As of the New Year, the minimum liability coverage required by Maryland law for bodily injury in case of a traffic collision has been increased for every Maryland vehicle owners. The rise in bodily injury liability coverage coincides with the ever-increasing cost of medical treatment. As Baltimore auto accident attorneys, we can understand how the price of medical care has continued to rise year after year.
According to news reports, 2011 sees the minimum levels of liability protection, which automobile insurance policies sold in Maryland must have for bodily injury, rise by 50 percent. New policies written in 2011, as well as current policies renewed going forward, must now provide for at least a minimum of $30,000 for bodily injury liability for one person injured as a result of a car crash; and a minimum of $60,000 for two or more individuals injured in a traffic collision. This minimum bodily injury liability requirement will be known as “30/60 coverage.” The previous minimums were $20,000 and $40,000, respectively.
While the newly raised minimum coverage requirements might be expected to hit every Maryland policy holder in the form of increased insurance premiums, according to reports not all motorists will be see an increase in monthly payments. According to news articles, only those drivers with so-called “barebones” police coverage should expect to feel an increase in premiums.
Apparently, for the average auto accident policy holder the cost of these higher coverage minimum tends to be relatively low, this according to in order to National Association of Insurance Commissioners. As a comparison, the state of Texas raised its minimums from 25/50 to 30/60 — a smaller percentage increase than Maryland motorists will see — however, that state’s insurance commissioners say policy holders will likely only see a two to three percent increase in their premiums.
Maryland Auto Insurance Minimums Increase, OnlinePRNews.com, January 12, 2011