Maine Car Insurance Laws and Requirements (2023)

Maine law dictates the minimum requirements for insurance coverage that all drivers must carry. All drivers in Maine must hold 50/100/25 in liability coverage, along with medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage. Additionally, drivers can pick from a long list of additional coverages for added protection.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Maine

The minimum car insurance requirements in Maine^[1] are:

• $50,000 for bodily injury liability per person

• $100,000 for bodily injury liability per accident

• $25,000 for property damage liability per accident

• $2,000 for medical payments per accident

• $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person

• $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident

While Maine runs a traditional tort system based on liability insurance, drivers are able to purchase medical payments coverage, which covers hospital and other medical expenses for you and your passengers that are the direct result of an accident. It’s fairly affordable to extend these payments to give you even more peace of mind.

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability is part of your liability car insurance coverage. If you cause an accident, this coverage will help cover the other party’s medical expenses. This type of coverage will not cover your own medical expenses from injuries sustained in a car accident you caused. Bodily injury liability coverage is required in Maine.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability is the other half of your liability car insurance. It covers repair costs and damage expenses to the other cars involved in an accident you caused. This coverage does not cover damage to your own car in an accident you were at fault for. Property damage liability coverage is required in Maine.

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage, also known as MedPay, covers medical bills for you and other passengers in your car if you’re injured in a car accident. MedPay provides coverage regardless of who is at fault for an accident. Medical payments coverage is required in Maine.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

If an uninsured (or underinsured) driver causes an accident and you suffer bodily injury, uninsured motorist coverage will cover your medical expenses. If the at-fault driver surpasses their bodily injury liability coverage limits, your underinsured motorist coverage will cover the rest of your medical expenses. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is required in Maine.

Is state minimum car insurance enough in Maine?

The minimum required car insurance coverage in Maine provides drivers with a solid foundation of auto insurance coverage, but it may not be enough for everyone. Maine auto insurance minimum requirements are higher than in most states, but drivers should still consider upping their coverage above the minimum amount, especially for medical payments.

Medical expenses can get out of hand quickly. Even meeting the Maine coverage requirements of $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, there’s potential for a single car accident to devastate your financial future. Trading a marginal increase in your car insurance rate for higher coverage limits could erase that possibility.

Optional Car Insurance Coverage for Maine

Maine drivers who want to be protected in any situation should consider bolstering the minimum car insurance coverage with the following supplemental car insurance coverages:

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage covers damages to your car after a collision with another vehicle or object. If your vehicle is a total loss, collision coverage will reimburse you for the actual cash value of your vehicle. This is a great addition to the required property damage liability coverage in Maine, which applies only to the damages to the other driver’s vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage

Complementing your collision coverage, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle that occurs during an event that is not a collision with another vehicle or object. This may apply in situations of vandalism, theft, weather damage, or a run-in with an animal. Adding comprehensive and collision coverage together creates a full-coverage car insurance policy.

Other Supplemental Coverage

Providers in the state of Maine also offer rental car reimbursement to help you get around if your car is in the shop getting repairs for a covered loss. This could be worth having in a state as rural as Maine, where it’s hard to get by without a car.

In addition, drivers leasing or paying loans on a new vehicle might benefit from gap insurance. This covers the difference between the value of your car and the outstanding loan you have on it if your loan is underwater.

Penalties for Driving Uninsured in Maine

It is illegal to drive in Maine without the minimum car insurance coverage. If you are unable to provide proof of insurance and then fail to provide evidence that you had a valid insurance policy at the time you were asked to do so, you’ll be fined.

• A fine of between $100 and $500

• After 30 days, possible driver’s license and/or vehicle registration suspension

Minimum Requirements for High-Risk Drivers in Maine

Maine drivers with spotty driving records full of traffic violations or a DUI will be considered high-risk by auto insurance companies and charged higher rates. The state of Maine may require you to ask your insurance company to obtain an SR-22 certificate for you, and your rates will go up for the same coverage. If you need an SR-22, the requirement will last three years.

More Information for High-Risk Drivers in Maine

DUI Insurance in Maine

SR-22 Insurance in Maine

Cheapest Minimum Car Insurance in Maine

Car insurance companies weigh different factors to determine what to quote drivers on their car insurance policies. Minimum coverage generally means lower car insurance rates. It also means low coverage limits, which may cost you if you’re ever involved in an accident. Here are the cheapest car insurance quotes for minimum coverage in Maine.

How to Find Cheap Car Insurance in Maine

If you’re on a tight budget or drive a low-value car and are just looking for minimum coverage, Insurify can help you find the best deal out there. It helps you compare car insurance quotes from the most important insurance companies in your area on one website. And it’s free.

^[2]Yes. You need to show proof of insurance to register a motor vehicle in Maine.

How can I find cheap car insurance in Maine?

Maine drivers looking for a cheap auto insurance policy need to shop for all the quotes they can find. Insurify is a fast and easy way to compare car insurance quotes. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a slate of real quotes from top providers ready for you to click and buy.