Car Insurance in New Bedford, Massachusetts
Estimated full coverage in New Bedford runs about $1,585 a year ($132/month) — ▲ +2% versus the Massachusetts average, ranking 9th most expensive of the 12 Massachusetts cities we cover.
Why car insurance in New Bedford costs more than the Massachusetts average
Insurers price by territory, and New Bedford's numbers explain most of the gap. With 101,318 residents on 20.0 square miles, the city's density (5,065 people per square mile) is 2.9 times the density where the typical Massachusetts resident lives (1,747). The average commute is 24.7 minutes (Massachusetts: 29.1), and 72% of workers drive alone. Together these put our location factor at 1.02× the state baseline for liability and collision, and 0.99× for comprehensive once FEMA weather risk for Bristol County is included.
| Factor | New Bedford | Massachusetts ref. | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population density | 5,065 / sq mi | 1,747 / sq mi | More vehicles per mile of road means more fender-benders and claims. |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 29.1 min | Longer daily drives add exposure to crashes. |
| Commutes over 60 min | 8.7% | — | Long highway commutes raise mileage-based risk. |
| Drive alone to work | 72.1% | — | Share of workers commuting by car. |
| Public transit to work | 2.7% | — | Transit use lowers how much residents drive. |
| Work from home | 5.4% | — | Remote workers may qualify for low-mileage pricing. |
| Households without a car | 16.6% | — | Context for non-owner and occasional-driver policies. |
| Weather hazard score (FEMA) | 66.2 | 79.3 | Hail, wind, flood and hurricane exposure drive comprehensive claims. |
Car insurance cost by ZIP code in New Bedford
Rates can change from one ZIP code to the next. Across 4 New Bedford ZIP codes, our full-coverage estimate ranges from $1,540 in 02745 to $1,655 in 02744. Denser, longer-commute neighborhoods estimate higher. Click a column to sort.
| ZIP | Population | Density / sq mi | Commute | No car | Est. full / yr | vs. city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02740 | 46,281 | 8,053 | 23.1 min | 19.3% | $1,600 | +1% |
| 02745 | 24,519 | 2,497 | 25.8 min | 8.3% | $1,540 | −3% |
| 02746 | 17,531 | 6,153 | 26.1 min | 22.5% | $1,615 | +2% |
| 02744 | 12,716 | 9,774 | 26.0 min | 14.8% | $1,655 | +4% |
Minimum car insurance in New Bedford
New Bedford drivers follow Massachusetts's rules: at least 25/50/30 liability coverage, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist coverage. Massachusetts is no-fault. We estimate state-minimum coverage in New Bedford at $605 a year, and $875 for 100/300/100 limits.
| Coverage | Required? | Minimum | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Yes | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Property damage liability | Yes | $30,000 | Damage you cause to other vehicles and property |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Yes | $8,000 Personal injury protection of $8,000 per person is required and pays regardless of who caused the crash. | Your own medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Yes | 25/50 Coverage for bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto of at least 25/50 is required. | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | No | — Underinsured motorist coverage is optional. | The gap when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | No | — Medical payments coverage is optional. | Medical bills for you and your passengers |
Minimums were raised recently from 20/40/5, and required uninsured motorist coverage from 20/40.
Risk factors that shape New Bedford premiums
Accidents
Massachusetts recorded 363 traffic deaths, or 0.59 per 100 million vehicle miles (U.S.: 1.19), in the latest full year of federal crash data. Local crash frequency is folded into our density and commute factors.
Vehicle theft
Massachusetts's vehicle theft rate is 88 per 100,000 residents (U.S.: 197). The most-stolen vehicle in the state is the Honda Accord (NICB). Theft losses are paid by comprehensive coverage.
Weather
FEMA rates Bristol County as very low for hail, relatively high for inland flooding and relatively high for strong wind, and relatively moderate for hurricanes.
