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Underinsured Motorist Coverage — Maine

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Maine Requires Uninsured, Not Underinsured

You are adding a second or third car to your Maine policy and reviewing the coverage options. The declaration page lists uninsured motorist coverage as mandatory and underinsured motorist coverage as optional. You assumed both were required, or that declining underinsured meant you had no protection against inadequately insured drivers.

Maine law requires uninsured motorist coverage on every auto policy but does not mandate underinsured motorist coverage. The two coverages protect against different scenarios, and declining underinsured leaves a gap that matters most when you are hit by a driver carrying Maine's minimum liability limits of $50,000 per person.

“Declining underinsured coverage means you absorb the difference between the at-fault driver's liability limit and your actual damages.”

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$50,000

Maine Bodily Injury Minimum

Maine requires $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability, plus $25,000 property damage. A driver carrying only the minimum cannot pay more than $50,000 for your injuries, even if your medical bills exceed that amount.

Maine Bureau of Insurance

Uninsured Covers No Insurance, Underinsured Covers Insufficient Insurance

Uninsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance at all or flees the scene in a hit-and-run. Maine requires this coverage because 5.7% of Maine drivers are uninsured, and a collision with one of them leaves you with no liability policy to file against.

Underinsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has insurance but their liability limits are too low to cover your damages.

The two coverages do not overlap. Uninsured applies when there is no policy. Underinsured applies when there is a policy but the limits fall short. Declining underinsured means you absorb the difference between the at-fault driver's liability limit and your actual damages.

Declining underinsured motorist coverage means you pay out of pocket for any damages that exceed the at-fault driver's liability limit, even when that driver is insured.

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Why Multi-Car Households Need Underinsured Coverage

A household insuring two or three vehicles has more exposure to underinsured drivers than a single-car household. More vehicles mean more miles driven, more drivers on the road, and more opportunities for a collision with a driver carrying only minimum liability limits. Maine's $50,000 per person minimum was set decades ago and does not reflect current medical costs.

If one of your household drivers is injured by an underinsured motorist and you declined underinsured coverage, you pay the difference between the at-fault driver's $50,000 limit and the actual medical bills. A broken bone, surgery, or extended physical therapy can exceed $50,000 quickly. Underinsured coverage closes that gap without forcing you to sue the at-fault driver personally or drain savings.

When you add a vehicle to your policy, the underinsured motorist coverage you already carry extends to that vehicle automatically. You do not re-purchase the coverage for each car. The per-accident limit applies across the entire policy, protecting every driver and every vehicle you insure.

5.7%

Maine Uninsured Motorist Rate

One in eighteen Maine drivers has no insurance. Combined with drivers carrying only minimum liability limits, the probability of a collision with inadequate coverage is higher than many multi-car households assume.

Insurance Research Council, 2023

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Structuring Underinsured Coverage Across Multiple Vehicles

Select underinsured motorist limits that match or approach your bodily injury liability limits. If you carry $100,000 per person in liability, purchase $100,000 per person in underinsured motorist coverage. This symmetry ensures that if you are hit by a driver with lower limits, your underinsured coverage fills the gap up to the level of protection you provide to others.

Some carriers offer stacked underinsured motorist coverage, which multiplies your per-person limit by the number of vehicles on the policy. Stacking increases the premium but provides substantially higher protection for multi-car households. Not all carriers offer stacking in Maine; ask your carrier whether it is available and compare the cost difference.

Compare Carriers That Write Multi-Car Policies in Maine

Seventeen carriers write auto insurance in Maine, and underinsured motorist coverage availability, stacking options, and premium vary by carrier. When you add a vehicle to your policy or combine two household policies, request quotes that include underinsured motorist coverage at limits equal to your liability limits. Compare the per-accident limit, whether stacking is available, and the incremental cost of adding underinsured coverage to your multi-car policy. Carriers writing multi-car policies in Maine include Allstate, Geico, Progressive, State Farm, and USAA.

How Underinsured Coverage Works on a Multi-Car Policy

When you add underinsured motorist coverage to a multi-car policy, the coverage applies per accident, not per vehicle. The limit you select protects every covered driver and every vehicle on the policy.

That $100,000 limit applies whether the accident involves your first car, your second car, or any vehicle on the policy. You do not buy separate underinsured limits for each vehicle.

Carriers typically offer underinsured motorist coverage in amounts equal to or lower than your liability limits. If you carry $100,000 per person in bodily injury liability, you can purchase up to $100,000 per person in underinsured motorist coverage. Higher liability limits allow higher underinsured limits, which matters when medical bills from a serious collision exceed Maine's $50,000 minimum.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Maine require underinsured motorist coverage?

No. Maine requires uninsured motorist coverage but underinsured motorist coverage is optional. You can decline underinsured coverage, but doing so means you pay out of pocket for any damages that exceed the at-fault driver's liability limits.

What is the difference between uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in Maine?

Uninsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance or flees the scene. Underinsured motorist coverage pays when the at-fault driver has insurance but their liability limits are too low to cover your damages. The two coverages do not overlap.

Does underinsured motorist coverage apply to every vehicle on a multi-car policy?

Yes. Underinsured motorist coverage applies per accident, not per vehicle. The limit you select protects every driver and every vehicle on the policy. You do not purchase separate underinsured limits for each car.

What does stacked underinsured motorist coverage mean?

Stacked underinsured motorist coverage multiplies your per-person limit by the number of vehicles on your policy. Not all carriers offer stacking in Maine.

How much underinsured motorist coverage should I carry on a multi-car policy?

Select underinsured motorist limits that match or approach your bodily injury liability limits. If you carry $100,000 per person in liability, purchase $100,000 per person in underinsured coverage. This ensures your protection matches the level you provide to others.