Safety Insurance auto insurance

Overview

Safety Insurance is a Boston-based property and casualty insurer whose parent, Safety Insurance Group, Inc., trades on Nasdaq under the symbol SAFT. It ranked #46 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data, with $701.5 million in auto premiums and a 0.19% national share.

Safety writes private passenger auto, commercial auto, homeowners, dwelling fire, umbrella and business owner policies, and it operates only in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Its 2025 annual report says it is the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in Massachusetts, with about 9.4% of that market in 2025 according to Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers, the largest commercial auto insurer in the state, and the third-largest homeowners insurer. Massachusetts accounted for $1.20 billion of Safety's $1.28 billion in total 2025 direct written premiums. Safety sells exclusively through independent agents, 797 of them in 1,063 locations during 2025.

In July 2026 Safety agreed to be acquired by an affiliate of MAPFRE, the Spanish insurer whose U.S. arm already writes a large Massachusetts auto book as MAPFRE Insurance.

History

Safety began underwriting insurance in Massachusetts in 1979, founded on the belief that the company would succeed if customers were given the best possible service. The current holding company was incorporated in Delaware in 2001, and Safety Insurance Group went public with an initial public offering in November 2002, paying regular quarterly dividends since. Its insurance companies began writing in New Hampshire in 2008 and Maine in 2016. Safety also partners with the In Control Family Foundation, a driver training organization, and offers customers a discount for completing its crash prevention course.

On July 23, 2026, Safety announced a definitive agreement under which MAPFRE U.S.A. Corp. will buy the company for $105 a share in cash, about $1.54 billion in total and a 44% premium to the share price on the day of the announcement. Safety said it will keep operating under its own brand and keep its independent agency relationships after the deal. The waiting period under federal antitrust law expired on September 14, 2026, and closing, which still needs approval from the Massachusetts Commissioner of Insurance and other regulators, is expected in the first quarter of 2027. George Murphy is chairman and chief executive.

Auto insurance coverage

A Massachusetts policy from Safety includes bodily injury and property damage liability, no-fault personal injury protection for your vehicle's occupants, and optional collision and comprehensive coverage for your own car. Safety's add-on packages are its main differentiator:

• Safety Shield: a disappearing collision deductible, rental vehicle loss-of-income coverage, guaranteed replacement cost, personal effects, emergency road travel expenses, supplemental towing and labor, air bag mechanical failure coverage and extended substitute transportation
• Safety Shield Plus: everything in Safety Shield plus accident forgiveness, expanded personal effects, pet coverage, seat belt coverage and bail bonds
• Auto loan/lease gap: pays any unpaid loan or lease balance after a covered total loss

Discounts and programs

Safety's Massachusetts discounts reward clean records and multiple policies:

• Excellent Driver Plus, up to 24% for no accidents or incidents in the past six years, and Excellent Driver, up to 10% for five clean years
• A 5% group discount for drivers who complete In Control's crash prevention training
• A 10% account credit when you also buy a homeowners, dwelling fire, umbrella or business policy from Safety, or 6% with a condo or renters policy
• Multi-car discount of up to 10%
• Good student and student away at school discounts of 10% each
• An e-Customer discount of up to 7% for electronic policy delivery when you already qualify for an account credit or multi-car discount
• Loyalty discount of up to 4% for continuous years with Safety or your agency

These figures are for Massachusetts policies; discounts vary by state. Safety does not list a telematics or usage-based program.

Claims

Safety takes claim reports 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 800-951-2100, through your agent, or through its website and mobile app. Its annual report describes self-service tools that let customers submit damage photos and documents on smaller claims for desk adjusting and faster payment, photo-only appraisals where regulations allow, dedicated units for total-loss vehicles, and digital claim payments. Claim correspondence goes to P.O. Box 55098, Boston, MA 02205-5098, with your claim number.

Ratings and reputation

AM Best affirmed Safety's A (Excellent) financial strength rating in July 2026 while revising the outlook to negative, then on July 27, 2026 placed the ratings under review with developing implications because of the pending MAPFRE merger. A year earlier, in June 2025, AM Best had lowered Safety's issuer credit rating to "a" from "a+" as its risk-adjusted capitalization slipped from the strongest to the strong level, while describing its operating performance as strong.

In the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Safety Insurance scored 616 in the New England region, seventh of 13 ranked brands and below the 631 regional average. Amica led the region with 702; Arbella scored 602 and Plymouth Rock Assurance 592. Safety is not ranked in J.D. Power's national claims satisfaction study.

Who it suits

Safety suits drivers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine who prefer to work with an independent agent, have clean records that qualify for its larger safe-driver discounts, and want to keep auto and home with one local insurer. Shoppers should watch how the MAPFRE acquisition affects pricing and service after it closes.

• Strengths: Large Massachusetts presence and agent network; Safety Shield packages with disappearing deductible and accident forgiveness options; safe-driver discounts of up to 24%; 24-hour claim reporting.
• Weaknesses: Sold in only three states and only through agents; below-average 2026 J.D. Power score in New England; no telematics program; ratings under review and ownership changing because of the pending sale to MAPFRE.

How to contact Safety Insurance