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Appeal an at-fault accident
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Registry of Motor Vehicles
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The Details of Appeal an at-fault accident
What you need for Appeal an at-fault accident
When an insurance company determines that you are more than 50 percent at-fault in an accident, the insurance company sends you a surcharge notice. You have up to 30 days from the date of the surcharge notice to appeal the at fault accident to the Division of Insurance Board of Appeal.
To request an appeal, you must complete the appeal form on the back of the surcharge notice and mail it to the Division of Insurance Board of Appeal, along with the required fee. The Board of Appeal will schedule an appeal hearing and notify you of the date, time and location of the hearing.
How to appeal Appeal an at-fault accident
Mail the completed appeal form on the back of the surcharge notice and $50 appeal fee to:
At-Fault Accident Appeals
Division of Insurance
1000 Washington St., Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
See sample appeal form below:
Next steps for Appeal an at-fault accident
Division of Insurance Board of Appeal hearing judgments
Once the Board of Appeal reviews an at fault accident appeal, the Board of Appeal will send you a Memorandum of Finding and Order with a decision.
- The Board of Appeal will “vacate” the at-fault accident if it finds you were not more than 50 percent at-fault. The Board of Appeal will notify the Merit Rating Board to remove the at-fault accident surcharge from your driving history.
- The Board of Appeal will “uphold” an at-fault accident if it finds that you were more than 50 percent at-fault. The at-fault accident surcharge will remain on your driving history.
More info for Appeal an at-fault accident
If a surcharge is applied to your auto insurance premium while your appeal is pending, you must pay the additional premium or your policy will be cancelled. If the appeal is decided in your favor, you will receive a refund or credit from your insurance company for any increased premium you paid as a result of the surcharge.
Refer to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation's website for more information on the at fault accident appeal process.