Insurance in Maine: State Rules and Requirements

Insurance in Maine

The rules that shape car, home and business insurance in Maine, each linked to its official source, and how to get coverage shopped here. Sam Alishahi holds a Maine nonresident insurance producer license (#PRN564226, NPN 21022298) and places Maine policies directly.

By Sam Alishahi · Reviewed October 2026

Car insurance in Maine (50/100/25)

Minimum car insuranceMaine requires at least $50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage, plus $2,000 of medical payments coverage. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is mandatory and must equal the liability limits unless the buyer rejects equal coverage in writing, but it can never be below the state minimum. Source
Fault systemMaine is an at-fault (tort) state: the driver who causes a crash, and their liability insurer, pays for the injuries and damage they cause. Source

Business insurance rules in Maine

Workers’ compensationEvery private employer, including an independent contractor who hires and pays employees, must carry workers' compensation or self-insure. Employers of domestic workers are exempt, and some small or seasonal agricultural and aquacultural employers are exempt if they carry specified employer's liability and medical coverage. Maine is not monopolistic and does not allow opting out. Source
Contractor licensingMaine does not license or regulate general contractors or trades such as roofing and framing, though electricians and plumbers are licensed. Instead, state law requires a written contract with specific terms, including a warranty and dispute-resolution options, for any home construction job over $3,000. Source

Home insurance in Maine

Home insurer of last resortMaine does not operate a FAIR Plan for homeowners. The main catastrophe exposures are winter storms, nor'easters and coastal storm surge. Source

High-value homes in Maine.

Disasters, floods, hail, tornadoes and earthquakes in Maine

Maine disasters, floods, hail, tornadoes and earthquakes, from federal records
Measure	Maine	Rank among the states	Detail
Federal major disaster declarations since 2000	29	#25 (tied) of 51	Most often for severe storm (18), flood (5), coastal storm (2). York County(in MSA 6400,6450) has been in 17 of them.
National Flood Insurance Program claims, 2005–2025	2,466	#37 of 51	$61.3 million paid; 33% of claims with a known flood zone were outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
Hail reports, 2016–2025	194	#40 of 51	3 of them 2 inches or larger. Largest stone 2.5 inches, Aroostook County, July 2022.
Tornadoes, 2016–2025	10	#45 of 51	0 rated EF2 or stronger; 136 recorded since 1950.
Earthquakes of magnitude 4.0+, 2000–2025	1	#28 of 51	Largest: magnitude 4.67, 5 km W of Hollis Center, Maine, October 16, 2012.

From the public FEMA, NOAA, Storm Prediction Center, USGS and FMCSA records behind each linked report; ranks count all 50 states and Washington, DC unless noted.

Look up the storm history of any county in Maine.

The property risks that matter in Maine

Ice dams and frozen pipes are among the most common causes of Maine homeowners claims, and coastal storms have grown more damaging.

Nor'easters bring coastal flooding, wind and heavy snow to Maine. Wind damage is generally covered; storm-surge flooding needs flood insurance.

Flooding is the most common U.S. natural disaster, and it is excluded from regular home policies. Maine residents outside high-risk zones can often buy NFIP or private flood coverage at lower cost; remember the typical 30-day waiting period.

Worth knowing in Maine

Maine's 50/100/25 auto minimum is among the highest in the country, and every policy must also carry medical payments coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. For workers' comp, the legislature created the Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC) to write coverage for Maine employers.

What to review each year in Maine

Compare your auto liability limits with the Maine minimum of 50/100/25 and with your actual assets.
Add water backup coverage and keep heat on when the home is empty.
Clear gutters and check for storm-surge flood exposure before winter.
Check your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center and price an NFIP or private flood policy before storm season (NFIP usually has a 30-day wait).
Keep a current home inventory stored off-site.

Maine’s insurance regulator

Insurance in Maine is regulated by the Maine Bureau of Insurance, which handles consumer complaints and licenses insurers and agents.

Sam Alishahi holds a Maine nonresident insurance producer license (#PRN564226, NPN 21022298) and places Maine policies directly.

Common questions

What is the minimum car insurance in Maine?

Maine requires at least $50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage, plus $2,000 of medical payments coverage. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is mandatory and must equal the liability limits unless the buyer rejects equal coverage in writing, but it can never be below the state minimum.

Is Maine a no-fault state?

Maine is an at-fault (tort) state: the driver who causes a crash, and their liability insurer, pays for the injuries and damage they cause.

Do employers in Maine need workers’ comp?

Every private employer, including an independent contractor who hires and pays employees, must carry workers' compensation or self-insure. Employers of domestic workers are exempt, and some small or seasonal agricultural and aquacultural employers are exempt if they carry specified employer's liability and medical coverage. Maine is not monopolistic and does not allow opting out.

What can a Maine homeowner do if no insurer will write the house?

Maine does not operate a FAIR Plan for homeowners. The main catastrophe exposures are winter storms, nor'easters and coastal storm surge.

Are frozen pipes covered in Maine?

Sudden bursts are usually covered, but damage caused by failing to maintain heat in a vacant home may be excluded.

Do I need flood insurance in Maine?

If you're in a high-risk flood zone with a federally backed mortgage, your lender will require it. Elsewhere it's optional but worth pricing, because homeowners policies exclude flood.

More answers: Maine homeowners insurance guide Maine renters insurance and security deposit guide Maine small business insurance requirements Maine life insurance consumer guide Maine flood risk and NFIP guide

Sources

General information as of October 2026, not legal advice; confirm current rules with the agency.

Tell me what you need insured.

Home, car, business, trucks or something harder to place. One request, and I take it from there.

Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage.

Insurance in Maine