Personal Injury Protection Requirements — Maine
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Maine Requires PIP Unless You Opt Out
Maine law mandates Personal Injury Protection coverage on every auto insurance policy issued in the state. PIP pays medical expenses, lost wages, and essential services for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who caused the crash. The state minimum is $50,000 per person.
Unlike liability coverage, which you cannot decline, Maine allows drivers to reject PIP in writing. Most households never realize they have this option until they review their policy at renewal or add a second vehicle. The rejection must be explicit — silence or inaction means PIP stays on your policy.
“Maine mandates PIP on every policy unless you reject it in writing — most drivers never learn they have this option until renewal.”
See What Maine Drivers Pay for the Coverage They Need
Get My Maine Car Insurance Quote$50,000
Maine PIP Minimum Per Person
This coverage pays medical bills, lost income, and replacement services for you and your passengers after any accident, regardless of fault. The $50,000 limit applies per person injured.
Maine Bureau of Insurance
How PIP Works in Maine
PIP is first-party coverage: it pays your own medical expenses and lost wages after an accident, whether you caused the crash or another driver did.
The $50,000 per-person limit applies to each injured person in your vehicle. If you carry three passengers and all four of you are injured, each person has access to $50,000 in PIP benefits. PIP pays before your health insurance, and it does not require you to prove fault or wait for a liability claim to settle.
Benefits are payable for up to two years after the accident date.
If you reject PIP in writing, you lose access to no-fault medical coverage for yourself and your passengers — your health insurance becomes your primary payer after any accident.
What Happens When You Reject PIP
Rejecting PIP removes no-fault medical coverage from your policy. After an accident, your health insurance becomes your primary payer for medical bills. If you do not carry health insurance, you pay out of pocket until you recover damages from the at-fault driver's liability policy — a process that can take months or years.
Maine is a fault state: the at-fault driver's liability insurance pays for injuries they cause. But liability claims require investigation, negotiation, and often litigation. PIP pays immediately, within days of filing a claim, without waiting for fault determination. Rejecting PIP trades immediate coverage for potential savings.
If you reject PIP and later decide you need it, you can add it back at your next renewal. You cannot add PIP mid-term after an accident has already occurred. The rejection stays in effect until you affirmatively reinstate coverage.
5.7%
Maine Uninsured Motorist Rate
If an uninsured driver injures you and you rejected PIP, your health insurance is your only immediate payer — the at-fault driver has no liability policy to claim against.
Insurance Research Council, 2023
PIP and Multi-Vehicle Households
If you insure two or more vehicles on one policy, the PIP rejection applies to every vehicle. You cannot reject PIP on one car and keep it on another within the same policy. The rejection is policy-level, not vehicle-level.
Households with multiple drivers should consider who drives each vehicle and whether every driver carries health insurance. If one household member lacks health coverage, rejecting PIP exposes that person to out-of-pocket medical costs after any accident, regardless of fault. PIP covers all named insured persons and resident relatives, plus any passengers in your vehicles.
Compare Carriers That Write Maine PIP
Every carrier writing auto insurance in Maine must offer PIP at the $50,000 minimum. Carriers differ in how they price PIP, the higher limits they offer, and how they handle rejection forms. When you compare quotes, ask each carrier for a quote with PIP included and a second quote with PIP rejected to see the difference.
Maine licenses 16 major carriers that write standard and non-standard auto policies. Review Maine's minimum liability requirements alongside PIP to understand the full coverage floor. If you reject PIP, confirm that your health insurance covers auto accident injuries — some health plans exclude or limit coverage for accidents covered by auto insurance.
Rejecting PIP in Maine
To reject PIP, you must sign a written rejection form provided by your insurance carrier. The form acknowledges that you understand you are declining no-fault medical coverage and that your health insurance will be your primary payer after an accident. The rejection applies to all vehicles on your policy.
You can reject PIP at policy inception when you first purchase coverage, or at any renewal. If you add a second or third vehicle mid-term, the rejection you signed earlier typically extends to the new vehicle, but confirm with your carrier. You can reinstate PIP at your next renewal by notifying your carrier in writing.
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Get My Maine Car Insurance QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Can I reject PIP if I have health insurance?
Yes. Maine allows any driver to reject PIP in writing, regardless of whether you carry health insurance. If you reject PIP, your health insurance becomes your primary payer for medical bills after an accident. Confirm that your health plan covers auto accident injuries before rejecting PIP.
Does rejecting PIP lower my premium?
Rejecting PIP removes a mandatory coverage from your policy, which typically lowers your premium. The amount varies by carrier, driving history, and location. Request quotes with and without PIP to compare the difference.
Can I add PIP back after I reject it?
Yes. You can reinstate PIP at your next policy renewal by notifying your carrier in writing. You cannot add PIP mid-term after an accident has already occurred. The rejection stays in effect until you affirmatively reinstate coverage.
Does PIP cover passengers in my vehicle?
Yes. Maine PIP covers you, all named insured persons on your policy, resident relatives, and any passengers in your vehicle at the time of the accident. Each injured person has access to the per-person limit — $50,000 under the state minimum.
What does Maine PIP not cover?
Maine PIP does not cover property damage, pain and suffering, or punitive damages. Benefits are capped at the per-person limit and payable for up to two years after the accident.