REFORM

December 13, 2021

Michigan drivers are expected to receive a promised $400 per-vehicle refund from the state fund that covers costs for severe auto-related injuries by May 9, 2022, officials said Monday.

Michigan’s auto insurance companies are to issue refund checks to Michigan motorists no later than May 9, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday.

Auto insurance companies will have to issue $400 refunds to Michigan customers by May 9, according to an announcement Monday from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration.

December 7, 2021

The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association plans to refund state drivers $400 per vehicle with checks coming in the second quarter of 2022, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration announced Tuesday.

Michigan drivers are slated to get a $400-per-car refund from a state fund that covers costs for severe auto-related injuries, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other officials announced Tuesday.

The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association will issue $3 billion in auto insurance refunds — $400 per insured vehicle — to Michigan drivers, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services announced Tuesday.

November 27, 2021

Michigan’s recent overhaul of its no-fault auto insurance system is gradually saving money for the state’s 7.1 million licensed drivers, although its cost-containment mechanisms are making life more precarious for some of the roughly 6,600 people receiving long-term care for the most catastrophic car accident injuries.

November 24, 2021

When it comes time to renew auto insurance policies, Michiganders will be getting a letter in the mail describing how things have changed since the last time they renewed.

November 20, 2021

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently advocated for giving Michigan drivers refunds from a $5 billion surplus held by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, and it appears this will happen. The refund is welcome news, and an indication that auto insurance reforms are working.

November 16, 2021

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that drivers should save on average between 25-62% on the PIP medical portion of their auto policies compared to the previous year.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Tuesday that drivers should expect lower costs and more savings for their auto insurance policies compared to the previous year.

A new law signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer will be saving Michiganders between 25 and 62% on the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) medical portion of their car insurance policy.

November 3, 2021

The auto insurance companies that govern the state’s injured driver trust fund are backing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s call for every vehicle owner in Michigan to get a refund check as a result of cost-cutting reforms.

November 2, 2021

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking refunds of auto insurance fees, arguing a $5 billion surplus accumulated by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association should be returned to Michigan drivers.

November 1, 2021

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants Michigan’s trust fund for catastrophically injured motorists to issue up to $5 billion in refunds to all vehicle owners for surpluses that resulted from the cost-cutting auto insurance reform law she signed in 2019.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday called on the auto insurance industry to send refunds that could total billions of dollars to all insured motorists in the state.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is calling on the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association to return a $5 billion surplus through “refund checks” to every resident with auto insurance, something a key Republican lawmaker noted could occur down the road under current law.

August 30, 2021

Michigan is a little more than a year into a historic change to its auto no-fault system. On July 2, 2020, Michigan drivers finally got a choice. For decades, drivers were forced to purchase unlimited, lifetime medical benefits whether they needed them or not — and whether they could afford them or not. For the first time in 50 years, they can choose a level of medical coverage that’s best for their family and their budget.

July 16, 2021

For decades, Michigan struggled with a broken auto insurance system, making it the most expensive state in which to purchase car insurance. But in 2019 Michigan lawmakers took action to enact critical no fault auto insurance reforms to address these issues.

June 30, 2021

Michigan drivers will see even more savings on their auto insurance beginning Thursday.

June 29, 2021

In May of 2019 Governor Whitmer signed into legislation a No-Fault auto insurance reform in an effort to address high premiums, and to lower costs for Michigan Drivers. That new policy goes into effect this week.

May 21, 2021

It’s been a long 7-years, but we have finally become #2! What? So that’s a good thing? Yes, when it comes to the cost of Auto Insurance.

May 20, 2021

Michigan doesn’t have the most expensive car insurance in the country, according to a new report from insure.com. Instead, we have the second-most expensive.

May 18, 2021

The Insurance Alliance of Michigan today announced more than 25 auto insurance companies are planning to enter the Michigan market since reforms to Michigan’s once broken and outdated auto no-fault system took effect last summer.

May 17, 2021

The recent sentencing of an Ogemaw County man to pay back nearly $775,000 to two auto insurance companies after fraudulently claiming he couldn’t walk following a car accident underscores the importance of recent auto no-fault reforms, according to the Insurance Alliance of Michigan.

May 12, 2021

Bipartisan reforms to Michigan’s broken auto no-fault system continue to reap huge benefits for Michigan drivers in terms of more savings, more choices and more competition.

May 2, 2021

Legislation introduced in the Michigan House and Senate peddled as a “technical fix” to Michigan’s new auto no-fault law would begin to erase $1 billion in savings for Michigan drivers by undoing historic reforms to a once-broken, outdated auto no-fault system.

April 19, 2021

A recent column in Bridge Magazine paints legislation recently introduced in Lansing as a “narrow and technical fix” to Michigan’s new auto no-fault law. We see a flashing yellow light and are urging caution.

March 26, 2021

Michigan drivers who want unlimited personal injury protection benefits will see a 14% reduction in the required catastrophic claims fee starting in the summer of 2021.

March 20, 2021

There has been a surge in interest from auto insurance companies looking to enter Michigan since passage nearly two years ago of a controversial overhaul of the no-fault system aimed at lowering rates and loosening the state’s unconventional mandates.

December 26, 2020

We live in different regions of the great state of Michigan, belong to different political parties and have different priorities. One thing we have in common, though, is we both voted “yes” on legislation in 2019 to fix Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault system. Our constituents are now reaping the benefits of this new law.

December 24, 2020

Top lawyers at two metro Detroit law firms took part in schemes to illegally obtain police reports of auto accidents and solicit the crash victims for legal and medical services, according to recent federal indictments and a plea agreement.

November 25, 2020

Michigan drivers will see a $14 decrease in their catastrophic claim fee in the coming year, the second decrease in the 18 months since state leaders adopted historic auto insurance reform. 

August 20, 2020

I was elected with a mandate from the people of Detroit to reform Michigan’s broken auto insurance system, and to bring relief to thousands of Detroiters saddled with the highest auto insurance premiums in the country.

July 28, 2020

Car insurance in Michigan is getting a lot cheaper in July.

July 1, 2020

Michigan drivers on Thursday will have the choice to “opt out” of unlimited Personal Protection Insurance in an effort to reduce their insurance rates as the state’s historic no fault auto insurance reform takes effect.

June 27, 2020

Michigan’s new auto insurance system goes into effect in early July, but drivers cannot sit back and expect the cost savings to just appear in their insurance bills.

Michigan drivers who renew or buy car insurance face a choice starting Thursday: stick with unlimited medical coverage, go with less or — for seniors with Medicare — opt out entirely.

June 14, 2020

The state of Michigan is known for having some of the highest auto insurance rates in the country.

June 9, 2020

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services announced average statewide medical savings connected to the 2019 law that changed the state’s auto insurance coverage plans will exceed what is required in a press release Tuesday.

Drivers should see savings in auto insurance premiums, per an announcement by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services today that the average statewide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) medical savings under the state’s new auto insurance law will exceed the law’s requirements.

