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Ready to drive in the Old Line State? Make sure you have the coverage you need before you hit the road. Read Benzinga’s comprehensive guide to the best Maryland car insurance to learn more and get quotes.
Best Cheap Car Insurance in Maryland
Maryland Car Insurance Overview
- You’ll find an average of 2 vehicles per household.
- Minimum car insurance requirements are as follows:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $30,000 per person and $60,000 minimum per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $15,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage coverage: $15,000 per accident
- Drivers with a clean record can expect to pay between $741 and $1,167 annually for state minimum coverage, depending on their provider.
Maryland Car Insurance Requirements
Every driver on the road in Maryland must have at least the following minimum protections according to Maryland car insurance law:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: Bodily injury liability coverage pays for the medical bills of the driver and passengers of a car that are involved with you in a collision. You must have at least $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and $60,000 minimum per accident.
- Property damage liability coverage: Property damage liability coverage compensates anyone whose property you damage during an accident. You must have a minimum of $15,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident if you drive in Maryland.
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage compensates you for medical bills if you’re hit by a driver who’s on the road without insurance. You must have a minimum of $30,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person and $60,000 minimum per accident.
- Uninsured motorist property damage coverage: Uninsured motorist property damage coverage compensates you for damage done to your vehicle if you’re hit by a driver on the road who doesn’t have insurance. You must have a minimum of $15,000 of coverage.
Some other types of optional coverage you may want to add to your policy include:
- Collision coverage: This coverage compensates you for damage done to your vehicle and can be useful if you’re involved in an expensive accident and the other driver only has state minimum insurance.
- Comprehensive coverage: This coverage compensates you for damage done to your vehicle if your car is damaged outside of an accident. Some examples of covered perils include fires, theft and collisions with animals.
Maryland Traffic Laws You Should Know
It’s your responsibility to follow the rules of the road in Maryland. You might face a fine — or worse, a higher insurance premium. Read on to learn about a few Maryland-specific traffic laws you need to know.
- Reportable conditions: Maryland law requires you to report certain conditions that can affect your ability to drive when you apply for a license. You must disclose any of the following conditions before you can get a license:
- Insulin-dependent diabetes
- Cerebral Palsy
- Heart conditions
- Autism
- Dementia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Alcohol or drug dependence or abuse
- Loss of a limb
- Traumatic brain injury
- Bipolar and schizophrenic disorders
- Panic attacks
- Parkinson’s disease
- Sleep disorders
- Seat belts: Every driver under the age of 16 must wear a seat belt inside a moving vehicle. You must also wear a seat belt if you’re sitting in front of the vehicle, regardless of your age.
- Cellphones: It’s illegal to use a cellphone while driving in Maryland unless you’re using a hands-free device. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use a cellphone while driving at any time.
Maryland Car Insurance Rates per Vehicle
The type of car you drive can affect how much you pay for insurance. Some of the data that insurance providers consider when they decide how much you’ll pay each month includes:
- Safety ratings: You’ll pay less for insurance if you drive a vehicle that scored highly on safety tests.
- Collision statistics: You’ll pay more for insurance if you drive a car that’s statistically more likely to be involved in an accident.
- Theft data: You’ll pay more for coverage if you drive a vehicle that’s more likely to be stolen.
Car Insurance Rates Based on Your Credit Score
You might be surprised to learn that your insurance credit score can affect how much you pay for auto insurance. However, insurance company data suggests that drivers with low credit scores are more likely to commit insurance fraud. Drivers with bad credit are riskier (and more expensive) to insure.
A few states have banned the use of credit scores in premium calculations — but insurance companies in Maryland are still allowed to analyze your credit score. You can reapply for insurance after you raise your credit score if you have bad credit or no credit.
Let’s take a look at what you might pay for insurance depending on your credit score.
Insurance for Drivers with a Clean Record
Looking for cheap car insurance? The first place you should look is at your own driving record. Maintain a clean driving record to make sure that you get the best insurance rates possible. You’ll get lower rates because you’re less likely to get into an accident.
Let’s take a look at what you might pay for 3 different types of coverage with a clean driving record:
- State minimum coverage is the bare minimum coverage you need to legally drive in Maryland.
- Standard coverage is the state minimum coverage plus collision coverage.
- Full coverage is the state minimum and standard coverage plus rental reimbursement and emergency roadside service (to name a few) on a single policy.
| Insurance Company | State Minimum Insurance | Standard Coverage | Full Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $741 | $1,305 | $2,282 |
| GEICO | $847 | $1,646 | $2,339 |
| Nationwide | $1,167 | $1,435 | $2,146 |
| Progressive | $969 | $1,405 | $2,425 |
| State Farm | $834 | $1,495 | $2,612 |
Insurance Rates with Driving Infractions
You’ll pay more for your car insurance if you do have infractions on your driving record. However, the amount you’ll pay for insurance depends on the severity of the infraction on your record.
