Maine Car Insurance
The state that you live in determines your insurance coverage levels and Maine is known for the large expanses of undeveloped woodlands, with over 1 million residents holding a driver’s license has specific coverages and minimum limits that all drivers must possess
Before purchasing car insurance online, it’s important to know the laws and requirements in Maine to make sure you are meeting its legal requirements
The table below shows the different coverage options and the requirements that govern it;
Coverage | Requirements In Maine |
Bodily Injury Liability. This covers the expenses incurred after the injury or death of another when the accident is your fault | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
Property Damage Liability. This covers the expenses resulting from the damage of another’s property like vehicles, buildings or any other structures when the accident is your fault | $25,000 limit for the damage |
Uninsured Motorist. This covers the medical expenses after you’re in an accident and the driver at fault has no insurance | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
Underinsured Motorist. This covers your medical expenses after you’ve been in an accident and the driver at fault has limited insurance | This is grouped with the uninsured motorist insurance |
Medical Payments. This covers the medical or funeral expenses that may result after you or your passengers have been in an accident | $2,000 limit for the expenses |
Having looked at the compulsory and minimum coverages, it’s important to note that there are other optional coverages you may opt for;
- Collision which covers the expenses for the repair of your car after its been in an accident
- This covers the expenses for the repair of your car after it’s been stolen or damaged
Fault-Based System in Maine
Car insurance in Maine follows a traditional fault-based system in terms of financial responsibility of the losses resulting from car accidents like lost income, vehicle damage and more
This system, therefore, implies that the party at fault is responsible for any resulting harm as well meaning that the burden of losses lies on him/her
Hence, if you have suffered injuries or damages due to an accident, you thereby have three ways that you can proceed;
- Filing a claim with your insurance company with the assumption that the loss is covered within the policy
- You can also file a third-party claim with the driver at fault’s insurance carrier directly
- You can file a personal injury lawsuit against the party at fault in civil court
Insurance Discounts in Maine
- Online purchase discount
- Multi-policy
- Good student discounts
- Safe driver for those with a clean record
- Anti-theft for those with the device installed
Laws for Drivers in Maine
In the state of Maine, new drivers under 18 years have to go through the Graduated Driver License System
If you are a teenager in Maine, you can apply for a learner’s permit at 15 and must be accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 20 years and has held his/her license for a period of 2 years straight
To apply for a provisional intermediate license, the teen has to be 16 and must have had the permit for 6 months with 70 hours of supervised driving practice, 5 of which occur at night
The provisional license holders mustn’t drive between midnight and 5:00 am and may not drive with passengers aside from family members or a licensed driver
The teen may then apply for an unrestricted license once they’ve held the provisional license for 270 days and when they turn 16 years and 9 months, the passenger and nighttime driving restrictions are lifted
Drivers in Maine that are under the age of 18 aren’t allowed to text, interact or manipulate any electronic device while behind the wheel
Whoever does so will face penalties ranging from $50 for the first offense to $250 for the subsequent offenses
Failure to Carry Car Insurance
It is compulsory to have car insurance in Maine and it’s important to have the proof of your car insurance at all times and failure to present it to a law enforcement officer can result in a charge of uninsured operation and a loss of driving and registration privileges
Whoever is caught driving without car insurance in Maine can be fined $100 to $500 and be in jail for up to 10 days
Your driver’s license and vehicle registration can be suspended if you drive without proof of insurance since it’s considered illegal in Maine