Maryland UM/UIM coverage: required at 30/60 minimum.

Why UM/UIM coverage matters in Maryland

When the driver who caused your Maryland crash has no insurance , or has only the state-minimum policy and your injuries blow through it , the only money left on the table is on your own policy. That money comes from UM/UIM coverage.

UM coverage is mandatory in Maryland. The statutory minimum is 30/60 per the requirements of Md. Code Ins. § 19-509. Insurers must include the coverage in every policy issued or renewed in the state.

UIM coverage: when the at-fault driver has too little insurance

UIM coverage is the more frequently used cousin of pure UM. In a Maryland catastrophic-injury case, UIM is typically the largest single source of recovery , because the at-fault driver's liability policy is exhausted quickly and the injured party's health insurance recoups through subrogation.

Stacking UM/UIM limits in Maryland

UM stacking , the ability to combine UM coverage across multiple vehicles on the same policy or across multiple policies , is treated differently in every state. Maryland's rule on stacking: limited. Stacking dramatically increases available coverage in households with multiple insured vehicles.

Hit-and-run claims in Maryland

Hit-and-run cases are a primary use of UM coverage in Maryland. Where the at-fault driver flees and cannot be identified, the injured party's own UM coverage steps in , provided the policy's "phantom vehicle" requirements are met (typically physical contact between the vehicles or independent corroborating evidence).

The UM/UIM claim process in Maryland

The standard Maryland claim process treats the at-fault carrier as the first source of recovery. If that policy is inadequate, secondary sources include the plaintiff's own UM/UIM coverage, any applicable umbrella policies, and (in third-party-defendant cases) the assets of co-defendants. Each tier requires separate notice, separate documentation, and separate negotiation strategy. Missing a notice deadline on any tier can extinguish that source of recovery entirely.

Maryland insurance carrier landscape for UM claims

Maryland's auto-insurance market is dominated by a familiar set of carriers , State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, USAA, and Farmers , plus regional specialists. Maryland's Department of Insurance publishes complaint ratios and market-share data annually; carriers with high complaint ratios relative to market share are flagged for additional regulatory scrutiny. For plaintiffs, this matters because complaint-ratio data is admissible bias evidence in extreme bad-faith cases.

Evidence that wins Maryland UM/UIM disputes

Building a winning Maryland case starts with documentation. The most successful plaintiffs are those who, within the first 72 hours, take photographs of every visible injury, save every emergency-room discharge document, write a contemporaneous narrative of the incident, and identify every potential witness. The Maryland rules of evidence reward contemporaneous documentation , a written note made the day of the incident carries far more weight at trial than a recollection three years later.

Real-world Maryland UM/UIM case patterns

Pattern: a Maryland pedestrian is struck in a crosswalk by a delivery van whose driver was looking at a phone. The defendant carries the minimum Maryland liability policy of $25,000. The plaintiff's UM/UIM coverage on their own policy is $300,000 stacked across three vehicles. The eventual recovery in such cases typically maxes out the defendant's liability and then taps the plaintiff's UIM for the balance, with a coordinated release between the two carriers to avoid coverage disputes.

Mistakes that reduce Maryland UM/UIM recovery

Three avoidable errors recur in Maryland personal-injury cases: settling the property-damage claim without coordinating release language, missing the pre-suit notice deadline for any government-defendant component of the case, and undervaluing future-medical damages because the plaintiff did not get a life-care plan or a vocational expert. Each of these errors can transform a high-value case into a low-value one.

Maryland UM/UIM FAQ

Is UM coverage required in Maryland?

Yes. Maryland mandates UM coverage at a minimum of 30/60 under Md. Code Ins. § 19-509.

What is the difference between UM and UIM in Maryland?

UM (uninsured motorist) pays when the at-fault driver has NO insurance. UIM (underinsured motorist) pays when the at-fault driver has SOME insurance but their limits are inadequate to cover your damages. Maryland policies typically bundle the two together, though limits and exclusions can differ.

Can I stack UM coverage in Maryland?

Maryland allows stacking with limitations or offsets. The specific rule (limited) depends on your policy language and recent appellate decisions.

What if the at-fault driver fled the scene?

UM coverage on your own policy applies to hit-and-run / phantom-vehicle scenarios in Maryland, typically subject to physical-contact or independent-corroboration requirements set by your policy.

Do I need to notify my insurer before settling with the at-fault driver?

Yes. Almost every Maryland UM/UIM policy requires written notice and consent before settling with the at-fault liability carrier. Settling without consent can void UM/UIM coverage by extinguishing the carrier\'s subrogation rights.

How long do I have to file a UM/UIM claim in Maryland?

The policy itself sets the notice deadline (often "as soon as practicable" or 30-180 days). The underlying personal-injury SOL is 3 years under Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101, and most courts treat UM claims as contractual , meaning the contractual limitations period in the policy may also apply.

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