Cheapest Liability Car Insurance in Maryland (2026)

What is liability car insurance?

Liability car insurance helps cover other people’s damages if you’re at fault for a car accident. This coverage pays for the other driver’s or passenger’s medical bills, as well as damage to their vehicle or property.

Maryland requires all drivers to carry liability coverage so people injured in a crash have a way to recover some of their costs from at-fault drivers.

Keep in mind that liability coverage doesn’t protect your own car if you cause an accident. For more protection, consider getting collision coverage to help pay for accident damage and comprehensive coverage to pay for losses from theft, vandalism, fire, and weather-related events.

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Cheapest liability car insurance in Maryland

The average cost of car insurance in Maryland is $247 per month, according to Insurify data. Drivers in the Old Line State pay an average of $192 per month for liability coverage and $302 for full coverage — the highest rates in the U.S.

Insurance companies use different criteria when calculating premiums, so your premium could be higher or lower. Your actual rate will depend on a wide variety of factors, including your driving history, age, gender, credit, and even your ZIP code.

Here’s a breakdown comparing the average cost of liability-only car insurance from several of Maryland’s top car insurance companies.

The below rates in Maryland are estimated rates current as of: Monday, August 10 at 5:00 PM PDT. 

Insurance Company	Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only
Allstate	$116
USAA	$121
Direct Auto	$135
Safeco	$148
State Farm	$155
GEICO	$156
Elephant	$157
Clearcover	$162
National General	$171
Progressive	$171
Erie	$176
GAINSCO	$188
Root	$192
Travelers	$209
Bristol West	$210
Liberty Mutual	$240

Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time Maryland car insurance quotes from Insurify's 500+ partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual car insurance quotes in Maryland may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Minimum liability car insurance requirements in Maryland

Maryland car insurance requirements mandate $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and $60,000 per accident, as well as $15,000 for property damage.^[1] Your insurer may list these limits more simply as 30/60/15.

Let’s say you cause an accident that results in $10,000 in damage to the other driver’s vehicle and $20,000 in medical bills for their injuries. With a minimum-coverage car insurance policy, the $20,000 in medical bills falls well below the $30,000 per-person limit, as does the $10,000 in property damage, which falls below the $15,000 minimum coverage.

In this example, you’d have financial protection from damages to the other party. But you wouldn’t have coverage for your own car’s damage. That’d fall under collision coverage, which experts recommend but the state doesn’t require.

Besides liability coverage, Maryland drivers must also carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) that matches their policy’s liability limits.^[2] And insurers must offer at least $2,500 in personal injury protection, though drivers have the option to choose limited coverage or reject it altogether.

Coverage	What It Covers	State Minimum Coverage Requirement
Bodily injury liability	Injuries you cause to other people	$30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident
Property damage liability	Vehicle and property damage you cause	$15,000 per accident
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)	Your medical expenses and property damage if an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you	Must match your liability limits

Is minimum liability coverage enough in Maryland?

While carrying the minimum car insurance in Maryland keeps you in compliance with the law, it may not cover you completely in an accident. If you’re at fault in a serious accident and the minimum liability limits aren’t enough, you could be left with significant out-of-pocket expenses.

You could also be on the hook for costs that fall outside of liability coverage, since this coverage only pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others. You might consider getting additional coverage if you:

• Want collision coverage for damage to your own vehicle, or PIP or medical payments coverage for injuries to you and your passengers

• Park where vehicle theft is a concern, as Maryland had the seventh-highest vehicle theft rate in the U.S. in the first half of 2025, according to National Insurance Crime Bureau data; comprehensive coverage can pay to replace your vehicle if someone steals it

• Have a newer or expensive vehicle that’d be costly to repair or replace; in that case, adding collision and comprehensive coverage might make sense, and your lender may even require it if you’re financing the vehicle

• Regularly drive on rural roads — especially between mid-October and mid-December, when collisions with deer are most common in Maryland^[3]

• Want greater financial protection if you’re in a costly accident or lawsuit; higher liability limits can provide you with more coverage

Penalties for driving without liability insurance in Maryland

Car insurance laws in Maryland impose penalties for not carrying liability insurance. If your insurance lapses, Maryland can charge you a $200 penalty for the first 30 days. Starting on day 31, the state imposes an additional fee of $7 for each day without coverage, up to $3,500 per violation in a 12-month period.

The state can also suspend your vehicle registration as of the lapse date. You must surrender your plates within 48 hours after receiving a notice.^[4]

The state says “a person who knows or has reason to know” their car doesn’t have the required minimum insurance and drives or allows another person to drive their vehicle could face criminal penalties. A first offense carries up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. For a second or later offense, the maximum jail sentence increases to two years, while the fine remains capped at $1,000.

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How to find cheap liability car insurance in Maryland

Maryland has the highest average rates in the country for both liability-only and full-coverage insurance. Consider the following tips to lower your monthly rate:

• Maintain a clean driving record. Keeping a clean driving record is one of the best ways to save on car insurance. Drivers with a clean record pay $30 less per month, on average, than drivers with an incident on their record, according to Insurify data.

• Look into discounts. Ask your insurance company what car insurance discounts you qualify for, such as discounts for safe driving, good students, and paying your policy in full. Bundling your homeowners and auto insurance with the same insurance company can also provide substantial savings.

• Increase your deductible. Raising your car insurance deductible will reduce your monthly premium because you’re agreeing to pay more out of pocket if you file a claim. Just be sure to raise the deductible only to an amount you can realistically afford if you file a claim.

• Regularly shop and compare. It’s a good idea to compare auto insurance quotes from several car insurance companies every six months to make sure you have the cheapest rate available. Remember, insurers use different criteria for calculating rates, so you may find a cheaper rate for the same policy by taking the time to shop around. 

• Consider Maryland Auto Insurance. Maryland Auto Insurance can be a good option if you have trouble getting coverage elsewhere. The state of Maryland created the program for drivers who saw their policies canceled or denied by at least two companies.

Liability car insurance in Maryland FAQs