Car Accident in Charles County, MD: Which Insurance Pays and How Much, Castro Law Group Explains

Maryland’s new statewide crash dashboard shows more than 83,000 crashes so far in 2026. After a serious car accident in Charles County, the at-fault driver’s $30,000 minimum policy may not cover the injured driver’s medical bills and lost income, leaving PIP and uninsured motorist coverage to help pay the rest.

Waldorf, MD, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maryland has recorded more than 83,000 crashes so far in 2026, an average of about 274 a day, according to a statewide crash dashboard the state launched in October.¹ Medical bills and lost income from a serious car accident can climb well past what a Maryland driver must carry in insurance. State law sets the bodily injury minimum at $30,000 per person, according to the Maryland Insurance Administration.² A car accident lawyer in Charles County, MD checks that limit early when reviewing an injured driver’s insurance offer, since it shows how much the at-fault driver’s insurer will cover and how much their own policy may need to pick up. Castro Law Group, the Waldorf personal injury firm, has outlined what each required Maryland coverage pays after a crash and where it falls short.

“A car accident claim can take months to resolve, and nobody should have to handle it alone,” said Robert R. Castro, Founding Attorney, Castro Law Group, a Charles County resident since 1979 who founded the firm in 1993. “We stand with our clients through the whole process, keep them informed and fight for their best interests, whether the case settles or goes to court.”

Maryland requires liability and uninsured motorist coverage on all auto policies, with liability split into bodily injury and property damage.² Personal injury protection is also included unless the policyholder waives it.³

Required coverage	Maryland minimum	What it pays	What it leaves out
Bodily injury liability (the at-fault driver’s policy)	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident	The injured person's medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, up to that policy's limit	Anything above that limit; the at-fault driver can be held personally responsible for it
Property damage liability (the at-fault driver’s policy)	$15,000 per accident	Repair or replacement of damaged vehicles and other property	Vehicle and property damage above $15,000 per accident
Personal injury protection, or PIP (the injured driver's policy)	$2,500	Medical bills and 85% of lost wages, regardless of fault	Pain and suffering, vehicle damage, and any cost above the PIP limit
Uninsured and underinsured motorist, or UM/UIM (the injured driver's policy)	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, $15,000 property	The policyholder's losses when the at-fault driver has no insurance, too little insurance or leaves the scene	Losses above the policy's UM limits, and claims where the policyholder is found even partly at fault

Who pays medical bills and lost wages after a car accident in Charles County?

The injured driver's PIP coverage pays medical bills and 85% of lost wages regardless of who caused the crash, up to the policy limit, which can be as low as $2,500.³

The claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer comes next. It can cover the full range of losses, including pain and suffering, up to that driver’s liability limit. When that limit runs out, the injured driver’s underinsured motorist coverage can pay more, up to the policy’s UM limits.

How likely is it that the driver who hit me in Maryland has no insurance?

More likely than the national average. According to the Insurance Research Council’s 2025 study of uninsured and underinsured motorists from 2017–2023, an estimated 16.9% of Maryland drivers were uninsured in 2023, above the national rate of 15.4%.⁴

Uninsured motorist coverage protects against those drivers. It pays for injuries to the people in the car when an uninsured motorist causes a collision or a hit-and-run driver leaves the scene, and it applies if the policyholder is a pedestrian struck by an uninsured vehicle.⁵ When the at-fault driver carries only the state minimum and the injuries cost more, the same protection can make up part of the difference. How much it adds depends on whether the policy includes standard or enhanced underinsured motorist coverage.

“Enhanced underinsured coverage can change what a family recovers after a serious crash,” Castro said. “Maryland only made it the default for new policies in 2024, so a driver who has renewed for years may still have the standard version without knowing it.”

What if a drunk or hit-and-run driver caused the crash in Waldorf?

Insurers handle a drunk-driving crash the same way as any other car accident. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays first, up to its limit, and the injured person’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can pay what remains. Prosecutors pursue the criminal charges on their own timeline, and the injury claim generally doesn’t need to wait for the court to rule.

Victims of a hit-and-run file under the uninsured motorist portion of their policy. Working with the police early helps, since the officer’s report, along with statements from witnesses and footage from nearby businesses, can establish that another vehicle caused the collision.

What happens if I waived PIP or lowered my uninsured motorist limits in Maryland?

