Page 1 - 131LR0529(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
_____
S.P. 666 - L.D. 1661
An Act to Require a Liability Automobile Insurance Policy to Cover the
Costs of Towing and Storing Certain Vehicles
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
PART A
Sec. A-1. 29-A MRSA §1605, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2007, c. 213, §1
and affected by §3, is further amended to read:
C. Be in the amount or limit of at least:
(1) For damage to property, $25,000;
(2) For injury to or death of any one person, $50,000;
(3) 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, $2,000. ; and
(5) For towing and storage charges pursuant to section 1605-B, $500.
Sec. A-2. 29-A MRSA §1605-B
§1605-B. Towing and storage charges
A motor vehicle liability policy issued for a motor vehicle registered or principally
garaged in this State must provide coverage in an amount up to $500 per accident for the
reasonable towing and storage charges incurred as a result of an accident involving the
insured vehicle if the vehicle is towed at the request of a law enforcement officer. The
coverage required by this section applies only to the reasonable towing and storage charges
of the insured vehicle. This section does not apply to a policy insuring more than 4 motor
vehicles, nor to any policy covering a garage, automobile sales agency, repair shop, service
station or public parking place.
Sec. A-3. 29-A MRSA §1861, first ¶, as amended by PL 2017, c. 120, §1, is further
amended to read:
LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S
SIGNATURE
JULY 6, 2023
CHAPTER
395
PUBLIC LAW Page 2 - 131LR0529(03)
A person holding or storing an abandoned vehicle, holding or storing a vehicle towed
at the request of the vehicle's operator, owner or owner's agent or holding or storing a
vehicle stored at the request of a law enforcement officer may hold the vehicle and all its
accessories, contents and equipment, not including the personal effects of the registered
owner, until reasonable towing and storage charges of the person holding or storing the
vehicle are paid, except that a person may not hold the perishable cargo of a commercial
motor vehicle, as defined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 390.5, as amended, when
the perishable cargo being transported in interstate or intrastate commerce is not owned by
the motor carrier or driver of the commercial motor vehicle being held and the person
holding or storing the towed vehicle is presented with evidence of insurance, as defined in
section 1551, covering the commercial motor vehicle and the vehicle's cargo. For purposes
of this paragraph, "perishable cargo" means cargo of a commercial motor vehicle that is
subject to spoilage or decay or is marked with an expiration date. The owner of the vehicle
shall maintain, at a minimum, the amounts of motor vehicle financial responsibility in
accordance with section 1605-B to pay the reasonable towing and storage charges of the
person holding or storing the vehicle.
Sec. A-4. Application.
policies executed, delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed in this State on or
after July 1, 2024. For purposes of this Part, all policies are deemed to be renewed no later
than the next yearly anniversary of the contract date.
Sec. A-5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Insurance - Bureau of 0092
Initiative: Provides a one-time allocation of funds for review of rate plans and forms
associated with motor vehicle liability policy coverage of towing and vehicle storage.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
2023-24 2024-25All Other $0 $20,250
____________________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL
$0 $20,250
PART B
Sec. B-1. The Department of Professional and
Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance shall review proposed rates provided by insurers
offering motor vehicle liability insurance in this State on or after July 1, 2024 to determine
the premium impact on rates of requiring coverage in accordance with the Maine Revised
Statutes, Title 29-A, section 1605-B. The bureau shall submit a report to the Joint Standing
Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services no later than February
1, 2024. The committee may report out a bill based on the report to the Second Regular
Session of the 131st Legislature.