Safe Driver Insurance Plan
The Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP) is a program created by state law that encourages safe driving with lower premiums for drivers who do not cause accidents or commit traffic violations and by ensuring that high-risk drivers pay a greater share of insurance costs. The SDIP premium adjustment is the last step in your premium calculation, after all rating factors and discounts have been applied.
New For 2006
Beginning with policies effective on or after January 1, 2006, the Massachusetts SDIP is converting from a "step" to a "point" system. This change will make the system of discounts and surcharges easier to understand and comparable to what is in place in other states. More importantly, drivers in Massachusetts will have even greater control over their premium through safe driving.
Your Driving Record Affects Your Rates
If you have at-fault accidents or commit traffic violations, your driving record will accumulate surcharge "points" depending on the nature of the incient. You accumulate surcharge points if you are responsible for an accident or commit a traffic violation.
-
Accidents- You receive surcharge points if you are more than 50% at-fault for a motor vehicle accident that results in damage to property or bodily injury of more than $500. If you disagree with the determination that you are at fault for an accident, you may appeal the surcharge to the Board of Appeals.
- Traffic Violations - You also receive surcharge points if you are convicted of, or pay a fine for a traffic violation; or are assigned to a drug or alcohol education program. If you disagree with a traffic violation, you must appeal it through the court system. Traffic violations cannot be appealed to the Division of Insurance Board of Appeals or the Merit Rating Board.
Drivers with no at-fault accidents or moving violations will have zero (0) surcharge points. Drivers with at least 5 years of clean driving will receive considerable discount.
No surcharge points will be assigned to any surchargeable incident in the sixth (oldest) year of the policy experience period.
The schedule of surcharge points is as follows:
The schedule of surcharge points is as follows: |
|
Surchargeable Incident |
Surcharge Points |
Major Traffic Violation (i.e., D.U.I.)
Major At-Fault Accident (claim over $2,000)
Minor At-Fault Accident (claim over $500 to $2,000)
Minor Traffic Violation (i.e., speeding)
|
5
4
3
2 |
No surcharge points are assigned to the first non-criminal minor traffic violation in the 5 years immediately preceding the effective date of your policy.
One significant change for 2006 is that at-fault Bodily Injury Liability claims over $500 occurring on or after January 1, 2006 will now be subject to surcharge - even if there is no Property Damage Liability (PDL) or Collision claim as a result of the incident.
(As published by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance in their Consumer Guide, "Ways to save on your 2006 Automobile Insurance") |
