Best Car Insurance in Maryland for 2026

Travelers earns Maryland's top MoneyGeek score at 4.6/5, while Erie scores 4.56/5 and holds the highest customer experience rating in the state. GEICO offers the cheapest rates at $49 per month for clean-record adults.

Written by Mark Fitzpatrick

Updated: April 23, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Travelers scores highest in Maryland at 4.6/5, ranking first on affordability for adult drivers. Erie scores 4.56/5, earns the highest customer experience rating and ranks first across every violation profile on best overall score.

Erie holds Maryland's best customer experience score at 5/5 and ranks first for young drivers ($141 per month), seniors ($74 per month), DUI ($82 per month), speeding ($82 per month), at-fault accidents ($105 per month), bad credit ($90 per month) and low income ($60 per month).

Baltimore averages $130 per month, the highest of Maryland's 10 most populous cities, while Salisbury averages $79 per month. The $51 gap reflects Baltimore's traffic density and urban claim frequency.

HOW MONEYGEEK CHOSE THE BEST CAR INSURANCE IN MARYLAND

MoneyGeek analyzed quotes from six Maryland insurers across every ZIP code in the state. Maryland is an at-fault state where Baltimore metro traffic density, a high uninsured driver rate and proximity to the Washington D.C. metro corridor push rates above the regional average, and credit scoring is permitted here.

Licensed insurance producers paid attention to Maryland's at-fault liability system, the Baltimore corridor's outsized effect on statewide rates and the distinction between insurers that lead on rate versus those that lead on service quality.

Affordability (60%), rate is the primary driver for most Maryland drivers, given the state's above-average baseline.
Customer experience (30%), based on J.D. Power scores, NAIC complaint ratios, AM Best ratings and independent agent Google Business ratings.
Coverage options (10%), measures the range of optional coverages offered in Maryland.

Best Car Insurance in Maryland by Driver Profile

Travelers is the right pick for adult drivers and those with newer or older cars, while Erie ranks first for young drivers and every higher-risk profile on best score, and GEICO offers the lowest rate across most profiles for drivers whose only priority is cost.

Travelers earns Maryland's top MoneyGeek score at 4.6/5, followed by Erie at 4.56/5, supported by its 5/5 affordability score. It ranks first for adults at $68 per month, newer cars at $66 per month and older cars at $72 per month.

Erie has a 4.56/5 overall score and the highest customer experience rating of any Maryland insurer MoneyGeek analyzed at 5/5. It ranks first for young drivers at $141 per month, DUI at $82 per month, speeding at $82 per month, accidents at $105 per month, bad credit at $90 per month, low income at $60 per month and seniors at $74 per month, covering every violation and at-risk profile in the state.

GEICO isn't a featured winner in MoneyGeek's overall scoring, but it offers the lowest rate for most Maryland profiles for drivers focused purely on cost, including adults at $49 per month, DUI at $62 per month, speeding at $59 per month and accidents at $80 per month.

Check the cheapest car insurance options in Maryland for a full rate breakdown.


Low income	Erie	$60	$136
Adult drivers (26-64), clean record	Travelers	$68	$118
Senior drivers (65+)	Erie	$74	$141
After a speeding ticket	Erie	$82	$156
After a DUI	Erie	$82	$156
Bad credit	Erie	$90	$212
After an at-fault accident	Erie	$105	$196
Young drivers (16-25)	Erie	$141	$270

Note: For adult drivers, GEICO offers the cheapest rate at $49 per month; Travelers ranks first on best score at $68 per month. For most violation profiles, GEICO offers the cheapest rate; Erie ranks first on best score. Table shows the best-scoring provider.

Maryland allows credit scoring. Erie's $90 per month bad-credit rate is the top-scoring option in the state for that profile. Nationwide at $103 per month is another option for drivers comparing multiple providers whose only priority is minimizing cost.

Best Overall for Adult Drivers

Travelers

Travelers earns the top composite score in MoneyGeek's Maryland analysis at 4.6/5, due to its balance of rate, service and coverage under the 60% affordability weighting. At $68 per month for minimum coverage for a clean-record adult, Travelers ranks first in the state for that profile on best score, while GEICO offers the lowest rate. Travelers also ranks first on best score for newer cars ($66 per month) and older cars ($72 per month).