May 10, 2020

It seems like ages ago — before the 2020 elections and coronavirus flooded our screens — when Michigan legislators and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agreed to significantly change Michigan’s auto insurance laws. If you’re like me, you’d prefer to give just enough thought to auto insurance to avoid being completely irresponsible. If that’s true, I have some bad news: You’re going to have to make new decisions about your auto insurance. But I also have good news: You can save money based on what you choose.

April 28, 2020

Projected auto insurance rates in Michigan are expected to be lower than reductions mandated by a new law that overhauled the state’s auto insurance system last year.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a top state regulator said Tuesday that drivers will save more on car insurance than is required under a bipartisan overhaul of Michigan’s auto insurance law.

December 12, 2019

State Rep. Mike Mueller recently explained a fee reduction announced by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) is a sign local drivers will save money through the state’s recent car insurance reforms.

December 9, 2019

That sound you heard across Detroit and throughout the state of Michigan last month was the collective sigh of relief from drivers paying the highest auto insurance premiums in the country. The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) announced Nov. 13 it was reducing its per-vehicle fee charged to drivers to $100 — and even less for others. 

December 5, 2019

After years of mandatory and expensive personal injury protection (PIP), Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association reduced its claim fee from $220 to $100 for motorists who choose unlimited medical benefits. For motorists who do not choose unlimited medical care, the fee is completely waived. Changes will take effect July 2020. 

November 13, 2019

Michigan drivers will see their catastrophic claim fee cut in half or eliminated in the coming year, in what advocates say is proof that reforms adopted in May are working to lower costs to drivers.

October 31, 2019

A recent column in Crain’s Detroit Business is filled with the same tired and overplayed untruths and distortions about Michigan’s auto no-fault system pushed by the same special interests that were opposed to reform and profit off the status quo.

Here are the facts:

October 19, 2019

The overhaul of the state’s no-fault auto insurance system — set to take effect in July 2020 — will not result in cost spikes next year for the health insurance premiums of many Michiganders, particularly those whose employers already cover car crashes, according to health insurance companies.

September 25, 2019

The 2018 election cycle began with a whirlwind surrounding our state’s high auto insurance rates.

September 19, 2019

The Michigan Supreme Court is stepping into a legal dispute involving a popular personal-injury lawyer who is accused of sexually assaulting two women.

September 3, 2019

If you drive a car in Michigan, you’ve been paying the highest insurance rates in the country. Everyone knows that. In fact, fixing our state’s unsustainable “no-fault” car insurance system is the main reason I ran for office and has been the number one issue I’ve heard about from my constituents. It has always been a bigger burden for the state’s border counties like Branch and Hillsdale, but according to a 2019 University of Michigan study, after forty years of ever-rising premiums, rates became “unaffordable” in 97 percent of Michigan’s ZIP codes. It was no longer a city vs. rural, or a Democrat vs. Republican issue – the high cost of car insurance in Michigan has been hurting everyone from Marquette to Metro Detroit.

August 15, 2019

Michigan drivers may soon experience some financial relief in the form of car insurance cost savings. On May 30, 2019, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a new no-fault law into effect after it had been passed by the state senate just days earlier. This new law eliminates the previous requirement for all Michigan drivers to purchase expensive, unlimited no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) benefits. The new law also creates several tiers that make it much easier for drivers to purchase varying levels of coverage.

July 25, 2019

At Friday night’s Reagan Day Dinner in Twin Lakes, State Senator Ed McBroom and State Representative Greg Markkanen opened their conversation with the importance of speaking and listening to the concerns of the residents in their districts.

July 24, 2019

Michigan will end its system of “no fault” automobile insurance which forced every driver in the state to purchase expensive coverage.

July 18, 2019

In the last several years, many improvements have been made to enhance opportunities for Michiganders, but one glaring exception lingered. Michigan drivers have been asking for car insurance reform for decades. It’s consistently been the No. 1 concern that I have heard about from community members.

July 8, 2019

As your representative in the Michigan House and our voice in Lansing, I know the high cost of car insurance is a top concern for drivers and their families across Lenawee County. That’s why I spent much of my first two and a half years in office listening to your concerns and leading the way to a solution.

July 3, 2019

Evidence presented in a civil lawsuit suggests high-profile lawyer Mike Morse is at the center of an alleged conspiracy that an insurance company claims involved unnecessary medical treatments and millions in kickbacks, a federal magistrate judge said Tuesday.

July 2, 2019

There are no cars on Mackinac Island, where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed into law historic bipartisan reforms to Michigan’s no-fault car insurance system. But if there were, the owners of those cars would have been forced into paying the nation’s highest prices for insurance premiums.

June 26, 2019

During my time in office, car insurance reform has been the most common issue I have heard about from constituents. While reform has been discussed in some capacity for nearly four decades, Michigan has long been the only state in the union to require every driver to purchase unlimited medical coverage. This is great coverage for those that can afford it, but for others it is a strain on their family budget.

June 24, 2019

State Rep. Jason Sheppard is confident that the sky will not fall next summer when laws overhauling Michigan’s no-fault automotive insurance take effect.

When I first started representing the interests of the western Upper Peninsula at the state Capitol in January, the top complaint I got from residents was about our high car insurance rates.

June 23, 2019

Many drivers are cheering action in Lansing that — beginning in about a year — will allow Michigan residents to reduce their automobile insurance costs.

June 17, 2019

Michigan has a new No-Fault Insurance law, and it is not without its critics.

June 14, 2019

Many drivers are cheering action in Lansing that — beginning in about a year — will allow Michigan residents to reduce their automobile insurance costs.

June 13, 2019

After decades of growing dissatisfaction with Michigan’s car insurance system, the Michigan Legislature recently came together to approve a bipartisan solution that will lower rates for drivers in mid-Michigan and beyond.

June 11, 2019

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill Tuesday designed to prevent certain portions of the state’s new auto insurance law from going into effect earlier than intended.

June 9, 2019

Soon, Michigan’s 7 million drivers will, at last, see the cost of their car insurance policy go down. This is due to reforms recently passed by the Michigan Legislature. Through bipartisan compromise and sound leadership, we delivered long-overdue reform in the first five months of the 2019-20 legislative term — putting an end to four decades of partisan gridlock on this critical issue.

Many drivers are cheering action in Lansing that — beginning in about a year — will allow Michigan residents to reduce their automobile insurance costs.

Last Wednesday morning, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an auto insurance reform bill that drastically changes the landscape of the Michigan insurance industry. The new law will alter many facets of the insurance code, from allowing consumers to pick their choice of medical benefits to implementing a fee schedule for medical providers.

June 8, 2019

Reforming auto insurance has been a priority since the beginning of this legislative term — in fact it was a key issue during November’s campaign season for many members. Folks from every corner of our state have been overly burdened by the current system and they made their voices heard.

June 6, 2019

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature recently enacted historic reforms to this state’s auto insurance laws. The bipartisan effort was a long time coming — policymakers have discussed and debated these reforms for decades. But now, finally, Michigan motorists can take control of their auto insurance costs, select the level of coverage that best meets their needs and get much-needed relief on their auto insurance premiums.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week signed a “historic” overhaul of the state’s car insurance system that, beginning in 13 months, will let drivers choose their medical coverage instead of them being required to buy unlimited benefits.

