Best Auto Insurance Rates in Maine

Compare Auto Insurance in Maine

Thursday, May 10 2018 By Larry Canonica

Maine’s state animal is the moose and you want to be sure that you have adequate insurance coverage if you ever run into one on the road. Here at QuoteWizard, we’ve compiled useful insurance information you can use to make sure your car insurance rates and coverage are what they should be.

This page will show you which types of coverage are legally required in Maine and inform you about important insurance laws. It also has information about the cost of driving and some insights about insurance risk in Maine.

Average Maine Car Insurance Rates

Congratulations Maine! Car insurance in Maine is far cheaper than it is in most of the country. On average, Maine drivers pay 30% less for auto insurance than the average American. It's not a coincidence that Maine is ranked second for lowest number of uninsured motorists. The average cost of car insurance in Maine is $617.73 per year. The national average price is $889.01.

Prices may vary depending on your car, driving record, zip code, limits, and the number of claims filed in your neighborhood.

Maine Average Annual Car Insurance Rates

Coverage	Rates
Liability	$338.87
Collision	$259.98
Comprehensive	$104.98
Total Cost Per Year	$617.73
Price Per Month	$51.47

The graph below shows the change in average Maine rates from 2011 to 2015, the most recent year the data is available. According to the III, Maine car insurance rates increased from $577 in 2011 to $617 in 2015, a jump of $40 dollars, or 6.99 percent.

Finding the right car insurance company and policy in Maine just got easier. Say goodbye to countless hours of researching offerings and comparing rates. With QuoteWizard’s help, you can do both in a matter of minutes--even seconds.

We’ll connect you to a number of top auto insurance companies so you can quickly compare quotes and find the coverage you need for a price you can afford.

Last year, 11,011 people used QuoteWizard to compare quotes from top companies and find the cheapest car insurance in Maine.

Best Car Insurance Companies in Maine

Last year, these were the most common car insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in the state of Maine. Out of the 11,011 Maine drivers that used QuoteWizard to request insurance quotes last year, 968 were uninsured.

Top 10 Vehicles in Maine

These are the most common vehicles owned by Maine drivers requesting car insurance quotes through QuoteWizard in the past year.

Maine State Auto Insurance Laws

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Maine

If you drive a vehicle registered in Maine, you must maintain a minimum level of liability insurance coverage of 50/100/25. If you move to Maine from another state, you have 30 days to register your vehicle and show proof of insurance with no less than the following minimum liability coverage:

• $50,000 of bodily injury or death to 1 person
• $100,000 for bodily injury or death to more than 1 person
• $25,000 for property damage

Remember you can purchase more inclusive plans that cover more. But if you want the bare minimum required to keep you legal on the road, make sure your policy has the above protection plan. And, if you’ve financed your car through a lender, they’ll require that you purchase collision and comprehensive coverage to protect their investment.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Maine also requires its residents to carry uninsured motorist coverage. This additional mandatory coverage protects you and your passengers from injuries sustained in crashes involving:

• Drivers without insurance
• Drivers with too little insurance
• Hit and run accidents

Uninsured Motorist Minimum Requirements

Maine requires residents to maintain uninsured motorist coverage levels equal to the minimum liability requirements:

• $50,000 of bodily injury or death to 1 person
• $100,000 for bodily injury or death to more than 1 person

This coverage only pays for medical expenses related to accidents involving uninsured or underinsured motorists. It will not help you recover losses from property damages.

Maine does allow you the option of requesting uninsured motorist coverage levels lower than your liability insurance coverage. Just ask your insurer for a rejection form, then sign it and return it to them before your policy goes into effect.

In 2012, it was estimated that 4.7% of Maine drivers had no car insurance.

Medical Payments Coverage

In an effort to protect its motorists from rising medical costs, Maine requires drivers to include $2,000 of medical payment coverage on their car insurance policies. This coverage covers medical expenses for you, your passengers, and any family member driving your car. It also covers you and your family members for medical costs resulting from injuries sustained in accidents in vehicles other than your own or as a pedestrian.

Medical payments coverage covers any of the following:

• Doctor visits
• Hospital stays
• Surgery
• X-Rays
• EMT or ambulance fees
• Nursing services
• Prostheses

Required Proof of Car Insurance

Any time you drive in Maine, you must be prepared to show proof of insurance to law enforcement when stopped for a moving violation or if you’re involved in an accident.

