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Intellectual Property Insurance in Maryland

Maryland treats a trade secret as information with independent economic value from secrecy and reasonable efforts to preserve it. Have an inventory of protected information and access controls ready when you discuss underwriting. 2

What Is Intellectual Property?

Intellectual property insurance comes in two separate parts: defense, when you're accused of infringing a patent, trademark or copyright, and enforcement, when you pursue someone who copied yours. A defense-only quote doesn't pay for your own lawsuit, so ask for each part you need. Read the national Intellectual property guide.

What to Watch for in Maryland

  • Match the State Rule to Your Coverage

    Maryland treats a trade secret as information with independent economic value from secrecy and reasonable efforts to preserve it. Have an inventory of protected information and access controls ready when you discuss underwriting. 2

  • Plan for the State Remedy

    Maryland law makes disclosure of a secret acquired by accident or mistake actionable when the recipient knows of the mistake before materially changing position. Ask whether the policy addresses claims involving vendors who receive information unintentionally. 2

  • Check the Policy Against the Claim

    Maryland permits damages for actual loss and unjust enrichment, or a reasonable royalty where those measures are inadequate. Ask how the policy handles negotiated licenses and settlements as well as courtroom judgments. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Maryland

Maryland Insurance Administration

The Maryland Insurance Administration licenses producers and insurers, reviews rates and forms, and investigates complaints about insurance companies and producers. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 3% of gross premiums less returned premiums when Maryland is the insured's home state; excludes risks of Maryland and its political subdivisions When Maryland is the insured's home state, the tax is 3% of gross premiums less returned premiums, except insurance of risks of the State or a political subdivision. For policies effective on or after July 21, 2011, Maryland taxes the entire premium and the broker must charge the tax in addition to premium. Maryland's property and casualty guaranty corporation excludes surplus-lines policies. 6,7

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Maryland

  1. Will this policy cover a threatened trade-secret claim under Maryland law before a lawsuit is filed?
  2. Do defense costs reduce the limit available for a royalty settlement or damages?
  3. What records should we preserve to establish when a suspected Maryland misappropriation was discovered?

Intellectual Property in Maryland: FAQ

What is the key Maryland rule for a trade-secret claim? 2

Maryland treats a trade secret as information with independent economic value from secrecy and reasonable efforts to preserve it. Have an inventory of protected information and access controls ready when you discuss underwriting. 2

How should I handle a suspected intellectual-property claim in Maryland? 2,1

Notify the insurer promptly and preserve the first demand, access logs, agreements, and discovery date. Maryland permits damages for actual loss and unjust enrichment, or a reasonable royalty where those measures are inadequate. Ask how the policy handles negotiated licenses and settlements as well as courtroom judgments. The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act is a separate claim with its own filing period. 2,1

Intellectual Property in Other States

Other Coverage in Maryland

Sources

  1. 18 U.S.C. § 1836, Civil Proceedings. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives; § 1836(b)(1), (3): federal civil action, injunction, and damages for qualifying trade secret misappropriation. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Maryland Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Maryland Legislature; §§ 11-1201, 11-1202, 11-1203, and 11-1208. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Maryland Insurance Administration. Maryland Insurance Administration; Homepage and consumer contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Insurance License Lookup. Maryland Insurance Administration; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. File an Insurance Complaint. Maryland Insurance Administration; State complaint process and contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Md. Code, Insurance §3-324. Maryland General Assembly; Insurance §3-324(a)-(b), (d)-(f): government-risk exclusion; 3% of gross premiums less returns; entire-premium home-state basis from July 21, 2011, with tax charged in addition. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Maryland Insurance Article (2026). Maryland General Assembly; Insurance §9-303(5), (7): surplus-lines and unauthorized insurers excluded from property and casualty guaranty subtitle; 2026 Insurance Article PDF. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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