Find the Best Car Insurance Quotes & Options in Maryland
The average cost of car insurance in Maryland is $1,590 per year, which is more expensive than the current national average of $1,311. Though equipping your vehicle with the proper coverage may cost you more in Maryland than in other states, it's still critical to do so. Driving without at least the state-required level of car insurance can result in fines or even worse penalties.
An independent insurance agent can help you find the right type of car insurance for you. But for starters, here's a deep dive into car insurance in Maryland.
Best Car Insurance Companies in Maryland
Many different insurance companies in Maryland offer car insurance, but why not save yourself some trouble and skip right ahead to the best? We carefully researched dozens of different car insurance carriers in Maryland to come up with our top picks for you. Start your Maryland car insurance coverage journey by checking out these top carriers.
- Best Maryland Car Insurance Company Overall: Travelers
- Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Minimum Liability: USAA
- Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Full Coverage: Travelers
- Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Young Drivers: Allstate
- Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Accident History: Travelers
A Maryland independent insurance agent can help you evaluate the car insurance companies on this list to determine if any of them are best for you.
Best Maryland Car Insurance Company Overall: Travelers
Our top pick for the best Maryland car insurance company overall goes to Travelers. The insurance company offers auto insurance along with many other personal product options. With its extensive history of outstanding financial strength and customer feedback combined with many discounts and 24/7 claims reporting, Travelers is not to be overlooked.
Founded in 1853, Travelers is one of the oldest insurance companies in the US. The carrier has about 30,000 employees, according to its official website. Travelers also sells insurance primarily through a network of independent insurance agents. The carrier's independent agent network is about 13,500 agents strong and extends through the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Travelers’ extensive history and reach led to the carrier's reputation as a reliable, stable company. AM Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives Travelers the highest possible rating of "A++," indicating that it's one of the top insurance companies around today.
| Average Monthly Insurance Cost: Car Insurance Policy | Average Annual Insurance Cost: Car Insurance Policy |
| $143 | $1,710 |
Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Minimum Liability: USAA
Our pick for the best Maryland car insurance company for minimum liability coverage goes to USAA. The carrier allows customers to get bare minimum auto insurance starting at rates of just $399 per year. Affordable coverage combined with excellent ratings overall easily earns USAA our top choice in this category.
Founded in 1922, USAA has more than a century of experience in the industry. Originally created by a group of Army officers who decided to insure each other’s vehicles, USAA has since expanded to servicing millions of customers across the country with a variety of coverage solutions.
A couple of years ago, USAA’s net worth surpassed $35 billion. The carrier has more than 13 million members (i.e., policyholders) and 35,000 employees. USAA has also paid out $2.4 billion in returns to its customers. The carrier has consistently received high marks from major agencies, such as Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s. AM Best rates the insurance company at "A++," the highest available.
| Average Monthly Insurance Cost: Minimum Liability Policy | Average Annual Insurance Cost: Minimum Liability Policy |
| $33 | $399 |
Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Full Coverage: Travelers
Our top pick for the best car insurance company in Maryland for full coverage goes to Travelers. The insurance company makes our best Maryland car insurance companies list again thanks to its highly affordable coverage rates, even for full coverage policies. Travelers offers full coverage car insurance policies with premiums starting at just $104 per month.
| Average Monthly Insurance Cost: Full Coverage | Average Annual Insurance Cost: Full Coverage |
| $104 | $1,250 |
Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Young Drivers: Allstate
Our top choice for the best car insurance company in Maryland for young drivers goes to Allstate. The company earns our top pick for this category thanks to its premium rates for young drivers and students in Maryland, starting at $4,119 per year, among the cheapest available in the state. The carrier also offers discounts for good students, distant students, and the completion of a driver's education course.
Allstate was founded in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck & Co. Originally, the carrier sold car insurance only, but has since greatly expanded its catalog. Allstate has operated fully independently from Sears since 1995. The carrier is a Fortune 500 company.
