The state of Maryland requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance that includes liability insurance, uninsured motorist coverage, and personal injury protection.

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Continue reading on to learn more about Maryland car insurance laws.

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What insurance do I need in Maryland?

Maryland drivers must carry a minimum amount of liability coverage, uninsured motorist insurance, and personal injury protection insurance when they are behind the wheel. Drivers must also be able to show valid

proof of insurance

when asked by law enforcement.

Lease or loan agreements might contractually require you to buy full-coverage insurance—but you don’t have to carry comprehensive insurance and collision insurance to meet state requirements.

Here is a summary of the minimum insurance requirements for Maryland.

Type of coverage	Minimum insurance limit
Minimum liability coverage	30/60/15
Bodily injury per person	$30,000
Bodily injury per accident	$60,000
Property damage per accident	$15,000
Uninsured motorist coverage	30/60/15
Bodily injury per person	$30,000
Bodily injury per accident	$60,000
Property damage per accident	$15,000
Personal injury protection (PIP)	$2500

What is uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance?

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

will protect you if you get in an accident caused by a driver who doesn’t have enough—or any—car insurance. Maryland requires drivers to carry the same 30/60/15 limits they carry in

liability insurance

Maryland requires drivers to carry uninsured/underinsured coverage for both

bodily injury liability

and

property damage liability

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What is personal injury protection (PIP) insurance?

Personal injury protection (PIP)

insurance kicks in to help cover your medical expenses after an accident. Personal injury protection will also help cover lost wages or other costs relating to an injury—no matter who was at fault.

MORE:

Do I need personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage if I have health insurance in Maryland?

Liability insurance in MD

Drivers in Maryland have to carry the minimum limits of bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance. Liability insurance will help cover the costs of injuries or damage to another party’s car if you are at fault, but it won’t help cover your own expenses.

Key Takeaway Maryland drivers need to carry liability insurance to help cover the other party’s expenses in an at-fault accident

What is the Minimum Maryland car insurance?

Maryland drivers need to carry both liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage limits of 30/60/15, as well as a $2500 limit in personal injury protection coverage.

The following is a more detailed breakdown of how Maryland minimum insurance requirements work:

$30,000 of bodily injury liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage bodily liability per person

Your insurance company will pay up to $30,000 per person to help cover the cost of injuries resulting from an at-fault accident (or an accident with an at-fault driver who doesn’t have enough insurance).

$60,000 of bodily injury liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily liability coverage per accident

$60,000 is the total amount that your insurance company will pay out to cover the costs of injuries for the other party in an at-fault accident (or in an accident with an at-fault driver who doesn’t have enough insurance).

$15,000 in property damage liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage liability per accident

Your insurance company will pay up to $15,000 to cover the cost of property damage for other parties in an at-fault accident (or for your own property damage in an accident with an at-fault driver without enough insurance).

$2500 of

personal injury protection (PIP)

coverage per person

$2500 is the total amount that your insurance company will pay out to cover the costs of injuries to you and your passengers, regardless of fault.

MORE: What you need to know about pay-per-mile insurance

Should I get more coverage than Maryland’s required insurance minimum?

Maryland requires drivers to carry more insurance than most states—but there are still plenty of situations where you could be left without sufficient coverage.

For example, if you are at fault for an accident, your minimum liability requirements will only help cover costs for the other drivers involved. You will need additional coverage to protect your car. In addition, medical expenses in an accident can easily exceed the $2500 PIP per person limit.

If you’re hesitant to switch plans or upgrade your policy because you’re worried about the work involved, don’t be.

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What is the penalty for not having car insurance in Maryland?

If you are caught driving without proof of insurance in Maryland, you could face potential fines and penalties:

Fines up to $1000

Possible jail time (up to a year)

License plate confiscation

Fines for insurance lapses

Key Takeaway Driving without insurance in Maryland is illegal. If you are caught doing so, you may have to pay fines, lose your plates, or even face jail time.

Additional coverage options

Drivers in Massachusetts can improve their coverage by adding the following insurance options to their policies.

Gap insurance

If your loaned or leased car is totaled after an accident,

gap insurance

will help make up the difference between your payout and any additional money you owe on your loan.

Rental car reimbursement insurance

Rental reimbursement insurance

will help cover your transportation costs while your car is getting repaired following a claim.

Roadside assistance insurance

Roadside assistance coverage—also known as

towing and labor coverage

—is a common policy rider that gives you access to various emergency roadside services, like fuel delivery and tows.

Collision insurance

will help cover the cost of the damage to your car after an accident or collision—regardless of who was at fault.

Comprehensive insurance

will help cover non-driving-related damage to your car, like theft and storm damage.

MORE:

Minimum car insurance required in your state: What you need to know

Why is Maryland considered a diminished value state?

Drivers in Maryland can make diminished value claims that will help them recover losses to the value of their vehicle after a claim. If you sell your car after an accident, you can make a diminished value claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance company.

A car will lose some of its resale value after an accident—even after it is restored to the same condition that it was in before the accident.

Maryland is one of 15 states that allows you to make a diminished value claim so you can recoup any lost value if you decide to sell your car after a claim.

You need to meet the following criteria to make a diminished value claim in Maryland:

You were not found to be at fault in the accident

You can provide reliable documentation, like proof of your car’s value, the repair record, and photo evidence

It hasn’t been more than three years since the claim was made

The at-fault driver had insurance

Key Takeaway Diminished value claims can help make up any value your car lost after repairs.

How to get cheap car insurance in Maryland

There is no set rate for an insurance policy in Maryland—meaning the best way to find a great deal on your insurance is to shop around. If you’d rather leave the hard work of gathering quotes to someone else, use

Jerry

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