June 5, 2019

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s job approval rating has climbed 13 percentage points since January and now tops 50% for the first time, according to a new poll conducted on the heels of a bipartisan deal to reform the state’s auto insurance system.

Michigan residents pay the highest auto insurance rates in the country, but a recent bill signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is being hailed as the solution to a decades-long problem in Michigan.

June 4, 2019

The Michigan Legislature on Tuesday approved a “technical fix” that would prevent a one-year auto insurance price spike under a recent reform law intended to reduce rates that routinely rank among the highest in the nation.

June 3, 2019

People have been upset with the cost of auto insurance since well before my time as an elected official. I met and discussed this issue with folks from my House district, and while a majority were in favor of some type of reform to reduce rates, some were still on the fence about whether they were willing to give up the quality of care that comes with the high premiums.

June 1, 2019

For decades, our elected officials have promised to do something about Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance rates. But a solution eluded drivers until last week, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer led lawmakers from both parties to finally get something done. 

May 31, 2019

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a press conference on Mackinac Island Thursday signed into law historic changes to Michigan’s auto insurance industry, allowing customers to choose their level of personal injury protection and making other changes aimed at decreasing the cost.

May 30, 2019

Michigan’s bans on what non-driving factors insurers could use when setting auto insurance rates would be among the most extensive in the country under impending changes to the state’s auto insurance policy, although some say the language will do little to prevent higher rates for drivers living in certain areas.

On Thursday, Gov. Whitmer signed into law a compromise bill the Senate and House passed last week aimed at fixing Michigan’s broken system for auto insurance. 

Governor Whitmer signed the bipartisan no-fault auto insurance bill Thursday during the Mackinac Policy Conference.

May 28, 2019

It took the threat of a ballot initiative to make it happen, but the deal no one ever thought they would see has come to fruition: Michigan’s lawmakers have passed legislation to reform the state’s worst-in-the-nation auto insurance market.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign a bill this week that is supposed to lower Michigan auto insurance rates.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday defended a pending overhaul of Michigan’s auto insurance law, saying treatment for injured drivers will “still be there” if they forego what has been a one-of-its-kind, mandatory unlimited personal injury protection benefit.

The Michigan Legislature made history approving a landmark plan to help drivers across the state save money on car insurance. Forged by hard work to hammer out bipartisan compromise, this plan is a win for Michigan drivers — and also demonstrates the dignified, deliberative democratic process all voters expect and deserve.

May 25, 2019

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will sign a bill to cut the country’s highest auto premiums following a landmark deal that was reached with legislative leaders and approved by large margins in the House and Senate.

May 24, 2019

A deal to fundamentally change Michigan’s no fault auto insurance system passed the Michigan House of Representatives and Senate on Friday and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she will sign the legislation, calling it a “truly historic” plan that will provide rate relief for all of the state’s drivers.

Republicans say the average Michigan driver could save between $120 and $1,200 on their yearly auto insurance bill under a sweeping reform plan approved Friday after a deal between Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders.

Michigan’s Legislature on Friday passed a landmark bill that would cut the country’s highest auto insurance premiums by letting drivers forego a one-of-a-kind requirement to buy unlimited medical coverage for crash injuries.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican leaders agreed to a landmark deal Friday that dramatically changes the state’s no-fault auto insurance system by allowing drivers to choose their level of personal injury protection coverage, among other things.

May 21, 2019

Will Michigan voters get a say on what form auto insurance reform takes?

Billionaire Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert is planning a petition drive for auto insurance reform legislation but his team remains “hopeful” that legislative leaders and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this week will hammer out a deal.

Upper Peninsula State Senator Ed McBroom says he’s frustrated with the conversation about auto insurance reform in Lansing. Both the House and Senate passed versions of reforms that promise to lower premiums, but Governor Gretchen Whitmer has said they’re not good enough and has threatened to veto.

A legislative proposal to make auto insurance more affordable is going through the revision process, with both chambers looking to put it on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk this week.

May 20, 2019

Legislators say they are closer than ever to reaching an agreement on auto insurance reform, but they remain uncertain what the final product will look like.

Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert is not waiting any longer for legislative Republicans and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to hammer out a compromise on no fault automobile insurance reform.

A planned petition drive by Detroit developer Dan Gilbert to put a no-fault insurance initiative on the ballot drew skepticism from Democrats on Sunday but was welcomed by at least one GOP lawmaker who said reform can’t wait any longer.

May 16, 2019

Gary Kimbel says he got an unexpected and unwelcome surprise for his 65th birthday — a nearly $2,000 hike in his annual auto insurance premium

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that she was open to letting drivers forgo mandatory, unlimited medical benefits covered by their auto insurance premiums, but only if they were still required to buy some level of coverage.

House and Senate Republican leadership opted not to push ahead with additional votes on auto insurance legislation this week, telling reporters they were optimistic they were closer to consensus on a deal with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Republican legislative leaders say they have made progress with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration toward a deal to reform Michigan’s unique-in-the-nation no-fault auto insurance system.

May 15, 2019

Attorney John Hohmeier has 130 pending lawsuits sitting on his desk pertaining to various medical claims for coverage under Michigan’s unlimited auto insurance benefits for injured motorists.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday she and Republican legislative leaders are no closer to a deal on no-fault auto insurance reform than they were last week, when the House and Senate approved bills allowing drivers to opt out of Michigan’s mandatory unlimited medical benefits.

May 14, 2019

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s promise to veto the House Bill that will fix our car insurance is inexcusable. After hearing her complaints on the Senate bill, the House created a new bill that addressed her concerns.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature last week passed two similar bills that would overhaul Michigan’s no-fault car insurance system.

The Michigan Legislature made history last week by approving real reforms to fix Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault system. We urge them to keep going, and urge Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to sign a bill that gives drivers real relief.

May 13, 2019

The state with the highest car insurance premiums in the country is on the verge of a political showdown over long-running efforts to cut rates by reining in generous medical benefits.

May 9, 2019

The Republican-led Michigan House early Thursday approved a plan to reduce the state’s high auto insurance premiums, moving to no longer require that drivers buy unlimited medical benefits through their car insurer to cover crash injuries.

A day after the state Senate passed drastic changes to Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system, the House of Representatives passed its own version shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday, guaranteeing reductions in auto insurance rates.

Michigan would allow auto insurers to sell policies with reduced medical coverage but require them to cut consumer prices for the next five years under a broad no-fault reform plan unveiled late Wednesday and approved early Thursday in the Republican-led House.

The Michigan House cleared a plan that would give drivers the option to opt out of unlimited personal injury protection coverage and overhaul the state’s no-fault auto insurance policies early Thursday morning after hours of negotiation and debate.

May 8, 2019

Even though the Michigan Senate passed significant changes to Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance system on Tuesday, the bill faces an uncertain future.

From Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to GOP legislative leaders, both Democrats and Republicans are scrambling for strategies to lower Michigan’s sky-high auto-insurance costs.

May 1, 2019

6 News has learned that Senate Republicans are poised to introduce a no-fault car insurance rate reduction package.

April 30, 2019

State Sen. Lana Theis of Livingston County told Shiawassee County Republicans Monday the state needs to revamp the way it handles auto insurance.

Sources tell Local to expect another attempt at reforming no fault auto insurance in the Michigan Senate in the next two weeks.

April 24, 2019

A new study into the high cost of auto insurance in Michigan points the finger at no-fault insurance and blames the system for soaring medical claims and an explosion in accident-related lawsuits.

Michigan residents are paying $8.79 billion dollars more in auto insurance each year than the rest of America. The current no-fault debate lacks hard numbers and relies too much on finger pointing. We just want lower rates.

April 23, 2019

What? An insurance company claims it has been scammed. Shocking.

Great job Michigan you have topped the charts for 6 years in a row. What exactly did you do to top the charts, well you have the country’s highest auto insurance rates.  You get to pay more money than anywhere else in our country for the privilege of insuring and driving your vehicle in this great state.

Auto insurance giant Allstate claims in a new federal lawsuit that it fell victim to a racketeering conspiracy involving six metro Detroit patient treatment clinics, an MRI center and a medical transportation company that  Allstate says acted together and made millions by abusing Michigan’s no-fault insurance system.

April 20, 2019

To the Editor:

Auto insurance rates are again in the Michigan news and rightfully so.

April 19, 2019

Drivers in Michigan pay more for auto insurance than anywhere else in the United States.

April 18, 2019

While our Michigan Legislature appears to be once again falling asleep at the wheel regarding auto insurance reform, our fair state has the highest rates in the country for the fifth consecutive year, according to insure.com — 64 percent higher than the national average. MCCA (catastrophic) fees, which were originally $2 per vehicle per year at its inception in 1978, will significantly inflate to $220 per vehicle per year, effective July 1.

April 17, 2019

Insure.com, a comprehensive resource for insurance information, today released its annual ranking of the most and least expensive states for car insurance. For the sixth year in a row, Michigan took the top spot as the most expensive state to insure a vehicle, with a policy average of $2,611, almost 80 percent higher than the national average of $1,457.

April 16, 2019

State Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey joined WKHM and said that this week is a big week for car insurance.

April 15, 2019

Michigan leads the nation for highest premiums and Mid-Michigan is home to some of the highest rates in the state, according to the Zebra’s 2019 State of Auto Insurance Rates.

A recent study released Monday shows drivers in the city of Flint and Beecher pay the highest auto insurance rates in Mid-Michigan.

April 12, 2019

On paper, the two of us couldn’t be more different. One is a Republican dairy farmer from the Upper Peninsula; the other a Democratic social worker from Detroit. Yet, for all our differences, we are working together on an issue that knows no political, geographic, social, or economic boundaries – Michigan’s out-of-control auto insurance rates.

April 10, 2019

State Rep. Beau LaFave said he is working on two options for lowering car insurance rates in Michigan.

April 9, 2019

Michigan has the highest car insurance rates in the country and the rates are continuing to grow as the Michigan Catastrophic Claims fee rises.

Michigan ranks as the third-least-affordable state in the country for auto insurance, according to a new study from the Insurance Research Council (IRC). Michigan’s affordability index was 2.21 percent from 2013 through 2016, compared with 1.58 percent countrywide. 

Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates of any state in the country, and Detroit has the highest rates within the state.

L.A. Insurance, the agency long known for selling seven-day auto insurance that motorists used to skirt Michigan’s no-fault law, has ordered its agents to stop “positioning” a six-month plan as a 13-day policy to prospective customers.

April 4, 2019

I can still remember the shock of discovering what I’d have to pay for my Michigan car insurance. I had just graduated from college, and wasn’t exactly rolling in dough. Moving from Oregon, it was hard enough getting used to pumping my own gas (yes, they do that for you in my home state). But when I learned I would have to pay twice as much just to insure my car — not to mention higher registration fees — I started second guessing my decision to move here.

April 2, 2019

When it comes to the cost of car insurance, Michigan is No. 1 for all the wrong reasons. Drivers in our state pay the highest auto insurance premiums in the country — and have for more than five years.

For many Americans, learning to drive and owning a car are equated with having a sense of independence. But, as researchers recently revealed, Michigan motorists can scarcely afford the skyrocketing costs of car insurance. In other words, their freedom comes at a price.

A Lansing-based organization is working to reform Michigan’s no-fault law to lower auto insurance premiums for drivers in Michigan.

March 31, 2019

It’s no secret Michigan drivers pay the highest auto insurance premiums in the country, and have for more than five years. This undesirable distinction shows that when it comes to the cost of car insurance, Michigan is No. 1 for all the wrong reasons. The system is broken. It’s outdated. And it’s desperately in need of reform.

On a Saturday evening in May 2017, Avoryanna Harper was a helmetless 21-year-old passenger on a motorcycle that hit a stopped SUV in a head-on crash in Cadillac. She landed 48 feet away. Bleeding in multiple parts of her brain left lasting cognitive and emotional damage that affected her ability to perform basic functions, according to court records. Under Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law, the insurance company for the Ford Explorer that the motorcycle collided with is responsible for paying for Harper’s lifelong medical care.

March 28, 2019

Think about this: If Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature make radical changes to car insurance, every motorist in the state could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year.

A local lawmaker says the recent announcement that Michigan’s mandatory fee to cover unlimited medical benefits for injured drivers is rising to a new record high and makes it even more clear how desperately broken and unsustainable the auto insurance system is.

Finally the Michigan Democrats or at least our Governor is concerned or is attempting to show concern and has ordered an audit of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA).

March 27, 2019

Michigan Senate Republicans are continuing their quest to lower auto insurance rates in the state and they’re calling on citizens to share their stories of what they would do with the savings.

Michigan motorists are poised to see higher auto insurance bills when an annual assessment on their providers increases $28 this summer.

Michigan’s mandatory fee to cover unlimited medical benefits for catastrophically injured drivers is rising to a record $220 per vehicle, which is more than double what it was a decade ago.

“The per-vehicle fee increase underscores the urgent need to reform Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault system, which continues to overburden drivers,” said Tricia Kinley, executive director of the Insurance Alliance of Michigan. “The fact that medical providers can dramatically overcharge for medical procedures when someone is injured in a car accident has caused the cost of medical care to increase exponentially in Michigan, while the MCCA struggles to keep up.”

The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association on Wednesday announced its fees would increase from $192 to $220 per vehicle, topping last year’s record for the highest-ever fee.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer requested an audit of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Fund on Wednesday, after it announced its latest annual increase — one of 14.6 percent — in a fee tacked onto what are already the nation’s highest auto insurance premiums.

March 22, 2019

State Senator Aric Nesbitt wants major changes to Michigan’s auto insurance system passed and on the desk of Governor Whitmer before lawmakers head out on their summer break at the end of June.

