See Maryland car insurance cost for both new and used cars. Also see what coverage you need, how your car’s value and credit score affect your rate, and where you can cut costs without leaving yourself in trouble.
Maryland drivers pay roughly 24% to 50% above the national average for car insurance, depending on coverage level. A full coverage policy runs about $2,200 to $3,500 per year, while liability-only coverage averages $800 to $1,200 annually.
Curious about car financing? See real Maryland car loan rates shared by our community.
Maryland’s 30/60/15 Minimums: What You’re Required to Have
Maryland requires four types of coverage to legally register and drive a vehicle. Unlike some states that only mandate liability, Maryland builds in protections for when the other driver has no insurance—or not enough.
Bodily Injury Liability: $30,000/$60,000
This pays for injuries you cause to others in an accident. The $30,000 limit applies per person; $60,000 is the maximum the policy pays per accident, no matter how many people are hurt.
If you cause a crash that injures three people with medical bills totaling $90,000, your policy only covers $60,000. You’re responsible for the remaining $30,000.
Property Damage Liability: $15,000
This covers damage you cause to another person’s vehicle, fence, mailbox, or other property. The $15,000 limit is per accident.
With the average new car price now exceeding $48,000, a single fender-bender involving a newer vehicle can easily exceed this limit.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: $30,000/$60,000/$15,000
Maryland requires this coverage at the same limits as your liability. It protects you when someone without insurance (or without enough insurance) causes an accident. About 14% of Maryland drivers are uninsured—that’s roughly one in seven cars on the road.
This coverage also applies to hit-and-run accidents where the at-fault driver flees the scene.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP): $2,500 Minimum
PIP covers your own medical expenses and a portion of lost wages after an accident, regardless of who caused it. Maryland insurers must offer at least $2,500 in PIP, though you can decline this coverage in writing.
Many drivers waive PIP to lower their premiums. Before you do, consider that PIP pays out faster than health insurance and covers expenses your health plan might not, like childcare costs while you recover.
MFP Tip: Maryland law caps how much insurers can raise your premium based on credit—no more than 40% above what someone with excellent credit pays. This protection doesn’t exist in most states.
Maryland New Car Insurance Cost
Your new car insurance cost depends on three main factors: your car’s value, how much coverage you buy, and your credit history. A driver with excellent credit insuring a paid-off 2018 Honda Civic will pay far less than someone with poor credit financing a new Tesla Model Y.
| Car Value | Coverage | 750+ (Excellent) |
700–749 (Good) |
650–699 (Fair) |
600–649 (Below Fair) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $30K | Full | $232 | $273 | $301 | $514 |
| Standard | $168 | $198 | $218 | $373 | |
| Liability only | $111 | $131 | $144 | $246 | |
| $30K–$60K | Full | $274 | $323 | $355 | $607 |
| Standard | $200 | $235 | $259 | $442 | |
| Liability only | $121 | $143 | $157 | $269 | |
| Over $60K | Full | $338 | $398 | $438 | $748 |
| Standard | $243 | $286 | $315 | $538 | |
| Liability only | $131 | $155 | $170 | $291 |
Maryland Used Car Insurance Cost
| Car Value | Coverage | 750+ (Excellent) |
700–749 (Good) |
650–699 (Fair) |
600–649 (Below Fair) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $15K | Full | $135 | $159 | $175 | $299 |
| Standard | $113 | $133 | $147 | $251 | |
| Liability only | $77 | $90 | $100 | $170 | |
| $15K–$25K | Full | $162 | $191 | $210 | $359 |
| Standard | $135 | $159 | $175 | $299 | |
| Liability only | $89 | $105 | $115 | $197 | |
| $25K–$40K | Full | $184 | $216 | $238 | $406 |
| Standard | $153 | $180 | $199 | $339 | |
| Liability only | $96 | $113 | $124 | $213 | |
| Over $40K | Full | $211 | $248 | $273 | $466 |
| Standard | $175 | $206 | $227 | $387 | |
| Liability only | $106 | $125 | $138 | $235 |
Coverage Levels Explained
- Full Coverage: Includes collision and comprehensive plus liability at 100/300/100 limits. Collision covers damage when you hit something; comprehensive covers theft, weather damage, vandalism, and animal strikes. If you’re financing or leasing, your lender requires this.
