Maryland car insurance: minimums, SR-22 rules and costs

Last updated: November 12, 2026

Maryland drivers must carry at least $30,000/$60,000 of bodily injury liability and $15,000 of property damage liability, plus personal injury protection (PIP), uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. In 2023, insured drivers in Maryland spent an average of $1,477.34 on car insurance, 15% above the national average of $1,281.60, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That makes Maryland the 8th most expensive of the 50 states and D.C. by that measure.

Minimum car insurance required in Maryland

Coverage	Minimum
Bodily injury liability, per person	$30,000
Bodily injury liability, per accident	$60,000
Property damage liability, per accident	$15,000
Personal injury protection (PIP)	Required
Uninsured motorist (UM)	Required
Underinsured motorist (UIM)	Required

You'll often see this written as 30/60/15. The first two numbers are the bodily injury limits in thousands of dollars (per person and per accident), and the last is property damage. Those amounts are the most the policy pays for injuries and damage you cause to others. Anything above them can come back to you personally.

Instead of split limits, Maryland also lets you meet the requirement with a combined single-limit policy.

Is Maryland a no-fault state?

No. Maryland isn't one of the 12 no-fault states listed by the Insurance Information Institute, so the driver who causes a crash, and their insurer, is generally responsible for the other people's injuries and damage. That's why the liability limits above matter so much.

Maryland does require personal injury protection, which pays your own medical costs whoever caused the crash. The Insurance Information Institute calls this an "add-on" system: you get first-party benefits like in a no-fault state, but there are no limits on your right to sue.

SR-22 rules in Maryland

Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) focuses on keeping every registered vehicle insured at all times. Insurers report coverage to the MVA electronically. If a policy is canceled or lapses, you can face insurance lapse penalties, a suspended registration and flags on the vehicle, and if you cancel insurance without replacing it you have to return your plates before the policy ends.

The MVA's insurance page doesn't describe SR-22 filings. If a court or the MVA asks for proof of insurance after a violation, ask your insurer what it needs to file.

What drives car insurance costs in Maryland

Average spending in Maryland rose 20% from 2019 to 2023, compared with 19% nationwide. Here's average annual spending per insured vehicle, from the NAIC:

Year	Maryland average	U.S. average
2019	$1,231.51	$1,075.08
2020	$1,200.40	$1,047.76
2021	$1,199.48	$1,060.23
2022	$1,281.25	$1,124.45
2023	$1,477.34	$1,281.60

The NAIC's "average expenditure" is total written premium divided by insured vehicles. It isn't a quote, and your own price depends on your driver profile and the coverage you choose.

Uninsured drivers. An estimated 16.9% of drivers in Maryland were uninsured in 2023, higher than the national estimate of 15.4%. That's the 14th highest rate among the 50 states and D.C. When more drivers are uninsured, insured drivers' own uninsured motorist coverage pays more claims, which pushes up its price.
Crash deaths. Maryland recorded 578 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2024, or 1.01 per 100 million miles driven, lower than the U.S. rate of 1.19 (the 15th lowest of the 50 states and D.C.). Severe crashes drive up bodily injury claim costs.
Where and how crashes happen. In 2024, 18% of Maryland's crash deaths happened in rural areas (U.S.: 41%), 20% involved speeding (U.S.: 29%), and 26% of those killed were pedestrians (U.S.: 18%).

Ways to save on car insurance in Maryland

Compare at least three quotes. Insurers weigh the same facts differently, so prices for the same driver in Maryland can vary widely. More ways to lower your bill.
Don't drop uninsured motorist coverage to save money. With roughly 1 in 6 drivers in Maryland uninsured, it's what pays your injury bills if one of them hits you. How UM coverage works.
Shop at every renewal. Prices in Maryland rose faster than the national average from 2019 to 2023, so a renewal increase is a good reason to compare.
Pick a deductible you can actually pay. Raising it lowers your premium, but only if you could cover it after a claim. How deductibles work.
If you've been turned down, look at Maryland Auto Insurance. According to the MVA, drivers whose policy was canceled or who were denied by two or more insurers may qualify for coverage through Maryland Auto Insurance.
Ask about discounts. Common ones include safe driver, multi-car, bundling, paying in full, good student and usage-based programs. They're not always applied automatically.

See other states in our car insurance guides by state.

Sources

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DriveCheaper may be paid by companies shown on this site. How we make money. This page is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Laws and prices change, so confirm details with your insurer or your state's insurance department or DMV.