CHAPTER 176
H.P. 138 - L.D. 180
An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicle Laws Regarding Proof of Financial Responsibility and to Increase the Required Minimum Amounts of Liability Insurance Coverage
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1601, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
6. Suspension. Thirty days after the receipt of an abstract of an adjudication of a violation of this section, the Secretary of State shall suspend:
A. The license of that person;
B. The registration of a vehicle owned by that person; or
C. The right to apply for a driver's license or vehicle registration.
The suspension continues until that person provides evidence of insurance proof of financial responsibility to the Secretary of State pursuant to section 1605.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1601, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §1601, sub-§7-A is enacted to read:
7-A. Proof of financial responsibility following adjudication. A person who is adjudicated of a violation of this section is subject to the proof of financial responsibility requirements provided in section 1605.
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §1602, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
6. Insurance report. Within 15 days of receipt of notice from the Secretary of State that a policy was carried at the time of the accident or that the liability for damages was covered by another form of insurance or bond, an insurance carrier shall notify the Secretary of State if that policy was not in effect at the time of the accident. The Secretary of State may impose an administrative penalty of $50 for each day after 15 days that the insurance carrier fails to notify the Secretary of State as required in this subsection.
Sec. 5. 29-A MRSA §1605, sub-§1, śC, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
C. Be in the amount or limit of at least:
(1) $10,000 for For damage to property, $25,000;
(2) $20,000 for For injury to or death of any one person, $50,000; and
(3) $40,000 for For one accident resulting in injury to or death of more than one person., $100,000; and
(4) For medical payments pursuant to section 1605-A, $1,000.
Sec. 6. 29-A MRSA §1605-A is enacted to read:
A motor vehicle liability policy covering a private passenger automobile and issued for a motor vehicle registered or principally garaged in this State must provide coverage in an amount equal to or greater than $1,000 per person for medical costs incurred as a result of injuries sustained in an accident involving the insured vehicle by the driver and passengers in that vehicle. The coverage required by this section only applies to medical costs incurred during one year following the date the injuries are sustained. This section does not apply to a policy insuring more than 4 automobiles, nor to any policy covering a garage, automobile sales agency, repair shop, service station or public parking place.
Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §1607, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
1. Satisfaction. To meet the obligation of financial responsibility only, a judgment is satisfied:
A. When $20,000 $50,000 has been credited on a judgment for bodily injury to or death of one person as the result of one accident rendered in excess of that amount;
B. Subject to paragraph A, when $40,000 $100,000 has been credited on a judgment for bodily injury to or death of 2 or more people as the result of one accident rendered in excess of that amount; or
C. When $10,000 $25,000 has been credited on a judgment for injury to or destruction of property of others as a result of one accident rendered in excess of that amount.
Sec. 8. Applicability. Those sections of this Act that amend the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, sections 1605 and 1607 and enact section 1605-A apply to all personal motor vehicle liability polices executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or after July 1, 1998. For purposes of this Act, all policies are
deemed to be renewed no later than the next yearly anniversary of the policy date.
Effective September 19, 1997, unless otherwise indicated.
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