Any of the following are accepted as proof of insurance:

• An insurance card issued by your insurer
• A digital image of your insurance card or policy

Penalties

Failure to provide proof of insurance to law enforcement can result in a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500. If you can produce evidence of liability insurance or financial responsibility in a timely manner, the court may dismiss the violation. If you’re convicted of failing to maintain the minimum liability coverage required by the state, you will face the following suspensions within 30 days:

• Your driver’s license
• Your vehicle registration
• Your right to apply for a driver’s license or vehicle registration

SR-22 Requirements

Maine residents with suspended driver’s licenses due to drunk driving convictions or other serious violations may be required to file an SR-22 form. “SR” stands for safety responsibility and it certifies that a driver is covered by car insurance and meets the minimum coverage requirements.

Maine will only accept an SR-22 from a company licensed to sell insurance in the state.

 

State law requires that an SR-22 be carried for 3 years. Subsequent violations could result in additional penalties.

State of Maine Traffic Safety Laws

Distracted Driving Laws

To combat distracted driving on state roadways, Maine has enacted legislation that limits driver use of cell phones and electronic communication devices. These limitations include:

• New drivers with learner’s permits or intermediate licenses, regardless of age, are prohibited from using cell phones. Drivers caught violating this law will be issued a moving violation. This is a primary law, meaning officers can cite you if they see you driving with a phone in your hand even if no other violation occurred
• Minors under 18 years of age are not allowed to use communication devices, including cell phones, for any reason while a vehicle is in motion. Calls may not be made or received and no text-based messages can be read or sent. This is a moving violation and it is a primary law which means law enforcement can pull a teen over if they see them driving with a phone in their hand
• Texting while driving is prohibited for all drivers in Maine. This is both a moving violation and a primary offense. This means law enforcement can pull you over and issue a citation if they see you texting while behind the wheel of a vehicle in motion. The maximum fine for a first offense is $250. Second offenses and subsequent violations within 3 years are subject to a maximum fine of $500. In addition, a second offense will result in a 30-day suspension of your driver’s license; a 60-day suspension for a third offense; and a 90-day suspension for fourth or subsequent violations.

Implied Consent to Chemical Tests Law

Maine’s Implied Consent law requires that any driver submit to testing to determine the alcohol or drug content of their blood, breath, or urine when arrested by law enforcement for suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (OUI). Refuse the test and you’ll face the following penalties in addition to the penalties for an OUI:

• First Offense: 275-day driver’s license suspension
• Second Offense: 3-year driver’s license suspension
• Third Offense: 6-year driver’s license suspension
• Fourth Offense: 8-year driver’s license suspension

OUI Law and Penalties

If you drive or operate a motor vehicle in the state of Maine with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, you are guilty of Operating Under the Influence (OUI). This is a criminal offense with severe penalties. If you submit to a blood test and the results indicate a BAC higher than 0.08%, the Secretary of State will suspend your driver’s license immediately prior to any court appearance.

Other penalties for OUI convictions can include:

• Vehicle seizure or forfeiture
• Court costs and fines of up to $7,000
• Jail time
• A criminal record

If you kill someone while driving under the influence, the penalty is up to 30 years in prison and permanent suspension of driving privileges.

In 2012, Maine reported 7,014 arrests for operating under the influence and 45 alcohol-related crash fatalities.

Child Restraint Law

For the protection and safety of younger passengers, the state of Maine requires that:

• Children weighing less than 40 pounds must be restrained in approved child safety seats in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. A first time violation is punishable by a fine of $50, $125 for a second offense, and $250 for a third and subsequent offenses
• Children less than 8 years old or weighing between 40 and 80 pounds must ride in federally approved child restraint systems
• Children between the ages of 8 and 17 and taller than 4 feet 9 inches should wear seat belts
• Children under 12 years of age, and weighing less than 100 pounds ride in the back seat and wear seat belts

Proper use of child safety seats reduces fatalities by 71%

Zero Tolerance Law

Any minor less than 21 years of age found operating or attempting to operate a motor vehicle with any alcohol in their system will have their driver’s license suspended for 1 year. If a passenger is in the vehicle, the suspension will be at least 18 months. An extra 6 months will be added to the suspension if a passenger under 21 years of age is in the vehicle.

Graduated Driver’s License Program

Maine has implemented a 3-tier graduated driver license (GDL) program for teen drivers. It begins with the learner’s permit phase and ends with full driver privileges once all conditions are met. Teens can begin the process and apply to the Office of the Secretary of State for a learner’s permit on their 15th birthday if they meet the following conditions:

• Successful completion of an approved driver’s education course
• Passing both a written test and eye exam

Learner’s permits allow minors to drive when supervised by a parent, guardian, or licensed adult at least 20 years of age. Learner’s permits must be held for at least 6 months before applying for an intermediate driver’s license. Applicants for intermediate licenses are also required to have a minimum of 70 hours driving practice, with at least 10 of them occurring at night. During the learner’s permit phase, using a cell phone to talk or text is prohibited.

