An at-fault accident finding or a surcharge notice can raise your premium for six years. The fault standards the insurer used are rebuttable — and there's a formal way to challenge them before the Board of Appeal. We help you build the appeal, attorney-reviewed.
Free deadline check and self-help tools. Information only — not legal advice. A licensed Massachusetts attorney reviews and signs every paid binder.
For an experienced operator, each SDIP point adds roughly 15% to your compulsory and collision coverages. A 3-point at-fault accident compounds across renewals.
A surcharge generally follows you for about six years of renewals — so a single finding can total well over a thousand dollars before it clears.
An accident is only surchargeable if you're found more than 50% at fault under 211 CMR 74. Those presumptions can be rebutted with the right evidence.
Tell us the date on your notice and what happened. Our free tool confirms your 30-day window and whether the incident even meets the surcharge thresholds.
We identify which Standard of Fault the insurer applied and map the evidence that rebuts it — photos, estimates, the police report, witness statements.
We assemble a Board-of-Appeal binder: your hearing roadmap, a script, your argument, and an exhibit index. A Massachusetts attorney reviews and signs it before release.
These are information-only tools and do not constitute legal advice or create an attorney–client relationship.
Your appeal must be filed and received within 30 days of the notice date by the Division of Insurance Board of Appeal — it's a received-by deadline, not a postmark date. The appeal form is on the reverse of your notice, and the $50 appeal fee must be enclosed.
Two things must both be true: you were more than 50% at fault under the Standards of Fault in 211 CMR 74.00, and the insurer paid a claim of more than $1,000 (excluding any deductible). If either isn't met, it shouldn't be surcharged.
A minor at-fault accident (claim $1,000–$5,000) is 3 points; a major one (over $5,000) is 4. A minor traffic violation is 2 points; a major violation (like OUI or leaving the scene) is 5. Try the accident calculator to see how much your premium would go up.
The Standards of Fault are rebuttable presumptions — they apply "unless a showing to the contrary is demonstrated by the evidence." With the right evidence (sudden unsafe stop, no brake lights, another driver's improper move, road conditions), a presumption can be overcome. There's no guarantee of any outcome, but a well-prepared appeal is your chance to be heard.
No. No one can ethically promise a result before the Board. What we do is help you prepare the strongest, best-organized appeal possible, reviewed and signed by a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Our calculators and self-help pages are information only. When you purchase a binder, a licensed Massachusetts attorney reviews and signs your specific materials. Using the free tools does not by itself create an attorney–client relationship.
Check your 30-day deadline now and see whether your surcharge is worth appealing.
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