It ranks second in customer experience behind only Erie, which holds a perfect score in the state. Travelers' agent network and high J.D. Power standing support its 4.8/5 customer experience score. Its six optional coverages include accident forgiveness, gap insurance, new car replacement and rideshare coverage, a useful set for Maryland drivers commuting through the D.C. corridor or financing newer vehicles.

Affordability (60%): 4.6/5
Customer Experience (30%): 4.8/5
Coverage Options (10%): 3.9/5

Don't choose Travelers if you have a violation on your record. Erie wins every violation profile in Maryland on best overall score: DUI, speeding ticket, at-fault accident, bad credit and young driver rates are all best-scoring with Erie. For clean-record adults who want the lowest possible rate, GEICO's $49 per month cheapest minimum is $19 less per month than Travelers' best-score rate.

Best for Young Drivers or Those With a Violation

Erie

Erie earns a 4.56/5 composite score in MoneyGeek's Maryland analysis, with a 5/5 customer experience score and the best overall score across every violation and at-risk profile tested. At $141 per month for young drivers, $82 per month for a DUI or speeding ticket and $105 per month after an at-fault accident, Erie posts the top-scoring rate for each of those profiles in Maryland. It also ranks first on best score for seniors ($74 per month), bad credit ($90 per month) and low income ($60 per month).

Erie has the highest customer experience score of any insurer in MoneyGeek's Maryland analysis. Its independent agent network averages well above 4.5 stars across the agent Google Business profiles that feed the scoring, its NAIC complaint index runs below industry baseline, and it earns high marks for claims responsiveness on ConsumerAffairs and Trustpilot.

The Erie Auto Plus endorsement is the clearest coverage differentiator: it adds a no-deductible option on stipulated items, a $10,000 death benefit, emergency travel expenses and enhanced lockout limits, going well beyond a standard extras list.

Affordability (60%): 4.4/5
Customer Experience (30% of score): 5/5
Coverage Options (10%): 4.2/5

Don't pick Erie if the absolute lowest monthly rate is the only priority. GEICO's rates run lower for most profiles in Maryland, including DUI ($62 per month vs. Erie's $82 per month) and speeding ($59 per month vs. Erie's $82 per month). Erie's case is best for drivers who want the top combination of service quality and violation-profile rates.

Best Cheap

GEICO

GEICO earns a 5/5 affordability score in MoneyGeek's Maryland analysis and offers the lowest rates in the state across most profiles. At $49 per month for minimum coverage for a clean-record adult, GEICO is the cheapest option in Maryland for that profile, $19 per month below Travelers' $68. That rate advantage extends across violation profiles: DUI ($62 per month), speeding ($59 per month), accident ($80 per month) and senior drivers ($59 per month) are all cheapest with GEICO in Maryland.

It ranks fifth among the Maryland insurers analyzed on customer experience with a 3.80/5 score, behind Travelers, Erie and State Farm. Its primarily phone-and-online operation means most claims interactions happen without a local agent. GEICO offers three optional coverages: roadside assistance, a vehicle service contract and rental reimbursement. It doesn't include gap insurance, accident forgiveness or rideshare coverage.

For Maryland drivers whose primary need is the lowest possible rate, GEICO is the right call. For drivers who expect to file claims frequently, especially in Baltimore where accident frequency is above average, the customer experience gap is worth weighing.

Affordability (60% of score): 5/5
Customer Experience (30% of score): 3.8/5
Coverage Options (10% of score): 2.9/5

Don't pick GEICO if you need gap insurance, accident forgiveness or rideshare coverage. None are available. Travelers and Erie both offer all three, at higher monthly rates.

MONEYGEEK VERDICT

Travelers ranks first in Maryland at 4.6/5 and Erie follows at 4.56/5. Travelers is the top pick for clean-record adult drivers on the affordability weighting; Erie is the top pick for anyone with a violation or young driver in the household.

GEICO is the rate-only option, with the cheapest rates across most profiles, but its fifth-place customer experience ranking is the trade-off in a state where Baltimore's claim frequency can make service quality matter.

Erie's Auto Plus endorsement is the clearest coverage differentiator in Maryland, worth weighing for drivers who want depth beyond a standard list. Rates vary by ZIP, and Baltimore ZIP codes can run well above the city average.

