State guide
Car Insurance in Maryland
Updated August 2026
Maryland mandates one of the broadest insurance packages of any at-fault state. Transportation Code §17-103 requires 30/60/15 liability — $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage — and every policy must also carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at those same limits. Unlike most states, Maryland does not let you waive the UM coverage at all. Personal injury protection of $2,500 is required too, though the first named insured can waive that piece in writing for a reduced premium.
Maryland is also the only state that runs its own auto insurer: Maryland Auto (the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund), created by statute as the insurer of last resort for residents the private market turns away. Between the mandatory package and a genuinely layered market, quotes for identical Maryland coverage differ enough that comparing them side by side is the shortest path to knowing your real price.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $30,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $60,000 |
| Property damage liability | $15,000 |
| PIP / medical | $2,500 PIP required (first named insured may waive it in writing) |
| Additional requirements | UM/UIM coverage of 30/60/15 required in every policy and cannot be waived |
| No-fault state | No |
| SR-22 used | No — this state doesn't use SR-22 filings |
Source: Md. Code, Transportation §17-103; Md. Code, Insurance §19-509 (UM/UIM), §19-505 (PIP); Maryland Insurance Administration
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Maryland was $1,281 in 2022. (NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement (June 2024))
The three-part mandatory package
A legal Maryland policy stacks three coverages:
The un-waivable UM/UIM mandate is the distinctive piece. Nationally, 15.4% of drivers were uninsured in 2023 (Insurance Research Council); Maryland's answer is to make sure every insured driver carries their own backstop at 30/60/15 no matter what.
- Liability of 30/60/15 — pays the other side's injuries and property damage when you're at fault
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of 30/60/15 — mandatory and cannot be rejected, covering you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little
- PIP of $2,500 — pays your own medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault; waivable in writing, though household members under 16 remain covered even after a waiver
No SR-22 in Maryland — the FR-19 system
Maryland does not use SR-22 filings for its own drivers. Instead, when the Motor Vehicle Administration needs to verify coverage — after a lapse, an accident, or a flagged registration — it requests an FR-19 Insurance Certification, which only your insurer can issue, confirming your policy was active for the period in question.
The differences matter: an FR-19 is a one-time verification initiated by the state, not a multi-year filing you must maintain, and it carries no filing fee or ongoing lapse-reporting obligation. If another state ordered you to carry an SR-22 for a violation committed there, Maryland won't substitute an FR-19 — you still owe that state its filing. Either way, the underlying violation follows your record, and carriers price it differently enough that comparison shopping after an incident routinely uncovers meaningful savings.
Maryland Auto, the insurer of last resort
Drivers who can't find coverage in the private market — often after cancellations or lapses — can turn to Maryland Auto, the state-created insurer that must offer them a policy meeting the 30/60/15 minimums. It receives no state general funds and is meant as a bridge, not a bargain: its rates typically sit above standard-market prices. For most drivers, even those with rough records, the practical takeaway is to exhaust private-market quotes first, since carriers weigh violations very differently.
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Frequently asked questions
What car insurance is required in Maryland?+
Liability coverage of at least $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 property damage (30/60/15), plus uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits and $2,500 of PIP, per Md. Transportation Code §17-103 and Insurance Code §19-509 and §19-505. PIP may be waived in writing; UM/UIM may not.
Is Maryland a no-fault state?+
No. Maryland is an at-fault (tort) state — the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the damage. The required $2,500 PIP pays your own initial medical costs regardless of fault, but it does not limit lawsuits the way true no-fault systems do.
Does Maryland require SR-22 insurance?+
No. Maryland does not use SR-22 filings; the Motor Vehicle Administration verifies coverage through FR-19 Insurance Certification forms issued by your insurer. An SR-22 required by another state must still be maintained under that state's rules.
What is Maryland Auto (MAIF)?+
Maryland Auto Insurance — historically the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund — is a state-created insurer of last resort. It must offer policies meeting Maryland's minimum requirements to eligible residents who cannot obtain coverage in the private market.
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