The senior citizen organization American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has chosen Boston-based Plymouth Rock Assurance and its affiliated Bunker Hill Insurance to issue auto and home insurance products for AARP members in Massachusetts, starting this month.

The new AARP Massachusetts Auto and Home Insurance program is the first time AARP members and their spouses in Massachusetts have been eligible for savings by combining their auto and home insurance coverages. Similar programs have been available to members in other states.

AARP members and/or their spouses can apply for insurance through the program and receive an additional six percent discount on their auto insurance from Plymouth Rock, on top of other discounts. If program members choose to combine a Plymouth Rock auto insurance policy with home insurance from Bunker Hill, they can receive a discount of up to 19 percent for auto coverage and a 26 percent discount on home insurance.

Other features of the program include: guaranteed lifetime coverage (subject to certain conditions such as maintaining a clean driving record and staying up-to-date on premiums), and immediate enrollment into Plymouth Rock’s Rewards Plus program, which offers customized personal service, savings on auto-related products and services, cell phone and laptop replacement coverage, and pet injury coverage, as well as other features.

Chris Olie, president of Plymouth Rock Assurance, says Plymouth Rock and Bunker Hill will work with its independent agents who want to become AARP “Authorized to Offer” (A2O) agents so they can sell policies through the AARP Massachusetts Auto and Home Insurance Program. AARP and Plymouth Rock/Bunker Hill agreed upon specific criteria for agents to become A2O to ensure the best possible experience for AARP members. Specifically, A20 agents must be in general good standing, be experienced with both auto (from Plymouth Rock) and home (from Bunker Hill) insurance, and complete the required training and agency background checks.

Eligible agents receive commission from an AARP policy just as they would selling any other coverage from Plymouth Rock and Bunker Hill.

“When an eligible agent sells a policy, he or she will be paid a commission from Plymouth Rock and/or Bunker Hill, as applicable. If a customer purchases a policy online through plymouthrock.com or over the phone, Plymouth Rock assigns that policy to an agent in exchange for a marketing fee,” says Olie. “The AARP program will follow the same processes, giving AARP members the ability to purchase auto insurance online, over the phone or through an independent agent.”

Olie says its hybrid distribution model that combines the internet with a local independent agent is unique to the market and will benefit AARP members that choose to work with the company. “The trend of letting customers shop wherever and however they want is something that we’re seeing grow across many industries,” he said. “Customers value convenience and flexibility.”