As of a few years ago, Allstate reportedly had more than $119 billion in assets. The insurance company also has an "A+" or superior rating from AM Best. In short, it’s one of the most established and stable insurance companies around today.
| Average Monthly Insurance Cost: Young Drivers | Average Annual Insurance Cost: Young Drivers |
| $343 | $4,119 |
Best Maryland Car Insurance Company for Accident History: Travelers
Travelers earns a third spot on our list of top picks in the category of the best car insurance company in Maryland for drivers with accident histories. Travelers easily secures this spot thanks to its high rating for claims responses and affordable coverage for drivers with bad records, starting at about $2,490 per year. The insurance company also offers accident forgiveness along with roadside assistance coverage, new car replacement coverage, and rental car reimbursement coverage.
| Average Monthly Insurance Cost: Drivers with Accident History | Average Annual Insurance Cost: Drivers with Accident History |
| $208 | $2,490 |
Maryland Car Insurance Requirements
Like all other states, Maryland has its own set of minimum coverage requirements for all resident drivers. Maryland drivers must equip their vehicles with a car insurance policy that at least meets the state's minimum coverage requirements. Without the following coverages in Maryland, you could face fines or worse:
- Bodily injury liability: In Maryland, this coverage is required in amounts of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. This coverage can reimburse you for medical treatment costs for another driver and their passengers after an accident you're at fault for.
- Property damage liability: In Maryland, this coverage is required in the amount of $15,000 per accident. This coverage can reimburse you for repair costs to a third party's personal property, like a vehicle or other things like fences, etc., if you damage it with your car.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: In Maryland, this coverage is required in amounts of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident. This coverage can help reimburse you after an accident caused by another driver who lacks any or adequate car insurance of their own to fully pay for your costs.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage: In Maryland, this coverage is required in the amount of $15,000 per accident. This coverage can help reimburse you for the costs of repairs to your own vehicle if the other driver was at fault and lacks any or enough car insurance of their own to cover damages.
Optional car insurance coverages in Maryland include:
- Medical payments: This coverage can pay for the treatment of your own injuries or injuries to your passengers after an accident you're at fault for.
- Roadside assistance: This coverage can pay for the costs of towing, etc., if you break down on the side of the road.
- Gap coverage: This coverage can pay the difference between what your vehicle is worth and what you owe on your remaining vehicle loan after a collision.
- Rental car reimbursement: This coverage can pay for the costs of a rental car after a covered accident.
- Comprehensive Coverage: This coverage can pay for costs caused by threats other than collision, including incidents with large animals, windshield breaks, and more.
- Collision Coverage: This coverage can pay for damage to your own vehicle after an accident you're at fault for.
A Maryland independent insurance agent will help you assemble a car insurance policy that includes all the coverages you need the most, both required and optional.
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Average Cost of Car Insurance in Maryland
Car insurance in Maryland costs an average of $1,590 each year. The current national average car insurance rate is $1,311 annually, which is quite a bit lower than Maryland's. Car insurance policy costs vary depending on the insurance carrier and the coverages you select, as well as if you qualify for any discounts. A minimum coverage policy in Maryland can average $815 per year, while a "full coverage" auto policy can cost about $1,971 annually.
Average Maryland Car Insurance Costs By City
The city you live in also impacts your car insurance rates, not just the state you live in. Local crime rates, local traffic rates, the area's risk of inclement weather, local car prices, competition, and more can all affect the cost of car insurance in a specific city. In Maryland, resident drivers in the city of Cambridge pay the lowest car insurance rates, on average, of about $1,181 per year. Contrastingly, resident drivers in Baltimore pay an average of $2,353 for car insurance annually, the highest in the state.
Finding Car Insurance Discounts in Maryland
No matter what you're paying for car insurance every year, you might be able to lower your premiums with special car insurance discounts. These are just a few of the common auto insurance discounts offered by various carriers in Maryland:
- Anti-theft devices: Alarms and other security features in your car can help you earn a discount on your auto insurance.
- Paperless billing: Opting to receive your billing statements electronically can often earn you a coverage discount from many different carriers.
- Military discounts: Active or retired military members often qualify for special auto insurance discounts.
- Student driver discounts: When there's a student driver listed on your auto insurance policy, you may be able to earn a little discount on your coverage.
- Safe driver discounts: Drivers who maintain a clean record and don't get into accidents or get tickets can earn a nice discount on their auto insurance premiums.
- Other discounts: Teachers, union members, government workers, and other groups often qualify for auto insurance discounts as well.
Your Maryland independent insurance agent can help you find all the discounts you qualify for on car insurance.
