Maine State Auto Insurance Requirements

Reports tell us we spend upwards of a quarter of our income each year on insurance. So you can see just how important it is to shop around to be sure we're getting the best deal we can on auto insurance. But first, be sure to know what is needed, and what is optional.

What is the Mandatory Auto Insurance Law?

The law requires resident drivers throughout the State of Maine, whether in Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, Auburn, Augusta, Brunswick, or somewhere in between, to have an auto insurance liability policy with at least the minimum required limits.

What are those minimum required limits in the "Dirigo" State?

Maine law requires you buy liability insurance, uninsured motorists, and medical payments coverage as follows:

Liability Coverage (mandatory):
$50,000 per person, for bodily injury,
$100,000 per accident, for bodily injury, and
$25,000 per accident, for damage to another’s property, usually their car.

These amounts are usually shown as $50/100/25, or a combined single limit (for bodily injury and property damage liability) of $125,000 on your insurance policy.

You cannot register your car unless you show proof that you have this minimum amount of insurance. There is also a mandatory $2,000 medical payments coverage that is required.

Medical Payments (mandatory):
$2,000 minimum. Pays for medical expenses for a designated period of time following the accident, up to your policy’s dollar limits and it includes funeral expenses. Payments are made regardless of who is to blame for the accident. Medical payments covers you, your family members and other passengers in your car.

Keep in mind that these minimum amounts may be low for your situation and you may want to buy more coverage. You should base your decision on your wish to protect your assets from additional claims above the minimum amounts. However, remember that as you raise your coverage, your premiums will also increase. The extra cost of higher coverage tends to be relatively low.

Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist (mandatory):
$25,000/$50,000 minimum.
Covers you if your car is hit by a driver who has no insurance or too little insurance to pay for the full amount of your injuries. Any bodily injury you or an occupant of your auto suffers due to an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver is covered by this limit. Hit-and-run drivers may be classified as uninsured motorists if there is a disinterested witness to the accident or you can somehow prove who hit you (i.e. license plate, drivers license, etc.).

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Property Damage:
Covers repairs to your auto if you are in an accident with an uninsured driver. If your policy includes collision insurance however, this coverage is not available and is replaced by collision coverage.

Comprehensive (optional):
Covers physical damage to your auto that results from non-collision damage, subject usually to a deductible.

Collision (optional):
Covers damage to your car that results from a collision with another car or object, subject usually to a deductible.

Proof of Insurance

If you’re stopped by a Maine law enforcement officer, you must present a Maine Evidence of Insurance card showing that the car is insured. Your ME car insurance company must provide you with this card when they issue or renew your car insurance liability policy, or any time you request it.

If you purchase your insurance here from InstantCarInsurance.com or Ensurance.com you can also print your ID cards instantly online, anytime of day, and for free.

What if I don't have proper coverage?

Maine law requires that all registered car owners carry liability, medical, and UM/UIM insurance. Those who are driving without insurance are subject to penalties such as fines and suspension of drivers license, auto registration, or the right to apply for either.

Motorists convicted of driving with no insurance will be fined $100-500, have their license suspended for 30 days from conviction, and have the car registration suspended as well.

How to Find the Best Auto Insurance Rates in Maine?

It is very important to comparison shop for the best coverage in Maine at the lowest rates. Let's face it, Maine auto insurance is not cheap! But there are many online resources that provide free quotes from licensed Maine insurance companies approved by the Maine BMV. If you think you may be paying too much for auto insurance, Maine residents can save time and money by comparing car insurance quotes quickly and anonymously between all the top name auto insurance carriers simply by logging on right here at InstantCarInsurance.com.

Just remember, the State of Maine requires minimum car insurance Liability limits of 50/100/25, 50/100 for UM, and $2,000 for Medical Payments coverage for each car that carries a valid Maine auto registration. Keep this in mind when shopping for basic coverage and evaluate it against auto insurance quotes with higher coverage limits for a little more money. Cheap car insurance is not always the best car insurance and the Maine Bureau of Insurance, along with InstantCarInsurance.com, warn against buying the cheapest car insurance you find.

The Maine Bureau of Insurance also recommends doing the following:

• Shop around for the policy that is right for you.
• Do not buy the first policy you hear about.
• Get quotes from several companies before you sign an application and pay a premium.
• Be aware of insurance scam artists and unauthorized insurance operations.
• Buy only from authorized insurance companies and producers. etc. etc.

One last tip:

Shop and shop often! Why? Most people don't realize that insurance companies change rates continuously and typically repost new rates twice monthly. Thus we recommend coming back to this site and re-rating your cars on the 1st and the 16th of each month just to be sure you are still getting the best deal and the rock-bottom cheapest price available on car insurance! And why not? It’s free.

For more information contact the Maine Bureau of Insurance at the following address:

Maine Bureau of Insurance
124 Northern Avenue
Gardiner, Maine 04345
(800)300-5000 or (207)624-8475

(mailing address):
34 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0034

Or contact the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles at the following address:

Bureau of Motor Vehicles
101 Hospital Street
(207) 624-9000 x52108