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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-A

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 ---------------

                  COLONIAL MASSACHUSETTS INSURED MUNICIPAL FUND
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Massachusetts
- ----------------------------------------              -------------------
(State of incorporation or organization)               (I.R.S. Employer
                                                      Identification No.)

c/o Colonial Management Associates, Inc.
   One Financial Center, Boston, MA                           02111
- ----------------------------------------                   ----------
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)

If this Form relates to the             If this Form relates to the
registration of a class of              registration of a class of
debt securities and is                  debt securities and is
effective upon filing pursuant          to become effective
to General Instruction A(c)             simultaneously with
please check the following              the effectiveness
box:  [ ]                               of a concurrent
                                        registration statement
                                        under the Securities Act
                                        of 1933 pursuant to General
                                        Instruction A(d), please
                                        check the following
                                        box:  [ ]

Securities Act registration statement file number pursuant to which this form
relates:     333-84995   .
         ---------------
         (if applicable)

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

         Title of each class                  Name of each exchange on which
         to be so registered:                each class is to be registered:
         --------------------                -------------------------------

    Common Shares of Beneficial                   New York Stock Exchange
    Interest Without Par Value

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None



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INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 1.  DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

         Reference is hereby made to the sections entitled "Description of
Shares" as contained in the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of Colonial
Massachusetts Insured Municipal Fund, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") on August 11, 1999 (Securities Act File No.
333-84995 and Investment Company Act File No. 811-09535) (the "Original
Registration Statement"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Original
Registration Statement, as filed with the Commission on September 9, 1999, and
Amendment No. 2 to the Original Registration Statement, as filed with the
Commission on September 27, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2.  EXHIBITS.

         Pursuant to the Instructions as to Exhibits, no exhibits are filed
herewith or incorporated herein by reference.




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                                    SIGNATURE

         A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Colonial
Massachusetts Insured Municipal Fund (the "Trust") is on file with the Secretary
of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that
this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trust by an officer or Trustee of
the Trust in his or her capacity as an officer or Trustee of the Trust and not
individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are
not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers, or shareholders individually but
binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust.

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.


                                   COLONIAL MASSACHUSETTS INSURED MUNICIPAL FUND



Date: October 20, 1999             By: /s/ William J. Ballou
      ----------------                 -----------------------------------------
                                   Name: William J. Ballou
                                   Title: Asst. Secretary



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