Let’s take a look at how a few of the most common driving offenses might impact what you pay for insurance:
- At-fault accident: An at-fault accident is an accident that you fully or partially cause.
- Speed violation: A speed infraction involves driving too far above the posted speed limit. The further above the posted speed limit you go, the more your insurance will increase. An officer may even issue you a speed violation if you’re driving so far below the speed limit that you cause a danger to other drivers.
- DUI: DUI stands for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A DUI is a criminal offense as well as one of the most serious driving infractions you can get. Expect your car insurance to increase significantly if you’ve been convicted of a DUI.
Best Car Insurance Providers in Maryland
Now that you understand how car insurance in Maryland works, let’s take a look at some of the best companies that offer affordable coverage.
1. Best Overall: Erie Insurance
Erie Insurance consistently earns top marks from J.D. Power for its excellent customer service and online filing experiences.
Drivers rated Erie Insurance as the most convenient shopping experience for the 7th year in a row. Erie also offers a number of discounts that drivers can take advantage of to lower their premium expenses, including bundled deals.
Affordable coverage and high-quality customer service means that Erie Insurance is our top choice for car insurance in Maryland.
2. Best Coverage for Multiple Cars: Allstate
Have more than one vehicle to insure? You need to balance premium costs with enough coverage to protect yourself.
- Pay-per-mile insurance from an established company
Allstate offers customizable policies that allow you to add or remove protections for certain vehicles. This can be beneficial if you have a teen driver or a senior driver who needs a little more coverage.
Allstate even offers new car replacement coverage, rare protection that fully reimburses you if you damage your new car.
Of course, you can also save even more when you bundle multiple cars together on a single policy.
- Discounts
3. Best Baltimore Car Insurance: Nationwide
Besides being the cheapest overall choice for car insurance in Baltimore, Nationwide was also ranked high by J.D. Power.
Nationwide also received an A+ rating from Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s, financial services agencies. Nationwide also offers a program that lowers your deductible every year you avoid an accident.
Nationwide also takes top spots in our rankings for the best condo insurance, the best temporary car insurance and the best legal insurance companies.
4. Best for Military Personnel: USAA
USAA is a home and auto insurance company that only offers policies to members of the armed forces and their family members. Meeting service requirements can get you some of the best car insurance rates available in Maryland.
- Active military members
USAA claims that drivers who switch save an average of $707 on insurance. USAA also produces some of the lowest quotes in Baltimore.
Be sure to get a quote from USAA before you choose a policy — if you meet service requirements.
5. Best for Custom Price: Root
Root is a unique new car insurance provider that offers policies based on your driving habits. You’ll install an app on your phone that monitors your speed, how often you make sudden turns and stops and mileage.
- Infrequent drivers
Then, the app creates a custom quote for you based on how well you drive.
Root doesn’t offer policies to everyone — the company avoids reckless drivers and those who have a long history of driving infractions so the company can keep premiums low. You may be able to save more when you switch to Root.
Getting Coverage in the Old Line State
Thinking about how to lower your car insurance? The first step is to make sure you compare all your options by collecting plenty of quotes. Every car insurance company uses its own data set to determine how much you’ll pay for coverage. This means that it’s possible to get the exact same insurance from 10 different companies at 10 different price points. Take some time to research different companies that operate in your state and get at least 5 quotes. This will help you better compare your coverage choices — and ensure you’re not overpaying for insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I have just the minimum amount of car insurance required by my state?
It’s a good idea to purchase more than the state minimum of any type of insurance. State minimums are set relatively low to keep insurance affordable, but in the case of an accident, you can deplete your minimums quickly with expensive medical and property damage costs. Once your bills extend past the minimums, you’ll personally be liable for additional costs and damage. Get the coverage that makes sense for you here.
What kind of discounts are usually available?
The most common discounts available are multi-policy and auto-pay, but every company is different. Other discounts that are widely available are loyalty, good student and anti-theft device discounts. See our top providers with the best discounts and get a unique quote.
How much is my car insured for?
With a standard auto insurance policy, your vehicle is insured using actual cash value, which means that a deduction may be taken for depreciation based on age or usage. As your vehicle ages, it’s worth less money which reduces the insurable value. If you own a collectible or classic car, you’ll want to consider a specialized classic car insurance policy that insures your vehicle to its full value without a deduction for depreciation.
*Quotes were obtained using the following profile: base 2015 Toyota Camry, male, 40-years-old. Policies reflect state minimum coverage options. We make every effort to provide the most accurate quotes based on the profile above. Due to the many combined variables involved in insurance quotes, the only way to get an accurate quote is to enter your own information through our partners' secure websites.
About Sarah Horvath
Sarah is an expert in the insurance, investing for retirement and cryptocurrency space.