As an auto accident attorney, I get this question a lot. If you drive an automobile in Massachusetts, you already know that you are required to carry insurance. But how much insurance should you carry to protect yourself in the event of an auto accident?

In Massachusetts, the minimum requirement is only $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident. That means if you cause an accident, and the other party is injured, you are only protected up to $20,000 if that person pursues a claim against you. If two or more people are injured, the coverage is only $40,000. As you can imagine, this is a very small figure when it comes to personal injury cases.

In serious accident cases, it is not uncommon for medical bills alone to exceed $100,000. If the injured party misses time from work, that party can come after you for lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. If you don’t have enough insurance, the injured party can put liens on your home, seize your car or other assets, and levy against your bank accounts.

The best way to protect yourself is to get good coverage and an umbrella policy. Typically you can get $1-2 Million in coverage for a lot less than you might think. If you lack insurance coverage, or want to review whether your coverage is adequate, please contact me and I can set you up with a great agent who can make sure you have the coverage that you need.