Maryland is one of the smallest states but one of the richest in terms of breadth of landscape, and is often referred to “America in Miniature” because it has grass lands, marshlands, sand dunes, oak forests and mountains all within the space of the 8th smallest state! As such it is a joy to explore on a motorcycle because literally every few miles you see something different and it is a real rush for the senses.
As with all such motorcycling adventures though it makes sense to sort yourself out with good quality Maryland Motorcycle Insurance before you get serious about exploring the state, because mishaps can and do happen, and if you haven’t got adequate cover then you can very rapidly become unstuck.
What are the minimum levels of Maryland Motorcycle Insurance that are required by law?
Just like most other states the Maryland Department of Insurance lays down certain minimum requirements for the liability cover that you need in place in order to ride your motorcycle legally in the state.
These are as follows:
$20,000 – Bodily injury cover per person
$40,000 – Bodily injury cover for the whole accident
$15,000 – Property liability cover
These are usually referred to as 20/40/15 cover.
In addition, it is a statutory requirement that you MUST be offered $2,500 worth of cover per person for personal injury protection, which comes into play if your damage your motorcycle, and it is assumed that you will want this extra protection in any policy in Maryland unless you specifically reject it in writing.
Are the state minimum levels of cover for Maryland Motorcycle Insurance adequate?
The basic 20/40/15 levels of cover that are set down as the minimums in Maryland are comparatively low in comparison to most other states. It is worth saying in fairness that these are not recommended levels, they are simply the bare minimum amount of cover with which you can ride legally on the roads of Maryland on your motorcycle, and so you should really be looking to get considerably higher amounts.
If we look at the basic numbers of 20/40/15 it is easy to see how an accident with an expensive car with four passengers could very rapidly require twice as much cover as is the minimum, and so if you haven’t taken out more comprehensive, full coverage Maryland Motorcycle Insurance then you could be in for a big shock when you are faced with paying the extra amount of expenses that are not covered by the basic insurance.
You would also do well to consider that about 15% of motorists either don’t carry any insurance, or don’t have enough cover according to the latest government statistics, and so if you are doubly unlucky enough to both have an accident and do it with a vehicle that is not insured then you could be in big problems.
Fortunately there are ways round this in the form of Underinsured and Uninsured driver cover which for an extra amount on your premium can protect you against exactly this scenario, and if the other drivers insurance doesn’t cover you, then your own will. This is good cover to have for proper peace of mind, because it means that the responsibility for having adequate motorcycle cover in Maryland can rest on your shoulders, which is good, because ultimately you can then control it.
Another aspect to consider is that state minimum levels for motorcycle insurance in Maryland do not cover you if your motorcycle is stolen, or if it is accidentally damaged in some way (perhaps by a falling tree branch or you knocking it over), and it also does not cover you for vandalism. So if someone scratches your paintwork, or bumps into you in a car park and damages something (and drives away because you aren’t there to see); then you run the risk, not the insurance company if all you have got is the basic policy.
On the other hand if you paid out a little more and got a comprehensive full coverage Maryland Motorcycle Insurance policy then you would be covered.
Final Thoughts…
Naturally there is a balance to be struck between getting the most Maryland Motorcycle Insurance cover possible and keeping the insurance premiums reasonable. But it is worth giving some thought to what you would do if you were suddenly faced with a bill for $60,000 of medical costs after an accident, and then give some more serious consideration to paying a few dollars a month more in premiums in order not to have to worry about that.
The 20/40/15 level is a little lower than most states in any case (Kentucky is 25/50/25 for example), and so even if you cannot currently afford to go for a policy that offers more bells and whistles, you should at least shop around for Maryland Motorcycle Insurance Quotes and see what is available in your price range and see if you can at least increase your levels of cover to more reasonable levels.
(You can check out the legal side of Maryland Motorcycle Insurance at the Maryland Department of Insurance's website - https://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us)
In that way riding through Baltimore, Rockville, Frederick or other scenic parts of Maryland will be the exciting experiences you crave and not have the little matter of not having enough insurance preying on your mind.
If we look at the basic numbers of 20/40/15 it is easy to see how an accident with an expensive car with four passengers could very rapidly require twice as much cover as is the minimum, and so if you haven’t taken out more comprehensive, full coverage Maryland Motorcycle Insurance then you could be in for a big shock when you are faced with paying the extra amount of expenses that are not covered by the basic insurance.