- Standard Coverage: Liability at 50/100/50 limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. No collision or comprehensive. Suitable for drivers who own their car outright and could afford to replace it.
- Liability Only: Maryland’s minimum 30/60/15 limits plus required uninsured motorist coverage. Covers damage you cause to others but nothing for your own vehicle.
Baltimore City has the highest rates in the state—roughly 20% more than Baltimore County and double what drivers in rural areas like Cumberland pay. Prince George’s County ranks third for cost, followed by Montgomery County.
Your Credit Score Matters, But Maryland Limits How Much
Credit history is one of the biggest factors in your car insurance rate. Maryland allows insurers to use your credit-based insurance score when setting your initial premium, but the state provides protections most others don’t.
What Maryland Law Requires
Insurers cannot use your credit score to deny coverage or cancel your policy. They also cannot use it to raise your rate at renewal. The credit check only affects your premium when you first apply for a policy.
Maryland also caps the impact: your premium cannot increase by more than 40% based on credit alone. And insurers cannot penalize you for credit history older than five years or for the number of inquiries on your report.
How Credit Affects Your Rate
Even with Maryland’s protections, drivers with poor credit can pay 50% to 88% more than those with excellent credit. Here’s a general breakdown:
- Excellent credit (750+): You’ll pay roughly 15% below the state average.
- Good credit (700-749): You’ll pay about the state average.
- Average credit (650-699): Expect to pay 10% above average.
- Below-average credit (under 650): You could pay 40% to 88% above average, depending on the insurer.
MFP Tip: If your credit has improved since you bought your current policy, shop around. Your existing insurer can’t lower your rate based on credit at renewal, but a new insurer will use your current score when quoting you.
Choosing the Right Coverage
Whether you need full coverage or can get by with liability only depends mostly on two things: whether you have a loan and what your car is worth.
If You’re Financing or Leasing
Your lender requires collision and comprehensive coverage for the life of your loan. This isn’t optional—it’s in your financing agreement. If you drop coverage, the lender will buy a policy on your behalf and add it to your loan balance, often at a much higher cost.
Consider gap insurance if you’re financing a new car. Gap coverage pays the difference between what you owe on your loan and what your car is worth if it’s totaled. New cars depreciate 20% to 30% in the first year, so without gap coverage, you could owe thousands on a car that no longer exists.
If You Own Your Car Outright
You decide whether to carry collision and comprehensive. Use the 10% rule: if your annual collision and comprehensive premium exceeds 10% of your car’s current market value, dropping those coverages often makes financial sense.
Example: Your 2015 Camry is worth $12,000. If collision and comprehensive cost $1,500 per year, that’s 12.5% of the car’s value. You might keep that coverage. But if the premium is $2,000, it’s 17% of the car’s value—and you’re essentially paying to replace the car every six years through premiums alone.
For Used Car Buyers
Used vehicles in Maryland require a safety inspection before registration. Factor inspection costs ($100 to $150) and any needed repairs into your purchase budget.
If you’re paying cash for a used car, get insurance quotes before you buy. A vehicle with a high theft rate or expensive parts can cost significantly more to insure. In Maryland, where vehicle theft is a major rating factor, this matters more than in most states.
MFP Tip: Before dropping collision coverage on an older car, check whether you have enough savings to replace it tomorrow. If a $5,000 car loss would create financial hardship, keeping collision coverage might be worth the peace of mind.
30/60/15 Sounds Like a Lot
Maryland’s minimum coverage looks reasonable on paper. In practice, it leaves serious gaps that could cost you thousands out of pocket—or more.
When You Damage Someone’s Property
The $15,000 property damage limit was set decades ago when cars cost far less. Today, the average new vehicle costs over $48,000. Even many used cars on the road are worth $25,000 to $35,000.
If you total someone’s $40,000 SUV, your insurance pays $15,000. You’re personally responsible for the remaining $25,000. The owner can sue you for it, garnish your wages, or place liens on your property.
If You Injure Someone
A single broken bone can generate $50,000 in medical bills. A serious injury involving surgery, rehabilitation, and lost wages can easily exceed $200,000. Your $30,000 per-person limit won’t come close.
