Portland Maine ME Auto Insurance
Reader’s Question:
Is Maine state laws on insurance and registration dependent on each other? If there are insurance lapses, would that automatically mean the vehicle registration is revoked? Do insurance companies in Portland report insurance lapses to the state of ME?
Zoe
Portland, ME
Yes. Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) requires insurance companies to inform them of a car owner’s insurance lapse or cancellation. The car owner must be able to provide a proof of active insurance in order to prevent the revocation of his vehicle registration. Also, a law called the electronic Notification of Insurance Cancellation Program took effect in January 1, 2005 requiring insurance companies in ME to report the cancellation/termination of mandatory liability insurance coverage on vehicles.
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will send a notice to the owners of vehicles with lapsed/canceled insurance indicating that their registration will be suspended if they do not provide a proof of an active insurance coverage. Car owners are given 30 days from the date of notification from BMV or otherwise registrations will be suspended if evidence of insurance is not provided.
After receiving the notification letter from ME BMV, you must provide evidence of active insurance before the effective suspension date listed at the beginning of that letter. You can send this proof online, by mail, by fax or in person at a BMV location.
Tags: automobile, car insurance rate