Media Liability in Maine

Maine’s Uniform Public Expression Protection Act applies to qualifying actions filed or claims asserted on or after January 1, 2025. It covers specified public-interest speech and press activity, but excludes some seller-related claims; a “journalistic work” is not treated as a good or service for one part of that analysis. A September 24, 2025 amendment also addresses communications by people with a reasonable basis to complain about specified experiences. Publishers should ask counsel to distinguish the speaker’s own communication from a newsroom’s reporting or republication.

What Is Media Liability Insurance?

Media liability can help pay defense costs for claims about content you create or distribute, such as allegations of defamation or infringement. Consider it if you publish or produce content for your business or clients; match the quote to each activity. Read the national Media liability guide.

What Should You Watch for With Media Liability Insurance in Maine?

The filing date selects the procedure
The UPEPA applies to a civil action filed or cause asserted on or after January 1, 2025. The Act preserves causes asserted earlier and related motions under former §556, so counsel should confirm the date before relying on the current motion process. ^5,¹
A source’s statement is not automatically a publisher’s defense
Current §733 includes a communication made without malice about specified misconduct or discrimination experienced by a person who had a reasonable basis to file a complaint, whether or not one was filed. That category describes the person’s communication; a newsroom should not assume it automatically covers its own reporting or republication of the account. ^6,¹
Editorial and sales communications need separate review
For §733, journalistic work is excluded from the definition of goods or services. A separate exception addresses claims against a seller when the cause arises from a communication related to selling goods or services. Have counsel examine whether a dispute concerns editorial work, an advertisement, or a sales communication and how those clauses interact. ^1,⁵
A motion can pause proceedings early
A party generally has 60 days after service of a covered pleading to seek expedited relief, with later filing possible for good cause. The motion stays related proceedings and discovery, with limited-discovery and other stated exceptions; a prevailing movant receives motion-related fees, while a responding party does only if the motion was frivolous or solely meant to delay. ^2,³

Which Media Liability Insurance Providers Have Maine License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Media liability; the license records below name the licensed entities and roles. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Maine. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

Coalition
Insurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28
Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc.
Coalition’s license page lists producer and surplus-lines licenses for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The page separately lists insurers; this record covers the brokerage entity only. ¹⁵
Coalition identifies media liability within its Active Cyber policy.
Corgi
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.
Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. ¹⁶
Corgi lists media liability insurance among its coverage offerings.

Who Regulates Insurance in Maine?

Maine Bureau of Insurance

The Maine Bureau of Insurance licenses producers and companies, enforces Maine insurance laws, and investigates property and casualty complaints including commercial coverage complaints. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue. ^8,^9,¹⁰

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint
Phone: 800-300-5000

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Maine

Reported tax rate. 3% of gross direct premium when Maine is the insured's home state ^11,^12,¹³

Maine charges 3% of gross direct premium when it is the insured's home state; your broker handles the tax and may include it with the premium. Surplus-lines policies are outside Maine guaranty-association protection. Maine generally requires a diligent search, with an exempt-commercial-purchaser exception requiring broker disclosure and the purchaser's written request.

What Should You Ask Before Buying Media Liability Insurance in Maine?

Which activities did the broker review separately—reporting, user-submitted content, sponsored work, advertising, and republication?
How would the proposed policy handle defense costs and counsel decisions if a special motion is filed within 60 days?
What dated copies of the original story, edits, corrections, source communications, and first distribution should we preserve for counsel?

Media Liability Insurance in Maine: Frequently Asked Questions

Does the current UPEPA procedure govern an action filed before 2025?

The 2023 Act applies to actions filed or claims asserted on or after January 1, 2025, and preserves earlier causes and motions under former §556. Counsel should verify the commencement and assertion dates. ⁵

What period does Maine set for libel and slander actions?

Maine Revised Statutes Title 14, §753 requires a libel or slander action to be commenced within two years after accrual. Counsel should assess accrual for the specific publication. ⁴

Sources for Media Liability Insurance in Maine

1
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, §733, Applicability. Maine Office of the Revisor of Statutes; Current text, subsections 1–3: covered causes, press/public-concern and complaint-related communications, government and commercial exclusions; history records PL 2025, c. 403 amendments. Page extracted October 20, 2025; cross-checked against 2025 enacted text and 2026 legislative records. Accessed 2026-09-28.
2
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, §734, Special motion for expedited relief. Maine Office of the Revisor of Statutes; Full current text: motion within 60 days after service or later for good cause; enacted by PL 2023, c. 626. Accessed 2026-09-28.
3
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, §740, Costs, attorney’s fees and expenses. Maine Office of the Revisor of Statutes; Full current text: fees and reasonable litigation expenses to prevailing movant; respondent recovers if it prevails and court finds motion frivolous or solely intended to delay. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 14, §753, Two years. Maine Office of the Revisor of Statutes; Full current text: slander and libel actions within two years after accrual; history notes PL 2021, c. 207. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
2023 Maine Public Law, chapter 626, Uniform Public Expression Protection Act. Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes; Official session-law volume, chapter 626: §§733–742; application to actions filed or claims asserted on/after Jan. 1, 2025; savings clause for earlier claims and former §556 motions; effective date Jan. 1, 2025. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Maine Public Law, chapter 403 (2025), LD 385. Maine Legislature; Secs. 2–4 amend §733(2)(C) and (D) and add §733(2)(E): communications by a person concerning specified experiences where there is a reasonable basis to complain, whether or not a complaint was filed; law without Governor’s signature June 22, 2025. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Maine Legislature official homepage, 132nd Legislature session dates and general effective dates. Maine Legislature; First Special Session of the 132nd Legislature adjourned June 25, 2025; general effective date for nonemergency laws was September 24, 2025. Chapter 403 has no emergency clause. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Maine Bureau of Insurance. Maine Bureau of Insurance; Homepage and commercial insurance resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
9
Insurance License Lookup. Maine Bureau of Insurance; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
10
File an Insurance Complaint. Maine Bureau of Insurance; State complaint process and contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
36 M.R.S. §2531. Maine Legislature; 36 M.R.S. §2531(1)-(2), current page: home-state basis; 3% tax; producer pays on chapter 19 surplus lines. Accessed 2026-09-28.
12
24-A M.R.S. §4433. Maine Legislature; Surplus-lines contracts excluded from guaranty association. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
24-A M.R.S. §2002-A. Maine Legislature; ECP disclosure and written-request procedure. Accessed 2026-09-28.
14
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
15
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.
16
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.
17
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.
18
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.
19
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.
20
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.

Media Liability in Maine

What Is Media Liability Insurance?

What Should You Watch for With Media Liability Insurance in Maine?

The filing date selects the procedure

A source’s statement is not automatically a publisher’s defense

Editorial and sales communications need separate review

A motion can pause proceedings early

Which Media Liability Insurance Providers Have Maine License Records?

Coalition

Corgi