282                              Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 73

TAXES," SUBTITLE "INSURANCE TAXES"; to repeal

and re-enact, with amendments, Section 145(c) of said

article and title, subtitle, "District Courts"; establishing pro-
cedures for the cancellation by certain insurers of cer-
tain agreements with agents and brokers and requiring said

insurers to renew policies of motor vehicle liability CER-

TAIN POLICIES OF insurance written through such agents
and brokers under certain circumstances; excepting policies
of motor vehicle liability insurance from the provisions of
Section 240A and 240C of Article 48A; establishing new
procedures for the cancellation and non-renewal of motor
vehicle liability insurance policies and for increasing premiums
thereon and decreasing coverage thereunder; correcting errors in
Section 240B of Article 48A. and making said section consistent
with other revisions of Article 48A made by this Act; permitting
insurers to exclude certain named drivers from coverage under
certain circumstances; making Section 240D of Article 48A con-
sistent with other revisions of Article 48A made by this Act; re-
quiring that premium classification standards be objectively dem-
onstrated to have a direct and substantial effect upon losses or
expenses; limiting the placement of insureds in higher premium
classifications; repealing the Maryland Automobile Insurance Plan
for assigned risks; creating the Maryland Automobile Insurance
Fund and providing for its organization, financing, powers and
functions; requiring policies of motor vehicle liability insurance to
provide direct first party coverage for certain types and amounts
of property damage and economic loss; prohibiting the duplica-
tion of benefits and providing for the coordination of benefits
under two or more motor vehicle liability policies; abolishing the
Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund and the requirements relat-
ing to financial responsibility after an accident; requiring owners
of every registered motor vehicle and persons excluded from cov-
erage by a private insurer or rejected for insurance by the
Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund to maintain minimum secu-
rity in the form of a motor vehicle liability insurance policy or
other security approved by the Motor Vehicle Administrator in
order to obtain and maintain a registration certificate or to retain
a valid operator's license; establishing the doctrine of comparative
negligence and allowing persons guilty of contributory negligence
to recover judgments in motor vehicle accident cases under certain
circumstances; limiting contingent fees for attorneys in motor
vehicle accident cases; allowing courts to assess pre-judgment
interest in motor vehicle accident cases under certain circum-
stances; TO PROVIDE THAT THE MARYLAND AUTOMO-
BILE INSURANCE FUND IS LIABLE FOR THE INSURANCE
PREMIUM TAX giving the District Court exclusive jurisdiction
over motor vehicle accident cases where the claim does not exceed
$10,000.00; and relating generally to motor vehicle liability insur-
ance and the reparations for damages suffered in motor vehicle
accidents.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 234B of Article 48A of the Annotated Code of Mary-
land (1968 Replacement Volume and 1971 Supplement), title "In-
surance Code," subtitle "15. Unfair Trade Practices," be and it
is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with amendments; that Section
240A of said article, title and subtitle be and it is hereby repealed