State Rep. Beau LaFave joined House colleagues in unveiling wide-ranging legislation repealing Michigan’s no-fault car insurance system.

You’d think, in the place where America makes cars, Americans should be able to drive the cars, right? Well, you’d be wrong. Michigan, the state with the highest car insurance costs in the country, is considered almost entirely unaffordable by federal standards, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.

We all know that auto insurance rates in Michigan are sky high, but now a new study shows just how unaffordable they are.

Auto insurance premiums in Michigan are not affordable for 97% of Michigan zip codes, according to a team of researchers at the University of Michigan.

Michigan has two intertwined problems when it comes to car insurance rates, according to a new University of Michigan report: overall high premiums that place the biggest burden on the poorest communities.

March 21, 2019

Auto insurance premiums in 97 percent of Michigan’s ZIP codes exceed the federal government’s definition of affordable and rival the cost of housing in some parts of Detroit, according to a new University of Michigan study.

March 20, 2019

A key Republican lawmaker is saying, for the first time, that he wants a new no-fault car insurance rate reduction package on the governor’s desk by this summer. 

The former head of the Michigan Auto Insurance Placement Facility and representatives fromState Farm Insurance testified before the Michigan Senate Insurance and Banking Committee today on how the current no-fault system provides extraordinary benefits, even for people who do not pay into the system, and how far medical providers will go to profit from Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault system.

March 13, 2019

Officials from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association on Wednesday disputed anti-transparency accusations and argued that “waste and fraud” in the medical system is driving up the costs of no-fault auto insurance.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s push for a massive $2.5 billion tax increase to fund road repairs has renewed cries from some legislators and motorists about why the money can’t be taken from the assets of a $20 billion injured-drivers fund managed by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association.

Michigan holds a title, but it is not one anyone is bragging about. According to Insure.com, for the fifth straight year Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates in the country. It is a key factor as to why experts estimate one out of every five Michigan drivers choose to drive without insurance.

March 6, 2019

Mayor Mike Duggan’s call Tuesday night for the state Legislature to act on auto insurance reform wasn’t new — but he did have a powerful bipartisan fan club in attendance.

March 5, 2019

The high cost of auto insurance in Michigan has been a topic of discussion for many years. Residents have made it clear that they want this problem solved. Michiganders pay some of the highest rates in the nation, and it is our duty as legislators to find a solution.

Senate Majority Leader and local State Senator Mike Shirkey joined WKHM with GOC to talk about a few reforms in the works, pension tax fairness, and car insurance reform.

March 4, 2019

The latest State of Auto Insurance report from The Zebra, a car insurance shopping site, finds Michigan remains number one in the nation when it comes to the cost of auto no-fault.

Michigan was ranked number one for the nation’s most expensive auto insurance, according to The Zebra’s annual State of Auto Insurance report.

March 1, 2019

Today on Stateside, the legislature revisits Michigan’s high auto insurance rates, but will a decrease in rates only come with less guaranteed medical care? Plus, a study looks at how an all-renewable energy grid would have fared in January’s polar vortex.

Michigan drivers pay the highest car insurance rates in the country.

February 28, 2019

Our recovery has been remarkable. At the same time, one of the questions I keep hearing is, “When are you folks in Lansing going to finally do something about the high cost of car insurance in the state?” Despite Michigan’s resurgence, the high and ever-increasing cost of auto insurance remains a problem that needs to be fixed.

One of the key unresolved issues in the no-fault car insurance debate is whether Michigan drivers should have a choice to end their Unlimited Catastrophic Insurance for lower coverage. 

Members of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee continued taking testimony from business and interest groups on making changes to the state’s no-fault auto insurance system, with a pair of lawmakers from opposite ends of the state urging the committee to heed the demands of residents who are demanding relief after years of inaction.

February 27, 2019

State Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, testified before the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee on Wednesday to discuss the impact of high auto insurance rates on Upper Peninsula drivers.

February 26, 2019

When you go on a trip, it’s good to know where you’re headed. And when you serve in public office, it’s good to keep your principles and priorities in mind. Last week, my caucus released our 2019-2020 Action Plan. It’s a roadmap we plan to guide us over the next term.

A new state formula for education spending may be needed to boost funding for school districts and to ensure they get the resources they need to operate in a global economy.

Throughout my time on the campaign trail, I spoke with thousands of residents about their priorities for Michigan’s future. Unequivocally, the most common answer was addressing the outrageous cost of auto insurance here in Michigan.

February 25, 2019

Republican members of the Michigan House recently unveiled their Action Plan for the 2019-20 legislative term.

February 24, 2019

Michigan drivers are sick and tired of paying the highest auto insurance rates in the country. We need to come together to make long-overdue reforms that will reduce costs, provide more insurance options for drivers, reduce fraud and ensure accident victims still receive the medical care they need.

February 22, 2019

From potholed roads to texting while driving, our “Getting Around Metro Detroit” coverage is a major priority for Channel 7. That topic also includes the biggest statewide issue facing Michigan motorists; the prohibitive cost of auto insurance. Simply put, the Great Lakes State has the highest rates in the nation and that’s not a category where we want to be #1!

February 21, 2019

State Rep. Beau LaFave, of Iron Mountain, today announced the creation of a special website to keep people informed about the House Select Committee on Reducing Car Insurance Rates and give Michigan drivers a chance to get their voices heard.

February 19, 2019

You may maintain a pristine driving record and own an eminently safe and sane family-minded vehicle, yet still find yourself paying a lot more than the average policyholder for car insurance. That’s because in addition to factors like a person’s age, gender, marital status, credit history, and the vehicle being covered, one’s address can make a surprisingly significant difference in what a given motorist will pay for premiums.

Led by Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield, Michigan House Republicans rolled out their action plan Tuesday for the 100th Legislature outlining top priorities and topics of concern.

February 18, 2019

Rich Studley, president and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Senate OKs Resolution Overturning Whitmer’s DEQ Executive Order. State of the State.

February 16, 2019

A new report confirms that Michigan motorists continue to pay the highest auto insurance rates in the country. Recent Republican majorities in the state House and Senate have made insurance reform one of their top priorities, and with newly elected Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer now in office, Democratic lawmakers are also getting more active on the issue.

February 15, 2019

No-fault automotive insurance: For decades, Michigan lawmakers have talked about reforming it to bring down premiums, but change has remained elusive

February 13, 2019

In his fight against Michigan’s no-fault car insurance system, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has two new supporters from the Republican party in Lansing.

Detroit’s mayor calls Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law “morally indefensible.”

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan on Wednesday urged lawmakers to reform Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law by fixing a “morally indefensible” system that has produced the highest rates in the nation.

He has tried for years to get the state Legislature to understand his city’s unique and costly position as the place with the highest auto insurance rates in the country.

February 12, 2019

“We applaud Gov. Whitmer for highlighting the urgent need to find solutions to reduce the cost of car insurance for drivers throughout Michigan. We encourage lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to work together with the governor on meaningful, comprehensive reforms to fix Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault system including cracking down on fraud and abuse, stopping medical providers from dramatically overcharging for procedures and giving consumers a choice in their level of medical coverage.”

