What Is Limited Collision Coverage in Massachusetts?

Limited collision coverage in Massachusetts is an optional auto insurance option that pays to repair your own vehicle after an accident, but only when you are 50 percent or less at fault. Cross that line, and the coverage pays nothing. Because the insurer’s exposure is narrower than under standard collision, the premium is lower. Massachusetts is the only state that structures auto insurance this way, so the rules trip up even longtime residents.¹

How It Differs From Full Collision

Standard collision in Massachusetts pays for damage to your car regardless of who caused the crash. Rear-end another driver, swerve into a guardrail, back into a parked car — full collision covers the repair minus your deductible. Limited collision is narrower. It pays only when someone else is mostly to blame.¹

Both are optional. The state requires four compulsory coverages (bodily injury liability, personal injury protection, uninsured motorist bodily injury, and property damage liability), and your insurer must offer collision or limited collision as add-ons at your request.²

The trade-off is simple. Full collision protects you in every crash. Limited collision protects you only in crashes that weren’t primarily your fault. If you cause an accident while carrying only limited collision, you pay for your own repairs entirely out of pocket.

The default deductible for collision-type coverages is $500 unless you choose a different amount. You can raise it to lower your premium or reduce it for more protection, though lenders on financed vehicles often cap the maximum deductible at $500.¹

The 50 Percent Fault Rule

Everything about this coverage turns on the fault percentage your insurer assigns. You qualify for benefits when you are not more than 50 percent at fault. The standards used to assign that percentage come from 211 CMR 74.00, tied to Chapter 175, Section 113P of the General Laws.³

This mirrors the broader Massachusetts rule on comparative negligence under Chapter 231, Section 85: a person cannot recover damages if their own negligence exceeds the total negligence of everyone they are suing. In practice, Massachusetts uses a modified comparative fault system, and anything above 50 percent on your side means your claim fails.⁴

Your insurer makes the initial fault call based on the circumstances. Scenarios where you would likely be found not at fault include being rear-ended, being hit by someone who ran a red light, or having your legally parked car struck. Scenarios where you would likely be found more than 50 percent at fault include rear-ending another vehicle, backing into an object, or losing control on a clear road.

There is no partial payment. You are either at or below the 50 percent line and covered, or above it and on your own. That is the sting of limited collision, and it is the main reason people are surprised when a claim is denied.

Who and What Must Be On the Policy

Beyond the fault threshold, several conditions have to be met before limited collision will pay:

You have an active Massachusetts auto policy with limited collision in place on the date of the accident.
The vehicle is listed on your policy’s Coverage Selections Page.⁵
The driver at the time of the accident is a licensed operator listed on the policy. Someone with only a learner’s permit does not count.⁵
The vehicle is registered in Massachusetts.¹

One trap in the statute catches a lot of families. Collision coverage, including limited collision, will not pay if the driver at the time of the accident is an unlisted household member who would be classified as an inexperienced driver or who would trigger a surcharge under the safe driver insurance plan. Every regular driver in your household needs to be on the policy, or coverage can be voided regardless of who caused the crash.⁶

When Limited Collision Will Not Pay

The most common denial reason is a fault finding above 50 percent. Other situations leave you uncovered too:

Single-vehicle accidents. If you hit a guardrail, a pothole, or a deer with no other driver involved, there is no one else to assign fault to. Limited collision does not cover these losses.
Unlisted household operators. If a household member who is not on your policy was driving, and that person would qualify as an inexperienced operator or would raise your premiums under the safe driver plan, coverage is excluded.⁶
Hit-and-run accidents where the other driver is never identified. Without an identified driver to assign fault to, limited collision generally cannot establish that you were 50 percent or less at fault. Full collision or comprehensive coverage would apply instead.

A note on uninsured drivers who hit you: Massachusetts requires every auto policy to include uninsured motorist coverage, but that compulsory coverage pays for bodily injury, not vehicle damage.⁷ For damage to your car caused by an uninsured driver, your recovery depends on your own collision or limited collision. If the uninsured driver is identified and you were not at fault, limited collision should apply.

Is Limited Collision Right For You?

The decision comes down to how much repair risk you are willing to absorb yourself. Limited collision tends to work best for drivers who own their vehicles outright, drive conservatively, and want to keep premiums low. If you rarely cause accidents and your car’s value is modest, limited collision gives you meaningful protection at a lower price. The premium is lower because the insurer only pays in crashes where someone else bears most of the blame, which excludes the most expensive category of claims: single-vehicle accidents and crashes you caused.

Full collision tends to make more sense when you are financing or leasing, when the car is expensive to repair, or when you simply want coverage no matter who caused the crash. On a financed car, a single at-fault accident could leave you owing more on the loan than the vehicle is worth. Some drivers compromise by carrying limited collision alongside an emergency fund large enough to cover an at-fault repair.

Whatever you pick, confirm that every licensed driver living with you is listed on the policy. An unlisted driver behind the wheel can void coverage entirely, regardless of fault.

If You Disagree With the Fault Finding

If your insurer assigns you more than 50 percent fault and you disagree, start by asking the company to explain the specific basis for its decision in writing. Send any additional evidence you have: photos, witness statements, the police report, dashcam footage, or nearby surveillance video. A citation issued to the other driver for speeding, running a red light, or impaired driving is strong evidence of their fault.

If you cannot resolve the dispute with the insurer, the Massachusetts Division of Insurance accepts consumer complaints. The Division’s Consumer Services Unit can review whether your insurer followed the terms of your policy and applicable state insurance laws, and it can require corrective action if it finds a violation. It cannot independently decide who was at fault or order a company to pay a claim it lawfully denied.⁸

You can file online, email CSSComplaints@mass.gov, or mail the Division of Insurance Consumer Services Unit at 1 Federal Street, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02110. Have your policy number, claim number, and the insurer’s name on hand before you file.⁸

1
Mass.gov. Basics of Auto Insurance
2
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 – Section 34O
3
Mass.gov. Surchargeable Incidents
4
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 231 – Section 85
5
Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers (CAR). Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Manual Private Passenger – Residual Market
6
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 – Section 34O
7
General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 175 – Section 113L
8
Mass.gov. Filing an Insurance Complaint