Traffic & commuting
8.7% of New Bedford commuters spend an hour or more getting to work, and there are 1.38 vehicles per household. 5.4% work from home — worth mentioning to insurers that offer low-mileage pricing.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score (0–100) | Insurance impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 7.2 | Comprehensive (car); roof claims (home) | |
| Tornado | 52.1 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Hurricane | 91.4 | Comprehensive; wind/hurricane deductibles (home) | |
| Inland (river) flooding | 93.6 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Coastal flooding | 66.4 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Strong wind | 86.6 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Winter weather | 43.5 | Collision (icy roads); frozen pipes (home) |
Scores are national percentiles of FEMA's county risk (higher means more expected loss than most other U.S. counties).
Estimated car insurance in New Bedford by driver profile
A clean-record driver in their 50s pays the least in our New Bedford model (about $1,455 for full coverage); an 18-year-old on their own policy pays about $4,355, and a DUI pushes a 30-something to $2,930.
| Driver | Minimum | Standard | Full coverage | Full / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen driver (18, own policy) | $1,655 | $2,405 | $4,355 | $363 |
| Young adult (22) | $965 | $1,400 | $2,535 | $211 |
| Adult in their 30s | $605 | $875 | $1,585 | $132 |
| Adult in their 50s | $555 | $805 | $1,455 | $121 |
| Senior (72) | $675 | $980 | $1,775 | $148 |
| 30s, one at-fault accident | $875 | $1,265 | $2,295 | $191 |
| 30s, DUI on record | $1,115 | $1,615 | $2,930 | $244 |
Minimum vs. standard vs. full coverage in New Bedford
| Coverage level | What it includes | Per year | Per month | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum liability | Only the liability (and PIP/UM where required) limits your state mandates. No coverage for your own car. | $605 | $50 | $495–$710 |
| Standard liability (100/300/100) | Higher liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. Still no coverage for damage to your own car. | $875 | $73 | $715–$1,030 |
| Full coverage | Standard liability plus collision and comprehensive, typically required on a financed or leased car. | $1,585 | $132 | $1,300–$1,870 |
Estimate your premium in New Bedford
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Cheap car insurance in New Bedford: how to lower your rate
The cheapest policy is the one that fits your situation. These levers are priced with New Bedford's own numbers:
| Change | Est. yearly savings | Good fit if… |
|---|---|---|
| Raise collision/comprehensive deductible from $500 to $1,000 | $100 | You have savings to cover a bigger out-of-pocket repair. |
| Low-mileage / usage-based pricing (under 7,500 mi) | $110 | You're among the 5.4% of New Bedford workers who work from home, or you rarely drive. |
| Drop collision & comprehensive on an older car | $390 | The car is paid off and worth little more than a year of premiums. |
| Standard (100/300/100) instead of full coverage | $710 | No loan or lease requires physical-damage coverage. |
| Avoid one speeding ticket | $345 | Everyone — violations typically affect rates for three to five years. |
Also ask about bundling, good-student, paid-in-full and defensive-driving discounts, and re-shop at every renewal — the same driver can be priced very differently by different insurers. We don't recommend specific companies. Common car insurance discounts.
Comparing car insurance quotes in New Bedford
- Use identical limits and deductibles on every quote — e.g. 100/300/100 liability with $1,000 deductibles — or prices aren't comparable.
- Get quotes from different channels: captive agents, independent agents who quote several insurers, and direct online insurers. There are 2 offices listed below.
- Check complaint records with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance (complaint information) before you buy.
- Mention your ZIP code accurately — within New Bedford, our estimates differ by up to $115 a year between neighborhoods.
Car insurance agents near New Bedford, MA
We found 2 insurance offices within about 3 miles of central New Bedford, from open map data. Hover over a listing to show it on the map, click it to open the address in Google Maps, or tap it on a phone to start navigation. We don't sell insurance, rate these offices or receive anything from them.
-
Point Insurance
MA -
Cardoso Insurance Agency
374 Dartmouth Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Map © Google. Office list: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) - https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright; All The Places (alltheplaces.xyz), data released under the CC-0 waiver; run 2026-09-19-13-32-18. OSM license. Listings are informational and may be out of date.
