Private Passenger Motor Vehicle Insurance Rates

What this document is

211 CMR 79.00: Private Passenger Motor Vehicle Insurance Rates is a regulation published by Massachusetts Division of Insurance (mass.gov). It is one of the Massachusetts documents that insurance license exam questions are written from, including massachusetts property & casualty, massachusetts personal lines practice questions. This page summarizes it and points to the official version, which is the text to rely on.

Sections cited in practice questions

Each practice answer shows the exact passage it comes from. These are sections of this document that questions cite, with a short excerpt from the source text.

• 211 CMR 79.04(12) (Underwriting Factors Prohibited)

  “Underwriting Factors Prohibited. No Insurer or Insurance Company Group shall refuse to issue, renew or execute as surety a private passenger motor vehicle liability policy or bond, or any other insurance based on the ownership or operation of a motor vehicle because of any of the following factors,...”

• 211 CMR 79.04(7) (Merit Rating Plans)

  “Rate Filings may include Merit Rating plans; provided, however, that such plans shall not utilize any motor vehicle at-fault accidents or traffic violations that pre-date the relevant policy effective date by more than six years, and the utilization of any particular motor vehicle at-fault accident...”

• 211 CMR 79.05(1)(a) (Rate Filings; Time for Rate Filings; Voluntary Market)

  “Rate Filings for Rates to be used in the Voluntary Market shall be filed in electronic form with the Commissioner not less than 45 days prior to the proposed effective date.”

• 211 CMR 79.04(11) (Rating Factors Prohibited)

  “Rating Factors Prohibited. Classification Plans, rules or Rates, rating plans or modification of any of the foregoing based in whole or in part on any of the following factors shall be deemed to violate public policy and are subject to disapproval pursuant to 211 CMR 79.04(10): (a) sex; (b) marital...”

• 211 CMR 79.03(1) (Competitive Market; Presumption)

  “A Competitive Market is presumed to exist unless the Commissioner, after a hearing pursuant to M.G.L. c. 175E, § 5, determines that competition in the private passenger motor vehicle insurance market is, with respect to any territory or to any kind, subdivision or class of insurance, either: (a)...”

• 211 CMR 79.10(3) (Initiation of a Hearing on a Rate Filing; Motion by the Attorney General)

  “The Commissioner shall initiate a hearing on a Rate Filing under M.G.L. c. 175E, § 7 if the Commissioner receives a written motion to do so from the Attorney General dated no later than 20 days after the Division’s public posting that the Rate Filing has been placed on file.”

• 211 CMR 79.04(13) (Rate Standards; credit information prohibited, with carve-out for claims history and motor vehicle reports)

  “(13) No credit information contained on a consumer report obtained from a consumer reporting agency pursuant to M.G.L. c. 93, § 50 shall be used in private passenger motor vehicle insurance: (a) rating, including its use in any Classification Plans, rules or Rates, rating plans or modification of...”

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More Massachusetts sources

• M.G.L. Chapter 176D - Unfair Methods of Competition and Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices in the Business of Insurance (Secs. 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5, 11)State statute
• Massachusetts accident and health / disability policy provisions: M.G.L. c. 175, ss. 108-108N, 110A-110M, 111State statute
• M.G.L. ch. 176D, Unfair Methods of Competition and Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices in the Business of Insurance (complete chapter)State statute
• Massachusetts insurance contract and general provisions applicable to all insurers: M.G.L. c. 175, ss. 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 181-194State statute
• Massachusetts group and blanket health insurance: M.G.L. c. 175, ss. 110, 110D, 110G, 110I, 110J, 110K, 110LState statute
• Massachusetts group life insurance: M.G.L. c. 175, ss. 133-138AState statute
• Massachusetts life insurance and annuity contracts, including standard policy provisions: M.G.L. c. 175, ss. 118-132A1/2, 139-146A, 149, 204State statute
• Massachusetts Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Law: M.G.L. c. 175, s. 146BState statute