Everything you bring to the Board of Appeal, organized in one place. Below is the structure of the binder we build for you — a sample is shown with placeholders. Your version is filled in for your incident and reviewed and signed by a licensed Massachusetts attorney before release.
Prepared for:
Notice date: Appeal deadline:
Insurer: Claim/Policy #:
Attorney-reviewed and signed before release • Mass Surcharge Appeal
This section states, in plain numbers, why the appeal is worth your time: the SDIP points assessed, the estimated premium increase (~15% per point), and the roughly six-year span the surcharge follows your policy. It frames the cost of not appealing.
| Item | Your case |
|---|---|
| Incident type | |
| SDIP points assessed | |
| Estimated added premium / year | |
| Estimated total over surcharge period |
A one-page timeline from the notice to the Board's decision, with your specific dates filled in: file so the appeal is received within the 30-day window with the $50 fee, receive the hearing notice, attend, and await the Memorandum of Finding and Order (typically 2–4 weeks). It also notes the Superior Court option if needed.
The heart of the binder. We identify the exact Standard of Fault from 211 CMR 74.04 the insurer applied and lay out, point by point, why the evidence makes "a showing to the contrary." For an at-fault accident this also addresses the two thresholds — more-than-50% fault and the $1,000 claim threshold.
Your binder substitutes the standard and facts that actually apply to your incident.
A calm, sequenced script so you know exactly what to say and in what order — opening, the facts, the standard, your evidence, and your close. Built to keep you concise and on point in a short hearing.
Opening: "Good morning. I'm appealing the at-fault finding on the [date] accident. I don't believe I was more than 50% at fault, and I have evidence showing why."
The standard: "The insurer relied on Standard [number]. That standard is a presumption that applies unless the evidence shows otherwise."
Close: "Based on these exhibits, I respectfully ask the Board to reverse the at-fault determination and remove the surcharge."
The likely counter-points — and your prepared, factual responses — so nothing at the hearing catches you off guard. ($299 binders include a custom rebuttal and cross-examination prep set and a 1:1 prep call.)
Every piece of evidence, labeled and ordered, so the hearing officer can follow along. A typical index:
| Exhibit | Description |
|---|---|
| A | The notice / at-fault determination being appealed |
| B | Police report / crash report |
| C | Photos of both vehicles and the scene |
| D | Repair estimate / claim payment documentation |
| E | Diagram of the collision |
| F | Witness statement(s) and contact info |
| G | Your driving record (Merit Rating Board) |
No part of this binder promises or predicts a result. It organizes your strongest, best-supported appeal for the Board to consider.