Car Insurance in Maryland

State minimum coverage requirements

Under Maryland Transportation Article Section 17-103, all Maryland drivers must maintain the following minimum coverage:

• $30,000 bodily injury per person
• $60,000 bodily injury per accident
• $15,000 property damage per accident
• $2,500 Personal Injury Protection (mandatory minimum)

Driving without insurance in Maryland results in a fine of $150 for a first offense and $7 per day for every day of lapsed coverage up to $2,500, plus a $150 restoration fee. Vehicles found to be uninsured are subject to registration cancellation. The Maryland Vehicle Administration cross-references registration data with insurance verification systems, and uninsured vehicles are flagged quickly. SR-22 filing is required after DUI convictions and certain other serious violations.

Is Maryland a no-fault state?

No. Maryland is an at-fault state.

Maryland is an at-fault state but applies a contributory negligence rule, which is one of the strictest fault standards in the country used in only a handful of jurisdictions, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, and North Carolina. Under contributory negligence, if you are found even one percent at fault for an accident, you are completely barred from recovering any compensation from the other driver regardless of how much more at fault they were. Unlike comparative fault states where your recovery is proportionally reduced by your share of responsibility, contributory negligence operates as a complete bar: any finding of contributory fault eliminates your entire claim against the other driver. Maryland's dense road network, heavy suburban commuter traffic around Baltimore and Washington DC, and complex urban intersections create conditions where contested accident facts are common. Defense attorneys in Maryland's contributory negligence jurisdiction actively pursue arguments of contributory fault because a successful showing, even establishing minimal fault on the plaintiff's part, completely defeats the claim. This is not an abstract risk in Maryland's active litigation environment. To address the harshness of this rule, Maryland requires all auto policies to include a minimum of $2,500 in PIP coverage, which pays your medical expenses regardless of how fault is determined. This mandatory first-party benefit provides an immediate payment mechanism that operates entirely outside the tort system. You can increase your PIP limit above $2,500 for additional protection, and most advisors recommend doing so. Because contributory negligence can eliminate your tort recovery entirely even when the other driver was overwhelmingly at fault, PIP, medical payments coverage, and mandatory UM coverage become the most reliable financial protections available to Maryland drivers.

What the state minimum covers and does not cover

Maryland's 30/60/15 liability minimum covers only injuries and property damage you cause to other people. It does not cover:

• Damage to your own vehicle from a collision
• Your own medical expenses after an accident
• Losses caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver
• Theft, weather events, or vandalism to your vehicle

Uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory

Maryland requires all auto insurance policies to include uninsured motorist coverage at limits matching the policyholder's liability coverage. This requirement is especially important in a contributory negligence state where the tort system can bar your recovery entirely if you had any share of fault. UM coverage pays your medical expenses and vehicle damage when an at-fault uninsured driver causes an accident regardless of the fault issue in tort. UIM coverage fills the gap when an at-fault driver's policy is insufficient. Because UM must match your liability limits, raising liability to 100/300 automatically raises UM to the same level.

How credit affects your rate in Maryland

Maryland permits insurers to use a credit-based insurance score as one factor when pricing auto policies. The check is a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit report or credit score. Maryland law requires insurers to notify you if credit information results in an adverse action on your policy, giving you the opportunity to review your credit report for inaccuracies. If your credit has improved since your last renewal, shopping new quotes across multiple carriers is worthwhile because carriers weight credit differently and improvements in your score can reduce your premium even without any change in your driving record.

Recommended coverage levels

Most advisors recommend carrying at least 100/300/100 liability in Maryland and increasing PIP above the mandatory $2,500 minimum. Because mandatory UM must match your liability limits, raising liability to 100/300 also raises your UM coverage. Because contributory negligence can bar your tort recovery entirely, even when the other driver was primarily responsible, robust first-party coverages are especially critical in Maryland. PIP, medical payments coverage, and UM collectively provide a safety net that pays regardless of how fault is ultimately determined in a tort proceeding. Maryland's suburban corridors around Baltimore and Washington DC are among the busiest in the eastern United States. The Baltimore-Washington Parkway, I-695, I-270, and the Capital Beltway (I-495) are high-accident corridors with significant through-traffic from commercial trucks, commuters, and interstate travel. Accidents in these areas often involve complex multi-party fault questions that make Maryland's contributory negligence rule especially consequential. If your vehicle is financed or leased, collision and comprehensive are required by your lender. For vehicles you own outright, carry collision and comprehensive on any vehicle with meaningful value, Maryland's combination of weather, traffic density, and vehicle theft rates (particularly in urban Baltimore and DC suburbs) makes these coverages cost-effective on most vehicles. For most Maryland drivers, a complete policy including 100/300/100 liability, UM at matching limits, increased PIP, medical payments, collision, and comprehensive provides the most complete protection available given the state's contributory negligence rule.

How insurers determine your rate in Maryland

Maryland insurers use your driving record, zip code, vehicle type, age, annual mileage, and credit-based insurance score to calculate your premium. The Baltimore metro area and Prince George's and Montgomery counties adjacent to Washington DC consistently produce some of the highest premiums in the state due to accident frequency, vehicle theft rates, and the elevated cost of medical care and repairs in the region. Rural western and eastern shore Maryland is priced considerably lower. At-fault accidents and moving violations typically affect your rate for three to five years. Because each insurer weights these factors differently, comparing quotes from multiple carriers at renewal is the most reliable way to find the most competitive rate for your specific profile.

SR-22 requirements in Maryland

An SR-22 in Maryland is a certificate filed by your insurer with the Motor Vehicle Administration confirming you carry at least the state minimum liability coverage. You may be required to maintain an SR-22 after a DUI conviction, after driving without insurance, or after certain serious traffic violations. The requirement typically lasts three years from the triggering event, and your license remains suspended until the SR-22 is on file. If your policy lapses during the SR-22 period, your insurer must notify the Motor Vehicle Administration immediately, which reinstates your suspension. Not all insurers handle SR-22 filings, so drivers who need one should specifically look for carriers that serve the non-standard auto insurance market in Maryland.