Insurance cost of popular cars in New Bedford
| Model | Segment | Est. full coverage / yr | vs. average car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | Small SUV | $1,190 | −25% |
| Subaru Outback | Wagon | $1,170 | −26% |
| Tesla Model 3 | Midsize car | $1,690 | +7% |
| Subaru Forester | Small SUV | $1,145 | −28% |
| Honda Civic | Compact car | $1,825 | +15% |
| Toyota Corolla | Compact car | $1,705 | +8% |
| Jeep Wrangler | Midsize SUV | $1,340 | −15% |
| Mazda CX-5 | Small SUV | $1,345 | −15% |
| MINI Cooper | Subcompact car | $1,205 | −24% |
| Tesla Model Y | Midsize SUV | $1,520 | −4% |
Car insurance in nearby Massachusetts cities
- Fall River $1,550/yr · 12 mi
- Brockton $1,685/yr · 29 mi
- Quincy $1,755/yr · 42 mi
- Boston $1,770/yr · 47 mi
- Cambridge $1,725/yr · 50 mi
- Framingham $1,625/yr · 51 mi
- Lynn $1,755/yr · 56 mi
- Worcester $1,595/yr · 61 mi
- Lowell $1,685/yr · 70 mi
- Springfield $1,525/yr · 88 mi
- Holyoke $1,430/yr · 96 mi
All Massachusetts cities and state rules · Homeowners insurance in New Bedford
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in New Bedford, MA?
We estimate full coverage in New Bedford at about $1,585 a year ($132 a month) for a driver in their 30s with a clean record, and about $605 for Massachusetts's minimum liability coverage. Real quotes vary by insurer, driver and vehicle.
Why is car insurance in New Bedford more expensive than the Massachusetts average?
Our New Bedford estimate is 2% higher than the statewide figure. The model reflects a population density of 5,065 people per square mile (the typical Massachusetts resident lives at about 1,747) and an average commute of 24.7 minutes versus 29.1 statewide. Denser traffic and longer drives mean more claims, which insurers price into local rates.
What car insurance is required in New Bedford?
Drivers in New Bedford follow Massachusetts law: at least 25/50/30 liability coverage plus PIP and uninsured motorist coverage.
Which ZIP code in New Bedford has the cheapest car insurance?
Among New Bedford's 4 ZIP codes, 02745 has the lowest estimate (about $1,540 a year for full coverage) and 02744 the highest (about $1,655), mainly because of differences in density and commute times.
How much is car insurance for a teenager in New Bedford?
An 18-year-old with their own full-coverage policy would pay around $4,355 a year in New Bedford by our estimate ($1,655 for minimum coverage). Adding a teen to a parent's policy is usually cheaper.
Does weather affect car insurance in New Bedford?
Yes. FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bristol County for inland (river) flooding (relatively high) risk. Weather mainly affects the comprehensive part of a policy, which pays for hail, flood and wind damage.
Are there car insurance agents near me in New Bedford?
We list 2 insurance offices in and around New Bedford, with addresses, phone numbers where published, and directions. We don't sell insurance or rank these offices.
How we estimate this
We start from the state's average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums published by the NAIC, then apply a location factor (population density and commute time from the Census ACS, weather hazard scores from FEMA's National Risk Index), a vehicle factor (HLDI insurance-loss data where available, otherwise vehicle segment), and a driver-profile multiplier. Results are rounded ranges for comparison, not quotes. Read the full methodology.
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance: 2025 motor vehicle mandatory coverage limits notice
- Mass.gov: Massachusetts law about auto insurance
- Mass.gov: Basics of Auto Insurance
- Massachusetts Superior Court jury instruction 8.00 (PIP and tort threshold)
- Mass.gov: Filing An Insurance Complaint
- NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report: Data for 2023
- Insurance Research Council uninsured motorist estimates (via Triple-I)
- IIHS Fatality Facts: state by state
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 4)
- NICB 2022 Vehicle Theft Data: top 10 stolen vehicles by state
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table DL-1C (licensed drivers)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table MV-1 (registrations)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-2 (vehicle-miles traveled)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (New Bedford and ZIP code tabulation areas)
- U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Gazetteer files
- FEMA National Risk Index (county hazard ratings)
- Insurance office locations: OpenStreetMap contributors and All The Places