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday called on Michiganders to come together urgently to solve two crises she said threaten the state’s future — failing roads and other infrastructure, and failing schools.

Michiganders pay the highest rates in the nation for auto insurance. The pain is especially acute in Detroit, where residents pay thousands of dollars more per year on average than the rest of the state. 

February 11, 2019

Several lawmakers and politicians in metro Detroit are working to lower car insurance rates in both Detroit and Michigan, but a new report found that we have the highest rates in the country.

It’s no secret that Michigan auto insurance rates are high, but a new report finds rates in the state outpace any other.

Republican legislative leaders in Michigan again are taking aim at reforming the state’s no-fault auto insurance system, saying Michigan drivers across the state are demanding lower rates for car insurance.

February 8, 2019

Michigan’s auto insurance laws are a political hot bed and every year the Legislature takes up the issue in attempt to reform the system.

During a seemingly endless legislative battle over how to rein in the nation’s highest auto insurance premiums, some experts worry about  rural Michiganders fleeing the state for cheaper rates.

February 7, 2019

 A federal judge on Thursday invited state leaders to address Michigan’s “shameful” no-fault auto insurance law during a hearing in a lawsuit that challenges the law’s constitutionality.

February 6, 2019

A group of state lawmakers are scheduled to talk about how they plan to lower auto insurance rates here in Michigan

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s lawsuit that attempts to overhaul or junk Michigan’s unique no-fault auto insurance system is set for its first hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court in downtown.

For years, state lawmakers have promised to change Michigan’s auto insurance laws to make coverage more affordable.

After years of lots of talking but no legislative action in no-fault insurance reform, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is suing in federal court claiming the high insurance rates violate people’s civil rights.

 Michigan’s no-fault insurance system is under fire in federal court and the state Capitol as Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and lawmakers push to reduce premiums that routinely rank among the highest in the nation.

February 1, 2019

In Michigan, hospitals have become a powerful lobby to preserve the state’s no-fault auto insurance law. Under that law, hospitals can charge people who are injured in automobile accidents more than they charge patients who bring other insurance policies — up to four times more.

January 31, 2019

Slashing Michigan’s auto insurance costs is the first priority for state Republican leg­is­lators this session.

January 28, 2019

State Rep. Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills) introduced two separate bills last week to reform Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system.

January 27, 2019

Reforming Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system remains a high priority in Lansing after a proposal during the 2018 lame-duck legislative failed to gain the support needed to pass.

January 25, 2019

It looks like years of automobile history may be paying off for Michigan again. The state is home to the best drivers in the country, according to a new study by QuoteWizard.

January 24, 2019

State legislators are taking another stab at changing Michigan’s auto insurance laws.

Michigan has the highest automobile insurance rates in the country, but a House Committee is working to lower those costs.

January 23, 2019

Representative Ben Frederick (R – Owosso) is one of nine state lawmakers selected to join the House’s committee to reduce car insurance rates.

We’re tired of Michigan’s highest-in-the-country auto insurance rates, and we’re pretty sure we’re not alone. The factors that drive rates — with Detroit’s being the worst — are well known, as past attempts at reform have brought to light. Lawmakers are again planning to tackle the problem, and it’s past time they finish the job.

January 22, 2019

Ananich said so far, he’s open to working with Republicans on their stated priorities, including changes to the auto no-fault insurance process and civil asset forfeiture reform, and said he’s encouraged that Republican leaders didn’t introduce highly partisan priorities at the beginning of session.

January 15, 2019

Overhauling the state’s auto insurance laws is Senate Republicans’ top priority in 2019, although initial specifics on how they might do it were sparse as lawmakers prepare to hash out details in the committee process.

Michigan Senate Republicans on Tuesday introduced a statement bill signaling intent to reform the state’s no-fault auto insurance reform law, using their first proposal of the two-year session to renew calls to reduce rates.

January 14, 2019

Michigan’s GOP-led House of Representatives will start the 100th Legislature with a new committee aimed at changing the state’s auto insurance system.

January 13, 2019

The Michigan legislature is back in action for the 100th session, and although lawmakers are still getting settled in, several familiar issues are already bubbling to the surface as possible policy priorities in 2019.

January 10, 2019

State lawmakers are once again considering changes to Michigan’s auto insurance laws.

January 3, 2019

Michigan’s new Republican legislative leaders say their two biggest policy goals are fixing Michigan’s roads and reforming the state’s expensive no-fault auto insurance system.

December 21, 2018

The no-fault auto insurance industrial complex has prevailed again.

December 20, 2018

A last-ditch effort to resurrect auto insurance reform before the Michigan Legislature adjourns for the year has sputtered out at the Capitol.

The sexologist sister of attorney Mike Morse received immunity from prosecution and testified before a federal grand jury investigating ties between the high-profile lawyer’s firm and improperly obtained police reports, The Detroit News has learned.

An effort to resurrect no-fault auto insurance reform died Thursday in the House despite last-minute efforts to find votes for the elusive changes.

December 17, 2018

Michigan House Republicans may make one last attempt to resurrect no-fault auto insurance reform before year’s end in this final week of the Legislature’s contentious lame duck session.

December 11, 2018

Federal charges were filed Tuesday against four defendants, one of whom has personal ties to prominent Southfield attorney Mike Morse — who himself remains the focus of a federal bribery investigation.

December 3, 2018

Now that Michigan lawmakers are in Lansing for a few more weeks as the session winds down, the Insurance Alliance of Michigan is urging them to tackle auto insurance reform. Spokesperson Mark Fisk tells us now is the perfect time, with the issue no doubt fresh on the minds of legislators.

November 27, 2018

For the fifth year in a row, Michigan is saddled with the highest car insurance rates, according to a study conducted by Insure.com. The average car insurance premium in the state hit $2,239 in 2018, which is $874, or 64%, higher than the national average premium of $1,365.

November 26, 2018

The Insurance Alliance of Michigan estimates that about one out of 10 no-fault insurance claims in the state is fraudulent – a problem that is contributing to the region’s rising auto insurance costs.

November 23, 2018

Private eye Chris Charow has seen hundreds of instances of exaggerated injuries, faked injuries and outright fraud that contribute to Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance rates.

He photographs people who pretend to slowly limp across parking lots on their way to medical exams for no-fault insurance benefits.

Hours later, Charow, 47, will spy these same individuals appearing healthy and injury-free as they stroll supermarkets or move around their driveway at home. And the visual props that they pulled out for the doctor’s office — walkers, canes, cervical collars — have disappeared.

November 20, 2018

Dan Gilbert made headlines this week when he issued an ultimatum to state lawmakers: Find a fix for Michigan’s broken no-fault auto insurance system by mid-2019 or I’ll bankroll an effort to put a proposal on the statewide ballot in 2020.

On today’s show, Jer interviews Jared Fleisher, vice president of government relations for the Quicken Loans Family of Companies, about why Gilbert and Quicken are jumping into the fray.