Maryland is an at-fault state with contributory negligence laws—among the strictest in the country. If you’re even 1% at fault for an accident, you cannot collect anything from the other driver. But if you cause an accident, the injured party can come after your assets for amounts beyond your coverage.
When an Uninsured Driver Hits You
About 14% of Maryland drivers carry no insurance. That’s higher than the national average of 12.6%. Your odds of being hit by an uninsured driver are roughly one in seven.
Your required uninsured motorist coverage has the same $30,000/$60,000 limits as your liability. If an uninsured driver causes $100,000 in injuries to you and your passengers, you’re covered for $60,000. You either absorb the remaining $40,000 or try to collect from someone who couldn’t afford insurance in the first place.
Consider carrying uninsured motorist coverage at 100/300 limits. The premium difference is often $100 to $200 per year—far less than the financial exposure you’re reducing.
MFP Tip: Maryland now requires insurers to offer Enhanced Underinsured Motorist (EUIM) coverage. This lets you collect from both the at-fault driver’s policy AND your own policy without reduction. It costs more, but provides significantly better protection if you’re hit by an underinsured driver.
What Shapes Maryland Rates
Maryland’s insurance costs aren’t random. Specific factors push rates higher—and understanding them helps you make better decisions about coverage and where you park your car.
Maryland Is an At-Fault State
When you cause an accident in Maryland, you’re financially responsible for the other person’s injuries and property damage. The at-fault driver’s insurance pays the claim—not each driver’s own policy.
Maryland also follows contributory negligence, one of the harshest liability rules in the country. If you’re found even partially responsible for an accident, you cannot recover any compensation from the other driver. Only four states plus D.C. use this standard.
This makes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage especially valuable. If you’re hurt by an uninsured driver, you can’t sue them for money they don’t have. Your own UM coverage is your protection.
Vehicle Theft Is a Major Problem
Maryland ranks among the top five states for vehicle theft, with rates well above the national average. Baltimore City leads the state, but Prince George’s County and Montgomery County also see high theft numbers.
The 2023-2024 “Kia Boys” trend—where viral social media videos showed how to steal certain Kia and Hyundai models with a screwdriver and USB cable—hit Maryland hard. Thefts tripled in Baltimore at the peak. While theft rates have dropped from that spike, they remain elevated.
This affects what you pay. Comprehensive coverage costs more in high-theft ZIP codes, and certain vehicle models carry premium surcharges. If you drive a Kia or Hyundai without the manufacturer’s anti-theft software update, expect to pay more.
Weather Risks: Hurricanes to Winter Storms
Maryland faces weather from multiple directions. Hurricane season (June through November) brings flood risks and wind damage, especially in coastal areas and along the Chesapeake Bay. The state also gets ice storms, hail, and the occasional tornado.
Comprehensive coverage handles most weather damage to vehicles—flooding, hail, fallen trees. But standard auto insurance never covers flood damage to your home. And if you’re in a hurricane warning zone, Maryland allows insurers to apply percentage-based hurricane deductibles that can be significantly higher than your regular deductible.
Traffic Density Along I-95 and I-495
The Baltimore-Washington corridor is one of the most congested in the country. More traffic means more accidents, more claims, and higher rates. Drivers in Baltimore, Silver Spring, and Bethesda pay notably more than those in rural Western Maryland or the Eastern Shore.
If you commute on I-95, I-495 (the Beltway), or I-270, your exposure to accidents is higher. Some insurers offer low-mileage discounts if you work from home or have a short commute.
How to Fight Back Against High Maryland Rates
You can’t change Maryland’s theft statistics or traffic density. But you can control the factors within your reach to bring premiums down.
Bundle Your Policies
Carrying your auto and homeowners (or renters) insurance with the same company typically saves 10% to 25%. Some insurers extend bundling discounts to umbrella policies, life insurance, or even boat coverage.
Take a Defensive Driving Course
Maryland-approved defensive driving courses can qualify you for premium discounts of 5% to 15%, depending on your insurer. The course takes several hours and costs around $25 to $50, but the annual savings often exceed the cost within the first year.
Enroll in Usage-Based or Telematics Programs
Many insurers offer safe-driver tracking programs that monitor your driving through a smartphone app or plug-in device. If you drive smoothly, avoid hard braking, and stay off the roads during high-risk hours, you can earn discounts of 10% to 40%.
