Maine Car Insurance

Maine has high requirements for car insurance, and in return it has very inexpensive state car insurance rates. Drivers in Maine enjoy the lowest average rate of the nation -- $925, which is $430 less than the countrywide average. Even so, the place you live and the insurance company you choose can make a difference of hundreds of dollars a year. Comparable rates for every city and town in Maine are mapped out below. You can see how much you can expect to save by entering your ZIP code, age group and preferred coverage level. For example, even in Biddeford ZIP 04005, one of the cheapest locations for car insurance in the U.S., drivers can save $760 by comparing costs. That's because the highest rate and lowest rate from among six insurers for the same policy differ by that much. 

Cheap car insurance in Maine

Maine car insurance requirements

Maine requires a lot of coverage for its motorists -- not just liability coverage, as most states mandate, but uninsured motorist and medical payments (MedPay) as well. Its liability requirements of $50,000 per person, up to $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage tie with Alaska as the highest in the nation.

What is amazing is that with all the coverages required on a Maine auto policy, the cost of Maine car insurance is consistently among the lowest in the country.

Low-cost car insurance is likely one reason that Maine has just 4 percent of its motorists driving uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council's list. At the other end of the uninsured drivers list is Mississippi, with 28 percent uninsured.

Recommended car insurance coverage

The cheapest car insurance may not provide sufficient protection, so how much insurance should you buy? Bare-bones coverage may be a good choice if you have few assets or have an old car and don’t drive much. But if you have a home and investments, consider buying more insurance. If you don’t, you’re at risk for having your money and house taken to cover the cost of an accident. If you financed your car you will be required to get additional comprehensive and collision coverage.

Use our How Much Car Insurance Do You Need? tool to get a recommendation.

Liability

We recommend you buy more insurance than is required to legally drive a car in your state, especially if you have savings and assets. The more money you have, the more likely you are to be sued following a car accident should your insurance be insufficient to cover all the expenses. If your net worth is:

• less than $50,000, choose at least 50/100/50
• between $50,000 and $100,000, choose at least 100/300/100
• more than $100,000, choose at least 250/500/100

If you're leasing or financing your car, you must get coverage of 100/300/100 or higher.

Collision and comprehensive

Collision coverage pays for damage to your car after an accident that you cause. Comprehensive insurance pays to replace stolen cars and for damages from vandalism, flooding, hail, fire and animal strikes. If your car is:

• less than 10 years old, you should strongly consider buying collision and comprehensive.
• more than 10 years old, only buy collision and comprehensive if your car is worth $3,000 or more, if you couldn’t afford to replace your car if it’s wrecked, or if you just want more protection on your policy.

For drivers in Maine, collision costs an average of $408 yearly, comprehensive is $80, according to CarInsurance.com rate data. If you buy comp and collision, check our guide to choosing a deductible amount.

Medical coverage (MedPay)

Medical payments coverage can help pay for the medical or funeral expenses of covered drivers and passengers after an accident, regardless of fault, up to $25,000. In most states, including Texas, it's an optional addition to your car insurance policy. MedPay does the following:

• Covers you and your passengers’ medical expenses
• Pays for expenses after health insurance limits are exceeded
• Offers additional protection to insured drivers who are hit by a car while walking or biking

If you and your passengers:

• Don’t have health insurance, or have a plan that doesn’t cover car accidents or has low limits, we recommend that you add medical coverage of at least $5,000 to your car insurance policy.
• Do have health insurance, it’s still a good idea to have medical coverage if you want the best protection in your policy, as it can pay out after your health benefits are maxed out.

Gap insurance

If you don’t own your car outright and have an accident, gap insurance pays the difference between the cash value of your car and the current outstanding balance on your loan or lease.

• If you’re financing your car, your car is less than one year old and you’ve put less than 20 percent down on it, you should buy gap insurance. If not, you don’t need gap insurance.
• If you’re leasing your car, it’s a good idea to buy gap insurance if you aren’t already required to in your lease agreement.
• If you own your car outright, you don’t need gap insurance.

**The table shows the average annual rate of nearly every ZIP code in Maine from up to six major insurance companies. Rates are for a male driver, age 40, with a clean record and good credit for a 2016 Honda Accord. Data was provided for CarInsurance.com by Quadrant Information Services.

Cheapest car insurance in Maine by company

Below you'll see average annual rates for Maine, ranked cheapest to most expensive, for three coverage levels:

• State minimum liability requirements
• Liability limits of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage
• Liability of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage, with comprehensive and collision at $500 deductible

Low cost auto insurance for Maine drivers with recent accidents

Filing an accident claim means you are likely to pay more for your car insurance coverage. However, how much more you pay depends on several factors, and your car insurance company plays is one of those significant factors. Each company assesses risk differently, so that's why the increase after an accident will vary among insurers. Here is how major carriers compare after at-fault accidents for the average Maine driver with a full coverage policy:

*The table shows the average annual rate of nearly every ZIP code in Maine from up to six major insurance companies. Rates are for a male driver, age 40, with a clean record and good credit for a 2016 Honda Accord. Data was provided for CarInsurance.com by Quadrant Information Services.

