic right away. Surcharges — a financial penalty that causes rates to increase — can only be added to your policy during certain times of the policy contract. So you will likely receive an increase at your next policy renewal or possibly sooner if you decide to change insurance carriers.

Keep in mind that driving history is only one of many car insurance rating factors impacting your rates. Other factors, like driving experience, can cause a speeding ticket-related increase to be higher or lower, depending on your policy.

How speeding tickets impacted insurance for real drivers in Massachusetts

It can help to know how other Massachusetts drivers handled their speeding tickets to inform how you go about handling yours. To assist, we gathered first-hand accounts from Reddit users who recently dealt with a speeding ticket in the state.

How long does a speeding ticket stay on insurance in Massachusetts?

A Massachusetts speeding ticket can impact your auto insurance rates for up to six years, but it can vary between insurance carriers. You can expect a policy surcharge for at least three years if you remain incident-free, as opposed to a full five-year period. However, if you receive another violation, surcharges can last up to 5 years. For SDIP policies, drivers must be without incidents for 6 years to earn back excellent driver status.

During this time frame, your rates can decrease if you avoid additional moving violations. However, due to rate changes and other economic factors, car insurance costs generally increase over time and your rate isn’t likely to return to your pre-speeding ticket premium. It makes sense to shop around for affordable car insurance carriers while waiting for the surcharge to fall off your policy.

How to avoid an insurance increase after a speeding ticket in Massachusetts

Since some first-time speeding offenders may be able to have their ticket waived, it’s wise to do what you can to avoid having a speeding ticket on your driving record. However, there are ways to save money on car insurance even with a mark on your record.

Try to keep the speeding ticket off your driving record

Ultimately, the only way around seeing a rate increase on your policy is to make sure the speeding ticket does not appear on your motor vehicle report. In Massachusetts, a speeding ticket cannot be pleaded down to a non-moving violation. Some of your options are:

• Contest the ticket: When fighting a ticket in MA, the clerk-magistrate may find you not guilty. In this case, your penalty would be waived, and you may even receive a refund on your court filing fees.
• Ask for a reduced fine: While speeding tickets can’t be pleaded down, the judge or magistrate can reduce the fine or postpone the payment.
• Attend traffic school: Attending traffic school before your court date won’t guarantee that your ticket will get dismissed or removed from your driving record, but it could help you receive a lower fine and reduce points on your driver’s license.

Shop around for competitive rates after a ticket

Each carrier views speed-related risk differently. Depending on how certain risks impact their business model, some insurance companies will have more significant rate hikes than others. Comparing rates between at least three insurance companies may help you find a lower rate. In fact, Bankrate discovered that Massachusetts drivers with one speeding ticket could save over $900 per year on car insurance by switching carriers, based on average rates. The best car insurance company for you will be one that can balance coverage and affordability.

Drive defensively to avoid future speeding tickets

Speeding tickets happen to the best of us. By steering clear of additional speeding tickets and other moving violations, you may earn safe driving discounts in the future. Consider asking your agent if other discount opportunities and telematics insurance plans are available. Also, if your vehicle comes equipped with intelligent speed assistance (ISA), keeping it activated can help you keep your lead foot in check.

Frequently asked questions

• How long do I have to pay a speeding ticket in Massachusetts?
  

  You have 20 days to either pay or appeal your ticket in MA. You can either pay it in full or request a hearing to contest the ticket. If you do not respond in 20 days, you automatically waive your right to a hearing, and will be charged additional fees over and above the amount you owe for the ticket. After 30 days, if you still have not paid, your license will be suspended.

• What is the best car insurance company for a driver with speeding tickets?
  

  The best car insurance company after getting a speeding ticket will depend on your own particular needs, as well as your driver profile. The right company for someone with one speeding ticket may be different from the best company for someone with multiple tickets. Additionally, the coverage types, discounts, policy features and company attributes that you are looking for will impact your decision. Finding affordable car insurance for a driver with speeding tickets won’t always be easy, but getting quotes from several companies could help you choose which is best for you.

• How many points is a Massachusetts speeding ticket?
  

  A speeding ticket in Massachusetts can cause two points to be added to your driving record. The exact number of points could depend on the severity of your infraction and your personal driving record history.

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze April 2025 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2023 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. Bundling and paperless billing discounts are applied.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. Your quotes will differ.

If otherwise specified, the base profile has been modified with the following driver characteristics:

• Credit-based insurance scores:
  

  Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base) and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. Four states prohibit or limit the use of credit as a rating factor in determining auto insurance rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan.

• Incidents:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction and lapse in coverage.

• Mileage:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following differences in mileage: 2K, 5K, 12K (base), 15K and 20K.

• Model:
  

  Unless otherwise stated, rates are for 2023 vehicle models. For new vs used vehicles, we included the following year in our calculations: 2013.

• Age:
  

  Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-70 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations. For teen drivers, rates were determined by adding a 16- or 17-year-old teen to their 40-year-old married parents’ policy. The rates displayed reflect the total cost of a driver this age added to their parents’ policy.

• Gender:
  

  The following states do not use gender as a determining factor in calculating premiums: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.

• Status:
  

  Rates were evaluated based on the following marital/family status: single (base), married, 40-year-old married man and woman. Marital status is not a rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.