What Maryland Law Requires on Every Policy
Maryland law requires three separate coverages on every private passenger auto policy: bodily injury and property damage liability at minimum limits of $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage; personal injury protection (PIP); and uninsured motorist coverage. You cannot register a vehicle or renew registration without proof that all three are active. Liability alone does not satisfy Maryland's mandate.
The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration enforces these requirements under Transportation Article §17-103 and §17-106. Your insurer files an FR-19 certificate electronically with the MVA to confirm coverage.
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Get Your Free QuoteMaryland Minimum Liability Limits
$30,000/$60,000/$15,000
Bodily injury coverage must provide at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. Property damage liability must provide at least $15,000 per accident. These are the statutory minimums under Transportation Article §17-103; you may carry higher limits.
Maryland Transportation Article §17-103
Why Liability Alone Does Not Satisfy Maryland Law
Many drivers moving to Maryland from states that require only liability assume that purchasing a liability policy satisfies Maryland law. It does not. Maryland is one of a minority of states that mandate first-party medical coverage (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage on every policy. If your policy lacks either, the MVA will not accept your FR-19 filing and you cannot complete registration.
Personal injury protection pays your medical expenses and lost wages after an accident regardless of fault, up to the limit you select. Uninsured motorist coverage pays your bodily injury damages when you are hit by a driver with no insurance or insufficient coverage. Both coverages protect you and your passengers; liability protects others. Maryland law requires all three because the state has a high uninsured motorist rate — 16.9 percent of drivers as of 2023 — and wants to ensure injured parties have a recovery path even when the at-fault driver carries no coverage.
If you purchase a policy online or through an out-of-state agent and the policy includes only liability, you will discover the gap when you attempt to register the vehicle at an MVA branch or when the MVA rejects the FR-19 filing. You must then add PIP and uninsured motorist coverage before registration proceeds. The correction delays registration and may require a second trip to the MVA.
Maryland law mandates PIP and uninsured motorist coverage on every policy. Liability alone will not satisfy the FR-19 filing requirement, and your registration will be rejected.
How Maryland's Three-Coverage Mandate Works
Bodily injury liability pays damages you owe to others when you cause an accident: their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering. Property damage liability pays for damage you cause to another person's vehicle or property. These two coverages together protect others from your mistakes. Maryland sets the minimum limits at $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 per accident for property damage.
Personal injury protection (PIP) pays your own medical expenses, lost wages, and essential services (such as childcare or household help) after an accident, regardless of who caused it. PIP pays first, before health insurance, and covers you and your passengers. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays your bodily injury damages when you are hit by a driver with no insurance or limits below yours. Maryland requires UM at the same limits as your liability coverage unless you reject it in writing. If you carry $30,000/$60,000 liability, your UM must be at least $30,000/$60,000 unless you sign a rejection form. UM also includes underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which pays when the at-fault driver's limits are insufficient to cover your damages.
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What Happens When You Drive Without All Three Coverages
If any of the three required coverages lapses — liability, PIP, or uninsured motorist — your insurer notifies the MVA electronically and the MVA suspends your registration immediately. The suspension applies even if only one coverage lapsed while the other two remained active.
Driving on a suspended registration is a misdemeanor in Maryland, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for a first offense. If you are stopped, the officer will issue a citation and may impound the vehicle. If you are involved in an accident while uninsured, you are personally liable for all damages and injuries you cause, and the MVA will suspend your license for one year under the state's uninsured motorist laws. You must then file an FR-19 for three years after reinstatement to prove continuous coverage.
Maryland's automatic suspension system operates without notice beyond the insurer's lapse notification. The MVA does not send a separate warning letter before suspending your registration. If your policy cancels for nonpayment or you drop a required coverage, the suspension takes effect the same day the lapse is reported. You are responsible for monitoring your policy status and ensuring all three coverages remain active.
Maryland Uninsured Motorist Rate
16.9%
Nearly one in six Maryland drivers operates without insurance, according to 2023 data. This high uninsured rate is why Maryland mandates uninsured motorist coverage on every policy — it ensures you have a recovery path even when the at-fault driver carries no coverage.
Insurance Research Council, 2023
How to Verify Your Policy Satisfies Maryland Law
Request a declarations page from your insurer or agent before you register a vehicle or move to Maryland. The declarations page lists every coverage on your policy and the limits for each. Confirm that bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, and uninsured motorist coverage all appear with limits at or above Maryland's minimums. If any coverage is missing or the limits fall below the statutory minimums, contact your insurer immediately to add or increase the coverage.
When you purchase a policy online, the quote tool may default to liability-only coverage or omit PIP and uninsured motorist if you select the lowest-cost option. Review the coverage summary carefully before binding the policy. If the summary does not list PIP and UM, the policy does not satisfy Maryland law and you will not be able to register your vehicle. Most carriers licensed in Maryland automatically include all three required coverages, but out-of-state carriers or non-standard insurers may require you to add them manually.
Compare Carriers That Write Maryland-Compliant Policies
Every carrier licensed to write auto insurance in Maryland must offer policies that include liability, PIP, and uninsured motorist coverage at the state's minimum limits. However, the base premium for a compliant policy varies significantly by carrier, and the premium difference across carriers often exceeds the cost of adding higher limits or optional coverages to a single policy. Comparing quotes from multiple carriers ensures you are not overpaying for the same mandated coverages.
When you request quotes, confirm that each quote includes all three required coverages at or above Maryland's minimums. Some carriers quote liability-only by default and add PIP and UM only when you specify Maryland as your state. Others bundle all three automatically. Ask each carrier or agent to provide a declarations page or coverage summary with the quote so you can verify that the policy satisfies Maryland law before you bind coverage. Use the comparison tool on this site to request quotes from carriers licensed in Maryland and compare the total premium for a compliant policy across multiple insurers.