November 18, 2018

Billionaire Dan Gilbert and his Quicken Loans Inc. family of companies are prepared to fund a ballot campaign in 2020 to reform Michigan’s auto insurance law if lawmakers don’t take action by mid-2019, the mortgage company’s top lobbyist told Crain’s.

November 14, 2018

Party doesn’t matter when it comes to one of the top legislative issues: bringing down the state’s high auto insurance rates. Members of both parties have identified it as their main concern going forward. Incoming House Speaker Lee Chatfield says changes are overdue.

The Michigan legislature is on a two-week hunting break, but when they return it will mark the start of a whirlwind lame-duck session.

Lawmakers have less than two months left with Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in the governor’s office. Next year Republicans will retain legislative majorities but the legislation they pass will need a signature from Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat.

In the next month and a half, lawmakers have some things they’d like to accomplish before that dynamic shifts.

November 13, 2018

For the first time in nearly a decade, Michigan’s government will be divided.

On one side, a Republican-led legislature that over the last few years has repealed the state’s prevailing wage law, weakened the power of unions, eliminated straight-ticket voting and sought to lower the state income tax.

On the other, a Democratic governor who promises a variety of progressive, expansivepolicies, from implementing universal preschool and two years of debt free college to shutting down the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline and finding $2 billion a year in state funds to restore the state’s roads and infrastructure.

October 24, 2018

Car insurance costs have steadily increased in the U.S. in the past decade, but no state has felt the impact quite like Michigan, where drivers pay the highest rates in the country.

Car insurance rates are so high, in fact, that they’re among the top four issues in Michigan’s 2018 elections, and an issue regulators and lawmakers across the country are keeping a vigilant eye on.

October 22, 2018

Detroit Police officers funneled unofficial accident reports to personal injury lawyer Mike Morse during a scheme that cheated State Farm Automobile Insurance Co. out of at least $1 million, the insurer alleges.

Federal court records describe a scheme involving a stream of police reports flowing to Morse and his Southfield law firm from bribed police officers and a middleman using the alias “Lou.”

October 18, 2018

Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates in America for the fifth year in a row, according to a national study released Thursday.

October 14, 2018

The lack of any additional personnel for Gov. Rick Snyder’s new anti-fraud initiative in the state insurance department has sparked renewed calls from lawmakers to create and fund a new agency charged with rooting out fraud and waste in Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system.

October 11, 2018

A recently published column about Michigan’s auto no-fault system failed to address the real problems with Michigan’s broken, outdated auto no-fault law. Instead, the column is a blatant attempt to use misinformation to shift blame for Michigan’s high auto insurance premiums.

September 11, 2018

Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder signed an executive order Tuesday creating a new anti-fraud authority in state government to crack down on abuses in the auto insurance, health insurance and banking sectors.

September 7, 2018

State Rep. Joe Bellino wants to “blow up” the current auto insurance rate system, and the Monroe County commissioners appear to agree with him.

The lawmaker and county board discussed ways to reduce the high costs of auto insurance that have affected state motorists for years at their meeting Tuesday night.

Michigan’s roads are ranked near the bottom in the United States. Car insurance costs are near the top. And schools? They’re in trouble too, with reading scores among the bottom 10 states.

Yeah. We know. And so do voters.

Michigan motorists are very familiar with the special fee in their no-fault car insurance bills — currently $192 per year — that is specifically for the care and medical bills of the most catastrophically injured auto accident victims.

It is less known that the no-fault system allows lawyers to take a one-third cut of these victims’ benefit money indefinitely, even for the life of a crash survivor.

August 23, 2018

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan filed a major lawsuit Thursday against Michigan’s insurance commissioner, asking a federal judge to declare the state’s compulsory no-fault auto insurance law unconstitutional in an effort to pressure lawmakers to amend the law.

August 15, 2018

It’s no secret that Michigan drivers pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country, and that Detroit drivers pay more for car insurance than drivers in any other city in the country.

July 29, 2018

The highest-in-the-nation premiums motorists pay for auto insurance in Michigan is a top-of-mind issue for voters this election year, and the state’s next governor could play a pivotal role in reshaping this multi-billion-dollar industry.

July 11, 2018

You pay for regular car maintenance, gas but maybe one of the more painful vehicle expenses is auto insurance. On average, Michigan holds the title as the most expensive state in the country for auto insurance premiums. according to an analysis from the rate-comparison website, the Zebra.

July 10, 2018

It’s a familiar grief felt by most across Michigan – paying some of the highest auto insurance premiums in a state known for its automotive history.

July 5, 2018

ASK Mike Duggan, the mayor of Detroit, what keeps him up at night and he replies, without a second’s hesitation, “car insurance”.

June 26, 2018

We pay more for car insurance in Michigan than any other state, and a new report finds a big factor to that is 20% of Michigan drivers are getting behind the wheel without any insurance at all. Lori Conarton from the Insurance Alliance of Michigan tells us the state’s unique no-fault law that requires everyone purchase unlimited, lifetime medical benefits as part of their policies is overdue for changes to bring the costs down and make it easier for everyone to get insured.

June 7, 2018

After multiple failed attempts to make changes to Michigan’s costly no-fault auto insurance system, the state Senate is taking another crack right before it breaks for its 10-week summer recess.

May 23, 2018

Metro Detroit attorney Mike Morse accepted payments from medical clinics for his private jet and an addition to his house and had secret ties to an MRI center where his law firm referred clients, according to claims made in federal court by State Farm insurance company.

April 4, 2018

Just as we expected. Hard-working families living paycheck to paycheck and vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes across Michigan will see their car insurance rates increase – again.

March 29, 2018

Starting on July 1, the assessment Michiganders pay to the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association for unlimited injury coverage will rise from $170 to $192 per year.

March 23, 2018

When Detroiters think of Cleveland, they might snicker about its disparaging old nickname, the Mistake on the Lake.

But make no mistake. Residents of Cleveland enjoy a benefit beyond the NBA Cavaliers’ recent championship that doesn’t exist in Detroit: Cheap auto insurance.

February 28, 2018

A new report says Michigan’s auto insurance rates are still the highest in the nation.

February 27, 2018

Some lawmakers want to give up on fixing Michigan’s no-fault insurance law and instead scrap it and return to a tort system in which motorists sue each other to recover damages.

February 19, 2018

Michigan has the highest car insurance costs in the nation. Michigan has long held that it’s no-fault insurance law is worth the cost because of how it eliminates many of the legal and administrative obstacles in other states. But state lawmakers in Michigan have begun considering abandoning the law that has been in effect since 1973, and that’s a good thing. It’s time to bring insurance policy in Michigan in line with the insurance practices of other states.

February 8, 2018

After trying and failing to make meaningful changes to the state’s no-fault auto insurance system, some representatives have a different idea: scrapping it entirely.

February 5, 2018

Frustrated by the stalemate in Lansing over reforming Michigan’s no-fault insurance, a group of Republican lawmakers will formally introduce legislation Tuesday that seeks to scrap the current law and return Michigan to a tort system where the cost of vehicle and bodily damage gets litigated in court.

