Policy FAQs
In order to review your current policy, request changes, or request a new policy, please contact your Safety agent for assistance. For your convenience, use Safety’s Agent Finder to locate your agent.
The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) concerning insurance:
Auto Insurance FAQs
How much auto insurance do I need to buy?
Will Safety honor my good driving credit from another state or country?
Why do insurance companies use after market parts?
Why are some parts depreciated?
What payment options does Safety offer for auto insurance?
What discounts does Safety offer for auto insurance?
Homeowners FAQs
How do I complete emergency repairs to my home?
I don’t own a car. Can I just buy homeowners insurance through Safety?
What happens if I have a homeowners loss and can’t live in my house?
My child is away at college. Is my child’s property still insured?
If I have a claim, will my building and contents be settled at today’s replacement costs?
I run my own business; is my business property covered?
What are my payment options for homeowners and umbrella?
Does Safety offer insurance discounts for homeowners?
The following information may not be fully responsive to your particular circumstances. You should consult your insurance agent or lawyer for a complete answer to any insurance-related questions.
How much auto insurance do I need to buy?
There are two kinds of auto insurance: Compulsory (Parts 1-4 on your policy) and Optional (Parts 5-12 on your policy). The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires you to purchase Compulsory Insurance.
Compulsory insurance includes:
- Bodily Injury to Others
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
- Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto
- Damage to Someone Else’s Property
Optional Insurance includes:
- Optional Bodily Injury to Others (extends the amount of protection you purchased under Bodily Injury to Others)
- Medical Payments
- Collision
- Limited Collision
- Comprehensive
- Substitute Transportation
- Towing and Labor
- Bodily Injury Caused by an Underinsured Auto
You can save money by purchasing only limited amounts of or no optional insurance, however, you are also taking the risk that you will not be covered if you have a claim. Your Safety Insurance agent can help you determine exactly how much auto insurance you need.
Will Safety honor my good driving credit from another state or country?
Generally, drivers may receive an out-of-state safe driver credit if they indicate on the application that no listed operator has incurred any out-of-state incidents involving moving violations during the experience period. As proof of your good driving record, your agent will ask you to provide your out-of-state or foreign license number, along with your state or country.
Foreign operators must provide a copy of their out-of-country driving record to be eligible for credit.
What are after market parts?
After market parts are new parts that are not distributed by the original manufacturer. After market parts have limited lifetime warranties.
Why do insurance companies use after market parts?
The Massachusetts Division of Insurance regulation 211 CMR 133.04 requires all insurance companies to comply with the following: “When it is determined that a part be replaced, a rebuilt, after market or used part of like kind or quality, at the lowest possible price shall be used in the appraisal.”
Why are some parts depreciated?
A part is subject to devaluation due to wear and tear, environmental conditions, or aesthetic value.
What are LKQ parts?
LKQ is an abbreviation for Like, Kind, and Quality. LKQ are parts that are of equal years to or newer than the part that is being replaced.
What payment options does Safety offer for auto insurance?
Safety offers the following payment options. Your Safety agent can help you select the one that best meets your needs.
Full Bill: You may pay the entire premium in full at the time you apply for insurance or when your policy comes up for renewal. There is no installment billing charge when you pay your bill in full.
Installment Plan: Installments of 5, 10 or 12 may be selected at the time you apply for insurance which remains in place for future renewals. After the down payment is received, we will produce monthly billing statements for the remaining balance in accordance with the number of installments selected. A billing charge is assessed on each billing statement. The type of billing charge depends on the SDIP points associated with the operators of each vehicle.
AutoPay: The AutoPay program automatically debits your checking or savings account each month. With the 5-pay and 10-pay options, a due date between the 1st and 28th may be selected. With the 12-pay option, the policy effective date is used as the due date. All AutoPay options include a reduced installment billing charge.
Please contact your agent for details.
What discounts does Safety offer for auto insurance?
How do I change my address?
Your agent would like the opportunity to assist you with changing the address on your policy. To obtain your agent’s contact information, please refer to the top left hand section of your bill or go to My Account.
How do I complete emergency repairs to my home?
If covered property is damaged by a peril insured against, Safety will pay for reasonable cost incurred by you to protect your property.
I don’t own a car. Can I just buy homeowners insurance through Safety?
Yes, you can buy homeowners insurance without purchasing automobile insurance from Safety. However, when you purchase both homeowner and auto insurance through Safety, you will receive a discount on your homeowners insurance.
What happens if I have a homeowners loss and can’t live in my house?
Your homeowners policy provides coverage for any additional living expenses that you incur during the time that your home is being rebuilt.
My child is away at college. Is my child’s property still insured?
Yes. Your child is still considered a resident of your household and will have the same coverage for personal property as you have at your property.
If I have a claim, will my building and contents be settled at today’s replacement costs?
Homeowners provides replacement cost coverage for your house as long as you maintain your policy limits for the home at 80% of the cost to replace it.
Your contents are settled at actual cash value (replacement cost less depreciation). If desired, additional coverage can be purchased through your agent which would cover your personal property at replacement cost.
I run my own business; is my business property covered?
Yes, your business property is covered. However, coverage is limited to $250 off premises and $2500 on premises under the standard homeowner policy. If needed, additional coverage can be purchased through your agent.
What are my payment options for homeowners and umbrella?
Safety offers the following payment options. Your Safety agent can help you select the one that best meets your needs.
Full Bill: You may pay the entire premium in full at the time you apply for insurance or when your policy comes up for renewal. There is no installment billing charge when you pay your bill in full.
Installment Plan: Installments of 5, 10 or 12 may be selected at the time you apply for insurance which remains in place for future renewals. After the down payment is received, we will produce monthly billing statements for the remaining balance in accordance with the number of installments selected. A billing charge is assessed on each billing statement. The type of billing charge depends on the SDIP points associated with the operators of each vehicle.
AutoPay: The AutoPay program automatically debits your checking or savings account each month. With the 5-pay and 10-pay options, a due date between the 1st and 28th may be selected. With the 12-pay option, the policy effective date is used as the due date. All AutoPay options include a reduced installment billing charge.
Please contact your agent for details.
Does Safety offer insurance discounts for homeowners?
Safety offers discounts to policyholders who meet the following qualifications. For details, contact your Safety Agent.
Dwellings which contain approved and properly maintained installations of burglar alarms, fire alarms, and automatic sprinklers may receive a selected credit to the base premium.
Dwellings which are aged 23 years or less may be entitled to a sliding scale of premium credit.
Policies which have no losses may be entitled to a loss-free credit.
A credit will be applied to the policy’s base premium when an insured has an active Massachusetts Private Passenger Automobile policy with Safety.