How to Find the Best Car Insurance Quote in Maryland
It can be time-consuming to compare all the different car insurance companies in Maryland to find the best quote on your own. But when you enlist the help of a Maryland independent insurance agent, the task becomes greatly simplified. An independent insurance agent does the hard work for you by comparing multiple carriers' policies and rates and presenting you with only the best.
How to File a Car Insurance Claim in Maryland
Filing a car insurance claim in Maryland isn't going to be the most fun thing you've ever done, but at least the process can be made easy when you know what to do. Follow these tips if you ever have to report a car insurance claim:
- File a police report: If the cause of your car insurance claim is a collision, you'll need to file a police report ASAP.
- Tend to any injuries: If the incident involved injuries to yourself or others, seek necessary medical treatment immediately.
- Call your independent insurance agent: Your independent insurance agent can help contact your car insurance company and even file the claim for you.
- Get a rental vehicle: Your independent insurance agent will not only keep you updated on your claim's status, they can also help arrange for you to get a rental vehicle from a local company if your policy includes this coverage.
- Schedule a visit with an adjuster: While your independent insurance agent can help you with scheduling, you'll typically need to have your vehicle evaluated by an insurance adjuster, which requires an appointment to be made.
A Maryland independent insurance agent can help walk you through the car insurance claims process if you're ever in need of extra assistance.
How does your city measure up to the national average?
National average time spent commuting 26.9 Min
National average car thefts per 1,000 2.3 Year
National average car insurance cost $1,311 Year
| City | Commute time (min) | Auto theft rate per 1,000 | Annual insurance cost |
| Aberdeen | 26.4 | 0.74 | $1,332 |
| Annapolis | 27.7 | 2.34 | $1,386 |
| Baltimore | 31.4 | 6.6 | $2,353 |
| Bethesda | 29.8 | 1.12 | $1,897 |
| Bowie | 37.2 | 1.39 | $1,605 |
| Cambridge | 21.6 | 1.14 | $1,181 |
| Columbia | 30.3 | 2.8 | $1,446 |
| Frederick | 32.1 | 0.73 | $1,277 |
| Gaithersburg | 32.9 | 0.97 | $1,400 |
| Glen Burnie | 29.2 | 8.89 | $1,601 |
| Hyattsville | 33.7 | 3.38 | $1,851 |
| Laurel | 35.9 | 3.06 | $1,601 |
| Waldorf | 46.5 | 1.22 | $1,621 |
| Westminster | 31.2 | 0.86 | $1,332 |
Popular Questions about Maryland Car Insurance
The average cost of car insurance in Maryland is $1,590 annually, or about $133 monthly.
What your Maryland car insurance policy covers depends on the coverage options you select. The state's minimum car insurance requirements dictate that your policy must at least include bodily injury liability, property damage liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage, but you may wish to add more coverages to your auto insurance. You may want to add collision coverage to help cover the cost of physical damage to your vehicle after you're at fault for an accident. A Maryland independent insurance agent can help you decide which coverages to choose.
Maryland requires all its resident drivers to at least carry the following minimum coverages per state law:
- Bodily injury liability of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
- Property damage liability of $15,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist coverage of $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage of $15,000 per accident
About 12.4% of Maryland drivers are currently uninsured, which is slightly lower than the national average of 13%.
Drivers in Maryland are required to carry at least property damage liability coverage, bodily injury liability coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage.
A Maryland independent insurance agent can help you compare car insurance policies in the easiest way. These agents can shop and compare policies from hundreds of different carriers for you, and present the results together in one place.
Auto insurance in Maryland follows the car or vehicle, not the driver. So if you loan your car to a friend who's not listed on your auto policy and they get into an accident, your auto insurance coverage will probably still cover them. However, you might end up experiencing increased rates as a result.
You have three years to file a car insurance claim in Maryland, according to the state's statute of limitations.
No, Maryland is not a no-fault car insurance state. Maryland is an at-fault state, meaning drivers are legally allowed to sue other drivers for reimbursement for damage after a collision.
Before shopping for car insurance in Maryland, be ready with at least the following information:
- Your name
- Your driver's license number
- Your date of birth
- Your address
- Your job title
- Your marital status
A Maryland independent insurance agent can also inform you about what information is necessary to apply for car insurance.