February 4, 2018

A new attempt to reform Michigan’s auto insurance system was unveiled Thursday in the Michigan House of Representatives, led by lawmakers from southeast Michigan.

November 6, 2017

Nearly everyone who owns a vehicle in the U.S. is required to buy car insurance. Michigan residents pay more for car insurance than any other state, but also pay for the most coverage.

State Rep. Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Rep. Triston Cole, R-Mancelona, voted last week for legislation to cut the cost of auto insurance premiums by giving drivers a choice on levels of personal injury protection, but the bill ultimately failed to pass.

November 4, 2017

A proposal to overhaul Michigan’s no fault auto insurance system may have been delivered a death blow in the state House of Representatives, but it certainly won’t be the end of the discussion.

November 3, 2017

Now that the Michigan House has failed to approve a package of legislation designed to reduce auto insurance rates, it’s back to the drawing board.

A bill intended to lower Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance rates went before the House of Representatives and failed on a 45-63 margin late Thursday night during a session that lasted more than 10 hours.

October 30, 2017

House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, is hoping to hold a vote on the auto insurance package in relatively short order, possibly as soon as this week.

October 26, 2017

Auto insurance costs for all Michigan drivers would decrease under a package of bills approved by the House Insurance Committee on Thursday.

October 22, 2017

Medical bills for injured Michigan motorists have tripled since 2000 to levels that far outpace normal health care inflation and the average treatment costs in larger states.

October 11, 2017

The recent editorial published by the Times Herald contained several errors, inaccuracies and misrepresentations that do a disservice to the important debate regarding the need to reform the broken, outdated auto insurance no-fault system.

Everywhere I go in Lenawee County — whether it be office hours, a community meeting or the grocery store — I have been hearing from hard-working families and vulnerable seniors who are upset about their high auto insurance rates.

I have walked through nearly every neighborhood in Delta, Dickinson and Menominee counties, getting to know the people I represent in the state Legislature.

Far too many homes have vehicles with Wisconsin license plates parked in the driveway. When I ask why, I always get the same answer: Michigan’s car insurance rates — the highest in the nation — are simply unaffordable. Sadly, many residents are buying cheaper car insurance and getting vehicles registered in neighboring states, or not buying any auto insurance at all.

October 10, 2017

Nearly 45 years ago, Michigan lawmakers decided to eliminate skyrocketing auto premiums and out-of-control lawsuits by adopting a no-fault auto insurance law. Little did they know the law they’d just created would, in the end, be responsible for thousands of confusing court cases, more than 350 new “corrective” pieces of legislation, and insurance rates that are among the highest in the U.S.

October 8, 2017

Mayor Mike Duggan’s auto insurance reform proposal could dramatically curtail a lucrative business for personal injury attorneys who sue insurers on behalf of drivers and their doctors for unlimited medical benefits, while preserving the pain-and-suffering litigation business for other trial lawyers.

Dan Gilbert has apparently been stewing for months about Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance premiums.

October 6, 2017

Michigan is the No. 1 state in the nation – but when it comes to auto insurance rates, the ranking is for all the wrong reasons.

October 5, 2017

Chris Streling, a resident of Holland, said he is one of many Michigan residents paying far too much money for auto insurance.

Currently, the 45-year-old, pays about $681 a month to insure five vehicles between himself, his wife and two of his children, ages 22 and 18.

October 4, 2017

“It was a very stressful time trying to figure out what to do.”

For Detroit resident Karen Whitsett, the most burdensome part of getting married was sorting out the car insurance.

Rep. Lana Theis tells Guy Gordon about her proposal to reform Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system.

The state legislature held a marathon committee hearing on a bill to overhaul Michigan’s auto insurance law Tuesday. The committee heard ideas for potential changes to the bill.

October 2, 2017

Michigan has the highest auto insurance rates and some blame the state’s no-fault law. Experts say there are several factors that go into determining that yearly premium.

September 28, 2017

The latest auto insurance plan from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, would give Michiganders the option of choosing their coverage levels to bring their payments down.

September 26, 2017

A broad coalition of groups from across Michigan gathered in Lansing Tuesday to announce a package of bills that could reduce auto insurance rates up to 50%.

A bipartisan panel of legislators on Tuesday unveiled a plan to lower the cost of no-fault auto insurance to everyday Michiganders. The plan would allow Michigan drivers to choose their medical coverage level: $250,000, $500,000 or the current unlimited level. In addition, it would tie the rates auto insurers reimburse hospitals to 125 percent of the Medicare reimbursement rate. Non-hospital providers would be reimbursed at 100 percent of the Medicare rates.

September 25, 2017

A new plan by state lawmakers to bring down Michigan’s expensive auto insurance rates is in the works. A rollout of the plan is expected as soon as tomorrow.

September 24, 2017

A recent report on a misleading “study” released by the Coalition to Protect Auto No-Fault is yet another in a long line of attempts to shift the focus from the real problem plaguing Michigan drivers: Their auto insurance is too expensive, and our auto no-fault system is broken.

September 19, 2017

Democratic Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Republican House Speaker Tom Leonard huddled Tuesday in the Michigan Capitol as they negotiated final details of a pending proposal to cut statewide auto insurance costs.

September 18, 2017

A number of medical businesses owned by people other than doctors have been implicated in fraud cases tied to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance.

September 6, 2017

Michigan’s legislative leaders are setting auto insurance reform as a top priority for the fall session. That’s a great call. Michigan has the highest insurance rates in the nation, and the premiums in Detroit are beyond outrageous.

September 3, 2017

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is building a bipartisan statewide coalition to make a major push in Lansing this fall for reforming Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance rates that focuses on taking medical costs out of the system and imposing a mandatory rollback in rates.

August 31, 2017

“All options” are on the table as Michigan legislators return to session next week seeking to reform the state’s no-fault auto insurance system and reduce motorist rates that are among the highest in the nation.

August 29, 2017

Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are not just hurting drivers in Detroit. Our state’s highest-in-the nation auto insurance premiums are negatively impacting drivers across the state, including right here in Northern Michigan.

August 3, 2017

For the fourth year in a row, Michigan topped Insure.com’s list of the most expensive state for car insurance.  

August 1, 2017

Auto insurance premiums are determined according to a rich stew of variables that include one’s driving record, age, gender, marital status, credit rating, the make and model of car driven, and the policy holder’s address. While the most volatile of these is usually a motorist’s claims history and driving record – as evidenced by how much one’s rates can rise after getting into an at-fault accident and/or being issued multiple moving violations – where one lives can make a surprising difference in premiums.

June 9, 2017

About 72 percent of Michigan likely voters support reforming the state’s no-fault auto insurance law, according to a survey commissioned by the Insurance Alliance of Michigan.

May 6, 2017

A Free Press investigation finds that runaway medical bills, disability benefits payouts, and lawsuits under Michigan’s one-of-a-kind, no-fault insurance system play a key role in driving up costs.