Once a young driver has held a Learner’s Permit for at least 6 months, is at least 16 years of age, and has satisfied all other requirements, they may apply for an intermediate driver’s license.

Intermediate licenses allow teens to operate motor vehicles on state roadways with the following restrictions:

• Teens less than 18 years old may not drive between the hours of 12:00 am and 5:00 am unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other licensed adult 20 years of age or older
• For the first 9 months they hold an intermediate license, teens are not allowed to have any passengers in the vehicle with them
• Talking on a cell phone or texting is prohibited

Once a driver turns 18, they can convert their intermediate license into a full Maine driver’s license after passing a mandatory road skills test.

In 2011, 27 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Maine

Senior Drivers in Maine

The license renewal cycle in the State of Maine is every 6 years until a driver’s 65th birthday when it’s reduced to every 4 years. When drivers turn 40, they must pass a vision test at their next renewal and every second renewal thereafter until age 62 when a vision test is required at every renewal.

Seat Belt Laws

Maine requires the use of seat belts for all drivers and passengers riding in motor vehicles. The maximum fine for seat belt violations is $50.

In 2012, Maine estimated that 84.4% of drivers and passengers used seat belts, an improvement of 2.8% compared to 2011 when it was estimated that 81.6% wore seat belts.

Vehicles Registered in Another State

When you drive a vehicle in Maine that’s required to be registered in another state, you must have the type of insurance required by that state. You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to law enforcement upon request.

The Cost of Driving in Maine

Average Car Insurance Rates

The average cost of car insurance in Maine in 2015, was $617.73 compared to a national average of $889.01. Maine is ranked the 48th most expensive state for car insurance.

Fuel Taxes

As of January 2016, the state of Maine taxes gasoline at 30.01 cents per gallon. When added to the Federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, residents of Maine can expect to pay a total of 48.41 cents per gallon in taxes at the gas station.  Maine taxes diesel fuel at 31.21 cents per gallon. When added to the Federal diesel tax of 24.4 cents per gallon, Mainers will pay 55.61 cents per gallon in taxes on diesel fuel.

Car Insurance Risk in Maine

Traffic Fatalities

In 2014, there were 131 traffic fatalities in Maine, a 9% decrease from the state’s 144 traffic fatalities in 2013.

	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Total Fatalities	161	136	164	144	131

Vehicle Thefts

Maine had 799 vehicle thefts reported in 2014, a 12.3% decrease compared to 2013 when 911 vehicles were reported stolen. In 2014, the vehicle theft rate was 60.1 per 100,000, a decrease of 12.4% from the 2013 rate of 68.6 per 100,000.

The vehicle theft rate in Maine is significantly below the overall US vehicle theft rate, which was 216.2 per 100,000 in 2014.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Maine

Some cars are more prone to theft than others, be sure to check the list below to see if your car is a target on the streets.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau - Hot Wheels Report 2014

1. 2003 Chevrolet Pick-Up (Full Size)
2. 2001 GMC Pick-Up (Full Size)
3. 1997 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)
4. 1997 Toyota Camry
5. 2006 Chevrolet Impala
6. 2004 Dodge Pick-Up (Full Size)
7. 1997 Honda Accord
8. 1998 Subaru Legacy
9. 2007 Toyota Corolla
10. 2002 Ford Focus

Uninsured Motorists

In 2012 it was estimated that 4.7% of drivers on Maine roads had no car insurance. This number is far below the national average of 12.6% and ranks Maine 50th in the nation for uninsured motorists.

Maine Auto Insurance Company Market Share

Source: Maine Bureau of Insurance

Rank	Market Share	Company
1	13.8%	Progressive  Insurance Group
2	13.8%	Liberty Mutual Group
3	9.6%	GEICO
4	8.0%	Allstate Insurance Group
5	5.1%	Concord Group Insurance Companies
6	4.1%	USAA Insurance Group
7	3.7%	MetLife Inc.
8	3.4%	Quincy Mutual Group
9	3.2%	Travelers Companies Inc.

Maine Bureau of Insurance

Website:

Homepage

Insurance Commissioner:

Eric Cioppa

Insurance Hotline:

(800) 300 – 5000  

Office Hours:

Monday - Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm

File a Consumer Insurance Complaint

Complaint Page

Sources:

• NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System
• Insurance Information Institute – Minimum Coverage Levels by State
• National Insurance Crime Bureau
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)
• Maine Insurance Market Share

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