Auto Insurance Minimums for Maryland

In the state of Maryland, you are required by law to have car insurance with minimum liability coverage of 20/40/15.  This ratio translates into $20K of Liability Bodily Injury coverage per person, $40K of Liability Bodily Injury coverage per accident, and $15K of Property Damage coverage per accident.  And this is just the  minimum; the Maryland Insurance Administration strongly suggests that motorists purchase more than the legal limit in addition to having uninsured/underinsured motorists protection (UM/UIM).  This may seem like a lot, but it is not too difficult to find reasonable auto insurance quotes so long as you look in the right places.

The additional coverage recommended because approximately 12% of Maryland drivers are uninsured.  This means that approximately 426,262 motorists defy state law and put you at risk.  This does not include the thousands of others that are inadequately insured.

If you get caught without auto insurance in Maryland, you will lose your license plates and vehicle registration.  If you do not show proof of insurance within the first 30 days after the citation you will be fined $150 and an additional $7 for each day after the first 30.  You may also have to pay a restoration fee of up to $25 for vehicle registration.

Purchasing car insurance is a simple task when you have the right resources.  You can use Save Today to shop for auto insurance quotes online.  On average, Maryland drivers pay $2,244 each year for car insurance.  This really isn’t that much compared to the alternative financial burden and emotional strain resulting from it.

Maryland DUI Law

In Maryland it is possible to be arrested for either a DUI or a DWI. A DWI means that you are driving while impaired. IN order to receive a DUI, a driver’s blood alcohol content level (BAC) must be at least 0.08%. All that is needed to get a DWI is a BAC of 0.07%. Furthermore, if your BAC is 0.15% or higher, you may receive extra penalties.

In Maryland, if you are arrested for a DUI, you will have your license suspended for a 45 days. During this time, you may apply for a limited license. You may receive up to 1 year in jail for a first time offense—which is much stricter than most state laws. You may also face harsh penalties for a DWI.

Maryland Teen Driving Laws/Auto Insurance Requirements

In order to curb disturbing teen driving statistics, Maryland has adopted its own, improved version of the Graduated Driver Licensing program, called; “graduated licensing laws.” Maryland Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) requires that teens 15-17 follow certain steps in gaining a full, unrestricted license.

At 15 years old, teens in Maryland may receive a learner’s license by showing proof of enrollment in school. Teens with a learner’s license must drive with a parent, guardian or driving instructor at all times. At 16 a teen may apply for a regular license. However, these teens must have verification from the Department of Public Safety in order to do so. They also must complete 30 hours of behind the wheel instruction before receiving their license and complete a driver education course.

In Maryland, teens that drive with a BAC of 0.02% or higher are considered driving under the influence, and may face license suspension and points on their driving record.

All drivers in Maryland must carry the minimum amount of insurance required by the state. This includes teens. Because teens are more likely to be involved in accidents than other age groups, they are advised to carry more than the minimum amount of coverage. Teens can lower their auto insurance quotes by enrolling in driver safety courses and maintaining a B average in school.