Maryland sets uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage equal to the policy’s liability limits unless the policyholder chooses a different amount, which cannot fall below the state minimum of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident.² A driver with $100,000 per person in liability coverage who chose $30,000 in UM coverage has $30,000 per person available if an uninsured driver causes a serious crash.

A policyholder who selects limited PIP gives up PIP for themselves, listed drivers and household members 16 or older, along with the no-fault payments for medical bills and lost wages. Because that choice requires a signed form, the policy documents show whether it applies.³ 

Does Maryland’s $15,000 property damage minimum cover my car after a crash?

Not always. The $15,000 minimum covers all the property the at-fault driver damaged in the crash, not each car separately, so two or three damaged vehicles share one limit.⁶ Drivers who carry their own collision coverage, which is optional in Maryland, can have their vehicle repaired through their policy.

What if the insurance company’s settlement offer is too low in Charles County?

A low offer does not end the claim. When the at-fault driver’s insurer offers its full policy limit and the injured driver carries underinsured motorist coverage, Maryland Insurance § 19-511, or § 19-511.1 for enhanced coverage, requires the injured driver to send their insurer a copy of the written offer by certified mail. That insurer then has 60 days to consent or refuse, a step that keeps the underinsured motorist claim intact.⁷

When an insurer will not pay fair value, the injured driver can file a lawsuit within Maryland’s three-year deadline, and the case could be heard in the Charles County courts in La Plata.⁸

Questions About Car Insurance After a Car Accident in Charles County, MD

Question: Can I use my health insurance and PIP after a car accident in Waldorf?

Answer: Often, yes. PIP pays accident-related medical bills regardless of fault, and it also covers lost wages, which health insurance does not.

Question: Who pays my medical bills if I was hit by an uninsured driver in Charles County?

Answer: Your policy does. PIP covers early medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, up to its limit, and your uninsured motorist coverage can pay the remaining losses, including pain and suffering, up to your UM limits. 

Question: I have whiplash from a rear-end crash on Route 301. Which insurance pays?

Answer: Usually more than one, and each comes into play at a different stage. Your PIP coverage handles the first medical bills and lost wages, since it pays without regard to fault. The driver who rear-ended you is likely responsible, so that driver’s liability insurer covers the remaining costs, including pain and suffering, up to its limit, typically once treatment ends. If ongoing whiplash care costs more than that policy holds, your underinsured motorist coverage can pay toward the rest.

Question: My spouse was hit by an uninsured driver in Charles County. Is my family covered?

Answer: Generally, yes. Full PIP covers family members who live in the policyholder’s household, and uninsured motorist coverage protects other people the policy defines as insureds. The policy shows which family members it covers.

¹ “Crash Data Dashboard.” Maryland Highway Safety Office, Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, 2026.

² “Enhanced Underinsured Motorist Coverage.” Maryland Insurance Administration.

³ Required Notice of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage and Options Selection Form. Maryland Insurance Administration, 2016.

⁴ “Facts + Statistics: Uninsured Motorists.” Insurance Information Institute. Data from Insurance Research Council, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017–2023, 2025.

⁵ A Consumer Guide to Auto Insurance for Teen & Young Adult Drivers. Maryland Insurance Administration, July 2024. 

⁶ Maryland Code, Transportation, sec. 17-103. Maryland General Assembly, 2026.

⁷ Maryland Code, Insurance, sec. 19-511 and 19-511.1. Maryland General Assembly.

⁸ Maryland Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings, sec. 5-101. Maryland General Assembly, 2025.

About Castro Law Group

Castro Law Group is a trusted, full-service law firm dedicated to providing comprehensive legal solutions to individuals, families, and businesses across Southern Maryland. Headquartered in Waldorf, Maryland, the firm is known for its client-centered approach, combining deep legal knowledge with strategic, results-driven advocacy. Castro Law Group handles a diverse range of practice areas - Personal Injury, Car Accidents, Medical Malpractice, and Dog Bites - ensuring community members have access to dependable, sophisticated legal representation close to home. For more information, please visit castrolawgroup.com or call 301-870-1200.

Attorney responsible for the content of this communication: Robert R. Castro, Castro Law Group, 11701 Central Avenue, Suite 200, Waldorf, MD 20601.

Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every case is different and is decided on its own facts. Past performance is no assurance that this firm will achieve a favorable result in any future matter. This content is attorney advertising and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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