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Best Car Insurance in Maryland by City

Maryland's city-level data shows a clear split: Travelers ranks first in eight of the ten most populous cities, while Erie ranks first in Frederick and Hagerstown, both western Maryland cities away from the Baltimore and D.C. metro corridor.

Western Maryland drivers should compare Erie, while Baltimore and D.C.-corridor drivers will find Travelers more consistently competitive. Baltimore's $130 per month average is $51 more than Salisbury's $79 per month, a gap that reflects metro density rather than insurer choice.


Gaithersburg	Travelers	4.5	$96
Rockville	Travelers	4.5	$98
Frederick	Erie	4.6	$84
Bowie	Travelers	4.6	$97
Hagerstown	Erie	4.6	$83
Annapolis	Travelers	4.6	$90
College Park	Travelers	4.6	$111
Salisbury	Travelers	4.6	$79
Laurel	Travelers	4.6	$99
Baltimore	Travelers	4.7	$130

Within Baltimore, rates vary by neighborhood. ZIP codes in areas with higher claim frequency can run well above the $130 city average. For rates by ZIP code and profile, see best cheap car insurance in Baltimore.

Summary: Best Overall Car Insurance Providers in Maryland

Travelers tops Maryland's rankings with a 4.6/5 composite score, followed by Erie at 4.56/5. Travelers ranks highest on affordability and Erie ranks highest on customer experience, making the right choice dependent on driver profile. GEICO follows at 4.4/5 with a 5/5 affordability score but lower customer experience.


Travelers	4.6	$91	2	5
Erie Insurance	4.56	$103	1	3
Geico	4.43	$70	5	6
State Farm	4.28	$91	4	6
Nationwide	4.11	$107	6	5

How to Find the Best Car Insurance in Maryland

The gap between GEICO at $49 per month and Nationwide at $83 per month for minimum coverage in Maryland is $408 per year, and Baltimore ZIP codes can run well above the city average shown in this analysis.

1
Understand Maryland's minimum requirements
Maryland requires 30/60/15 liability coverage. Maryland is an at-fault state with optional personal injury protection (PIP). Research the cheapest car insurance in Maryland to see how rates compare at minimum coverage.
2
Account for the Baltimore factor
Baltimore metro rates are above the statewide average. ZIP code matters in Maryland, and drivers in the Baltimore corridor should expect rates above the city averages shown in this analysis.
3
Compare violation profiles
Erie ranks first across every violation profile in Maryland on best overall score. A DUI conviction requires an SR-22 filing. Check out SR-22 insurance in Maryland for filing details.
4
Check credit and income options
Credit scoring is allowed in Maryland. Erie ranks first on best score for bad credit ($90 per month) and low income ($60 per month). For income-based options, see low income car insurance in Maryland.
5
Consider bundling
Bundling home and auto coverage reduces total insurance costs in most cases. Learn more about the best home and auto insurance in Maryland to compare bundle options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in Maryland

Who has the cheapest car insurance in Maryland?

GEICO has the cheapest car insurance in Maryland for most profiles. For a clean-record adult, GEICO's minimum coverage rate is $49 per month. For a DUI profile, GEICO is cheapest at $62 per month, while Erie offers the best-scoring rate at $82 per month. For bad credit, Erie ranks first on best score at $90 per month.

What is the average cost of car insurance in Maryland?

Maryland rates sit above the national average, driven by Baltimore metro density. For a breakdown by profile and coverage level, see average car insurance cost in Maryland.

What car insurance is required in Maryland?

Maryland requires minimum liability coverage of 30/60/15: $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage. Maryland is an at-fault state, and personal injury protection (PIP) isn't required.

Is Maryland a no-fault state?

No. Maryland is an at-fault state where the driver responsible for an accident is liable for damages. Personal injury protection (PIP) is optional under Maryland law.

Does credit score affect car insurance rates in Maryland?

Yes. Maryland allows insurers to use credit scores as a rating factor. Erie ranks first on best score for bad-credit drivers in Maryland at $90 per month for minimum coverage.

Which insurer has the best customer service in Maryland?

Erie ranks first for customer experience in MoneyGeek's Maryland analysis with a 5/5 score. Travelers ranks second with a 4.8/5 customer experience score.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.

He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.

His insights on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among others.

Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to the analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

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