Who has the cheapest Maine car insurance for drivers with speeding tickets?

If you get a speeding ticket, chances are you'll see an increase in what you pay for car insurance, upon your policy renewal. Typically, you'll pay more for three years. But even with a traffic ticket, comparison shopping can save you money. For instance, you'll see that the difference between the highest rate and the lowest in the table below is more than $768, on average, according to CarInsurance.com's rate analysis. That's how much you can save by comparing car insurance companies.

How much does it cost to add a teen to your policy in Maine?

No matter where you live, adding a new driver to your family policy will hike your rate significantly. In Maine, you can expect your rate to go up by an average of 124 percent when adding a driver age 16 to your coverage, according to CarInsurance.com rate data. You'll see in the table below how much it costs, on average, to add a teen driver in Maine, and how major insurers compare on price. GEICO General had the lowest auto insurance cost for adding a driver age 16 to a full coverage family policy, among insurers surveyed.

Cheapest Maine auto insurance for young drivers: Ages 18 to 25

Enter an age from 18 to 25 to see who has the best rates for young drivers in Maine, by company.

You’ll see in the chart below which car insurance companies have the lowest rates for young drivers buying a full coverage policy. Average car insurance rates by age data shows that drivers typically pay higher rates until age 26, when rates begin to drop as drivers gain more experience on the road. But even young drivers can save money by comparing car insurance rates to see which company has the lowest rates, by qualifying for student discounts and by staying on their parents’ policy as long as possible.

Senior drivers: Cheap auto insurance for Maine drivers age 65 to 85

Below you can see average rates by company for drivers age 65 and over, buying a full coverage policy. While comparing car insurance quotes is always one of the primary ways to save on coverage, you can also see if you qualify for a mature driver discount or if you can trim rates by taking a defensive driving course.

Car insurance for Maine drivers with bad credit

Car insurance for drivers with bad credit costs significantly more than it does for those with good credit. Maine ranks 15th  among the worst states for drivers with bad credit, as CarInsurance.com's data analysis shows. Compared to good credit drivers, those in Maine with bad credit pay 74 percent more, on average. The good news is that you can still shave some money off your coverage costs if you compare car insurance companies. You'll see below that the difference among major insurers is nearly $1,280 for a full coverage policy for a driver with bad credit. That's how much you can potentially save by comparing car insurance quotes.

Best car insurance companies in Maine

Scores are based on Insure.com’s “Best Insurance Companies” customer review survey of 3,700 customers. Policyholders ranked insurers on claims handling, customer service, value, mobile apps/website usefulness and were asked if they would renew their coverage and if they would recommend the company. All scores are out of 100.

Largest car insurance companies in Maine

Source: A.M. Best; State/Line (P/C Lines)  - P/C, US; Data as of:November 28, 2018

Maine Car Insurance Laws

Need proof for registration: When registering a passenger vehicle in Maine, you need to provide proof of auto insurance using your insurance identification card, policy or binder. Penalties for driving without registration in Maine are quite steep.

Uninsured motorist penalties: You may be fined $100 to $500, your license and registration may be suspended and you may be required to file an SR-22 form.

Vehicle inspection: Getting caught driving without an inspection sticker is punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $500 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both. If your car fails an inspection, you can drive until your expiration date, but there is no grace period past that.

Crash reports online: If you need a copy of an accident report, you can online at the Maine State Police website. The search is free; however, if you find a match and want to request a copy, a payment of $10 will be due.

Cancellation: During the initial 60 days of your Maine car insurance policy your insurer can cancel for nearly any reason. Once you're beyond the 60 day limit, Maine law permits auto insurers to consider a midterm cancellation of your policy based only on one of the following reasons:

• Failure to make a premium payment. Pay on or before due date. There is no grace period in Maine.
• Fraud or material misrepresentation that affects the policy or a claim. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of your policy also falls under this category.
• Suspension of license. With a few exceptions, Maine law permits auto insurers to cancel your policy if you or other household operators have had a license suspension during the policy period or within 180 days its last renewal.

Electronic proof of insurance: Maine allows drivers to show proof of insurance during a traffic stop on a smartphone. It is one of 31 states that does so.

Average annual car insurance rates for major cities in Maine

Below you'll see how average annual rates for several of the largest cities in the state compare to state and national averages. Rates are for coverage of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident in liability and $50,000 of property damage coverage, with comprehensive and collision carrying a $500 deductible.