These programs aren’t for everyone—if you frequently brake hard in stop-and-go traffic, your rate could go up. But for steady drivers, the savings can be substantial.
Shop Around Every Year
Insurance companies reprice their policies constantly. The cheapest insurer last year might not be cheapest this year. Get quotes from at least three to five companies annually, comparing identical coverage levels.
Because Maryland restricts how current insurers can use credit at renewal, your best opportunity to benefit from improved credit is by switching to a new insurer.
Raise Your Deductibles
Moving from a $500 deductible to $1,000 on collision and comprehensive can cut that portion of your premium by 15% to 30%. Just make sure you have the deductible amount in savings—you’ll need to pay it before insurance kicks in after a claim.
Ask About Discounts You Might Be Missing
Common discounts include:
- Multi-car (insuring two or more vehicles on the same policy).
- Good student (for drivers under 25 with a B average or higher).
- Anti-theft device (especially relevant in Maryland given theft rates).
- Low mileage (under 7,500 to 10,000 miles per year).
- Paid-in-full (paying your annual premium upfront instead of monthly).
- Paperless billing and autopay.
MFP Tip: If you drive a Kia or Hyundai made between 2011 and 2022, check whether your vehicle has received the free anti-theft software update. Some insurers won’t cover these models—or charge significantly more—without it.
Just Bought a Car in Maryland? Here’s Your Checklist
Maryland requires proof of insurance before you can register a vehicle. The state verifies your coverage electronically and will suspend your registration if insurance lapses.
Get Insurance Before You Drive
If you already have a Maryland auto policy, you typically have 7 to 30 days (depending on your insurer) to add a new vehicle. Call your insurer or add it online before leaving the dealership.
If you don’t have existing coverage, you must buy a policy before driving the car. Dealerships won’t let you drive off the lot without proof of insurance, and driving uninsured—even briefly—is illegal in Maryland.
Complete Registration Within 60 Days
If you bought from a dealership, they typically handle titling and registration. If you bought privately, you have 60 days to title the vehicle at an MVA office or authorized tag and title service.
You’ll need:
- The signed title from the seller.
- Proof of insurance (your insurance card or policy number).
- A Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate (for used vehicles being titled in Maryland for the first time).
- Payment for registration fees and any applicable taxes.
Pass the Safety Inspection (Used Vehicles)
Used cars being registered in Maryland for the first time must pass a state safety inspection. Find a licensed inspection station, pay the fee (usually $100 to $150), and address any repairs needed to pass.
If the car won’t pass immediately, you can get a 30-day temporary registration that lets you drive it legally while making repairs.
Complete Emissions Testing During Your Registration Period
Maryland requires emissions testing for most vehicles. You’ll receive a notice from the MVA during your two-year registration period telling you when and where to get tested. The test costs a fee, and failure to complete it can result in registration suspension.
Review Your Coverage Annually
Set a calendar reminder to review your insurance each year at renewal time. Your car depreciates, your circumstances change, and insurance rates fluctuate. What made sense last year might not make sense now.
Check whether you still need the same coverage level, whether your deductibles are appropriate, and whether switching insurers could save money.
MFP Tip: Keep your insurance card in the car at all times—Maryland law requires you to show proof of insurance when requested by police. You can show it on your phone, but keep a paper copy as backup so you don’t have to hand over your device.
End Note
Maryland’s minimum coverage keeps you legal, but it doesn’t keep you protected. The $15,000 property damage limit won’t cover a totaled SUV. The $30,000 bodily injury limit won’t cover serious medical bills. And with 14% of Maryland drivers uninsured, the odds of needing your UM coverage are higher than in most states.
Make coverage decisions based on what accidents actually cost—not on the minimum the state requires. A policy with 100/300/100 limits costs more than 30/60/15, but the premium difference is often far less than the financial exposure you’re reducing.
If you’re financing, you need full coverage. If you own an older car outright, run the numbers on whether collision and comprehensive still make sense. Either way, compare quotes from multiple insurers, take advantage of available discounts, and review your policy every year.
The right coverage isn’t the cheapest coverage or the most expensive coverage. It’s the coverage that matches your car’s value, your financial situation, and the real risks you face on Maryland roads.