Aligning Maine’s Intrastate Trucking Insurance Minimums with Federal Standards: A Necessary Step Toward Greater Safety and Accountability

By Trevor D. Savage, Esq. and Meryl E. Poulin Esq. 

In May 2025, Governor Janet Mills signed into law L.D. 1276, An Act to Align Intrastate Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance Requirements with Federal Standards, spearheaded by the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and strongly supported by our firm, Gideon Asen. This law raises the minimum liability insurance coverage for intrastate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight from a paltry $50,000 to $750,000 — bringing Maine into alignment with the federal standard that applies to interstate CMVs.

This long-overdue reform comes at a critical moment for public safety. Catastrophic commercial motor vehicle crashes continue to inflict serious injury and substantial financial hardship on innocent people. Until this legislative session, Maine was one of the most underinsured states for intrastate commercial motor carriers, allowing trucking companies to put minimal insurance on heavy commercial vehicles operating exclusively within our borders. This disconnect between federal requirements for interstate commerce and low intrastate requirements left injured victims with little recourse to cover medical expenses, lost wages, or long-term care after a serious crash involving an intrastate CMV.

Why $50,000 Was Never Enough

Before this law passed, intrastate commercial trucks that never crossed state lines needed only $50,000 in liability coverage — an amount grossly insufficient to compensate victims for serious injuries or fatalities. A serious crash involving an 80,000-pound truck can cause catastrophic injuries. When coverage is limited to just $50,000, it is often not enough to cover even a single victim’s medical expenses — let alone provide compensation for pain and suffering, permanent impairment, loss of enjoyment of life, or the cost of future medical care. 

As trial lawyers who advocate for victims of these devastating crashes, we know that commercial trucks pose unique risks. Trucking companies often log tens of thousands of miles a year in heavy, multi-axle vehicles. Crashes at highway speeds with these vehicles almost always produce losses far exceeding $50,000. 

Although motor carriers are legally responsible for the full amount of a verdict, undercapitalized intrastate carriers often lack the assets to pay any judgment exceeding their minimal insurance. By ensuring a meaningful minimum insurance level, the law both protects injured Mainers and requires commercial operators to internalize the true risks of their operations — creating a powerful incentive to maintain safe practices 

Maine Joins Growing Number of States Aligning with Federal Standards

Maine’s new law reflects a significant shift. By increasing the intrastate minimum to $750,000, the Legislature has recognized that commercial motor vehicles present heightened risks, regardless of whether they cross state lines. Importantly, Maine will also join a growing number of states— including Massachusetts, California, Iowa, North Dakota, and Ohio—that have chosen to align their intrastate commercial motor vehicle insurance requirements with the federal interstate standard.

Still, as our research shows, most states continue to maintain lower intrastate insurance requirements. Consider these examples:

• New York and Pennsylvania require only $300,000 intrastate coverage.
• Florida requires as little as $300,000 for certain classes of intrastate carriers, despite having some of the nation’s most congested and dangerous highways.
• Michigan and Missouri also hover around $300,000 — a fraction of the $750,000 federal standard.
• Even larger and heavily trafficked states like Texas require as little as $500,000 for heavier intrastate trucks.

 And the list goes on. Fewer than 20 states currently require $750,000 of intrastate liability coverage for commercial motor carriers. Many states—like Illinois and Arkansas—remain below $150,000 for intrastate carriers operating exclusively within state borders.

By contrast, states like California, Massachusetts, Iowa, and now Maine recognize that these intrastate vehicles present the same exposure as their interstate counterparts and deserve the same level of insurance protection.

Why Aligning Standards Matters 

Aligning Maine’s intrastate insurance minimums with the federal standard is about more than legal consistency; it is about public safety, economic fairness, and justice for victims. Truck crashes do not respect state borders. Whether a truck is hauling a load from Bangor to Portland or driving coast to coast, the resulting injuries and property damage from a crash are equally severe.

Moreover, aligning these standards ensures that local trucking companies carry adequate insurance to more fully cover the full scale of harm they may cause — preventing injured Mainers from relying on personal health insurance or public assistance for injuries that should be paid for by the responsible commercial carrier. It also levels the playing field for responsible commercial operators who already carry appropriate coverage as a matter of sound business practice.

The Role of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and Gideon Asen

This reform was driven by sustained advocacy from the Maine Trial Lawyers Association (MTLA), which rightly recognized that the $50,000 intrastate minimum was anachronistic and unjust. Our firm, Gideon Asen, was proud to support this legislation.

As trial lawyers representing people seriously injured by commercial truck crashes, we have seen first-hand how low insurance minimums leave our clients with unrecoverable losses. Too often, Maine victims of catastrophic injuries were left to shoulder staggering costs because commercial carriers only carried the outdated $50,000 minimum policy. 

Thanks to this law, as of its effective date in October 2024, commercial carriers operating in Maine must maintain policies up to $750,000 — a dramatic and necessary increase that acknowledges the true scale of injuries these large commercial motor vehicles can cause.

A Continued Call to Action for Other States

Maine’s action stands as a model for other states with similarly outdated intrastate insurance laws. As set out above, our review of all 50 states confirms a troubling pattern: a large majority have not increased their intrastate minimums to the $750,000 level, leaving intrastate victims at a serious disadvantage compared to those involved in interstate crashes.

Trial lawyers, state legislators, and public safety advocates across the country must recognize this gap and work to close it. Aligning intrastate insurance requirements with the federal standard is a straightforward reform that promotes safety, encourages responsible commercial practices, and protects the public.

 Conclusion

With the signing of L.D. 1276 by Governor Mills this May, Maine has taken a vital and long-awaited step to protect its citizens from the devastating financial impact of serious truck crashes. Gideon Asen is proud to have supported the MTLA in leading this reform and will continue to advocate for laws that improve safety and ensure fair compensation for victims.

We encourage our colleagues across the country to do the same. Increased insurance minimums mean more responsible commercial operators on our roads and fairer outcomes for injured Mainers — a change that is as just as it is sensible.

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