What Is The Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in Michigan?
Reader’s Question:
Is there any state by state minimum car insurance requirements? I live in Michigan.
Ruth
Battle Creek, MI
Yes there are, Ruth.
You need to understand that every state requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance on their cars. Such minimums are usually expressed in 3-part numbers. Say, in Michigan, that’s 20/40/10. The first two numbers, 20 and 40, normally refers to bodily injury liability insurance, the 1st number being the per person limit, while the 2nd as the per accident limit. The 3rd number is usually for property damage liability coverage. So based on Michigan law of 20/40/10, if you have a minimum insurance required, then you would normally have $20,000 for bodily injury coverage per person injured with $40,000 maximum per accident, and $10,000 as property damage liability insurance.
It may or may not be good to carry additional coverage as these are the only legal minimum requirements. Although, carrying more is also a good idea. Be aware though that these minimums will only cover damage to other motorists 3rd party property and not for your own. You have to get comprehensive coverage for your own coverage like medical, collision, and other-than-collision coverage.
With regard to state minimums, Alaska and Maine are the ones which have highest at 50/100 and at least $25,000 for property damage while Mississippi has the lowest minimums of 10/20/5.
Which Cars Are Cheaper To Get Insurance in Michigan?
Reader’s Question:
I would like to know if there are cars which are very easy and cheaper to get insured in Michigan?
Kathleen
Ann Arbor, MI
Certainly there are, Kathleen!
It’s very interesting to note that aside from driving history with spotless record, the type of your car, sticker price, cost to repair the vehicle, replacement value, safety features, and how well you car will withstand an accident, are also factors that car insurance companies weigh to get you insured easily.
I can give you top 10 least expensive cars to insure in Michigan which have a sticker price of less than $50,000. In no particular order, these top 10 cars are: Oldsmobile Silhouette, Pontiac Montana, Saturn L Series Wagon, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Saturn L Series Sedan, Chevrolet Venture, Chevrolet Astro, Saturn Vue, Jeep Wrangler, and Oldsmobile Bravada.
The rule of thumb is: the larger the cars and trucks, the easier and cheaper it is to insure…as long as they do not do any heavy damage to other vehicles in case of accident. Rates will definitely increase if you total another person’s vehicle. Car insurance will fluctuate as time passes. If a new car hits the market, car insurance companies will normally examine how the vehicle performs in crash tests, as well as check the average payout on accident claims. Durability of the vehicle also matters and most car insurance companies base that on basin maintenance and repair costs.
I Need Michigan Non Owners Car Insurance
Reader’s Question:
My boyfriend who lives in MI is purchasing a vehicle to leave in FL for me to drive. Can I buy a non-owner policy to drive this vehicle without him putting any insurance on this car in his name up in Michigan?
Jane
Ann Arbor, MI
It could be possible to insure the vehicle that your boyfriend is permitting you to drive, even it you do not have any insurable interest. Not all providers will permit this but Esurance has polices that permit for people to insure their friend’s car for comprehensive and collision coverages. This is unlike non-owners insurance policy which is basically is only liability insurance and intended for only occasional drivers of a car.
Some insurance providers, such as Esurance, require you to have care, custody and control of a car in order to be the named insured. Though a vehicle must be registered and insured in the state where the vehicle is kept which may cause difficulties due to you and the car being in FL while the owner/friend is in MI.
Do I Have To Report My OWI To My Michigan Auto Insurance Company?
Reader’s Question:
How many years do I have to wait, before I do not have to report my OWI to my insurance provider in the state of Michigan?
Kurt
Detroit, MI
Alcohol violations in Michigan, such as driving under the influence or operated under the influence of liquor, stays on your record for a minimum of ten years. As for car insurance rates, typically they will be affected for at least three years after you have been convicted of a OWI or DUI and some companies go back seven years.
Since your OWI should be on your Michigan driving record for a minimum of ten years if an insurance provider asks you about violations in on your driving record or if you have been convicted of such an infraction then you will need to inform them of your OWI conviction. If you do not inform them and they later see it on your driving history then the quote amount you were given will likely be wrong since you did not provide them all the information they required to give you an accurate rate quote.
Non Owner Auto Insurance in Michigan
Reader’s Question:
Are you required to carry some type of car insurance in the state of Michigan if you have a driver license, even if you don’t own a vehicle? Is that what non-owner insurance is?
Rachel
Flint, MI
The Michigan Secretary of State states that the owners of passenger vehicles, vans, and light trucks must purchase Michigan no-fault insurance before registering their car. Out-of-state insurance policies can’t be used to meet Michigan insurance requirements for registering a car.
You are required by the Michigan law to keep your Michigan no-fault insurance certificate in your car or carry it with you when you operate a vehicle. If you can’t show proof of insurance to a police officer, the court may order the Secretary of State to suspend your driver license. Until proof of insurance is provided, the Secretary of State will not renew, transfer, or replace your car’s license plate. You may be required to show proof that the vehicle is insured for not less than 6 months and pay $50, plus any other fees required by Michigan law. The license plate may also be canceled if proof of insurance is not shown.
Does Michigan Transfer My Driving Record to Other States?
Reader’s Question:
I will be moving to AZ from Michigan and I am just wondering if my driving record in MI will be transferred in AZ? Will my auto insurance rates be higher or lower?
Paul
Detroit, MI
According to the Arizona Motor Vehicles Division of the DOT representative, as long as any tickets you had received in Michigan were taken care of before moving in AZ then they should not keep you from getting an AZ driver’s license and they will not transfer onto your new AZ license. So neither the points nor the offense will be placed on your Arizona driving record for previous violation in Michigan.
Whether your particular car insurance rates will go up or down will depend upon different rating factors by the AZ insurance company, such as where the types of cars you have,, you live within AZ, the coverages you place on your vehicles, etc. Also, even though your Michigan driving record does not transfer to your new AZ driver’s license, your insurance carrier will pull your Michigan MVR to help them calculate your rates.
Can 17 Year Old Teen Driver Get Their Own Auto Insurance In Michigan?
Reader’s Question:
Can a 17 year old teenager in the state of Michigan maintain auto insurance under their own names?
Jerome
Detroit, MI
The Department of State for Michigan state that there is no age restriction for titling a car in Michigan and no minimum age for getting auto insurance.
A Michigan insurance law called the Essential Insurance Act guarantees that home and car insurance will be available to all eligible citizens in Michigan. The law states that you are eligible for car insurance if you have a vehicle registered in Michigan or have a valid (not suspended or revoked) Michigan driver’s license.
If you are 17 year old teenager, and therefore still a minor, you will also need a parent or guardian to sign on any other legal papers such as an insurance policy since insurance providers normally will not permit you to sign by yourself until you are 18 and considered an adult. So the insurance policy may be under your own name at seventeen but with the consent of an adult since they may be held liable for your actions as a teenager if you fail to fulfill your obligations.
I Live in Michigan But Got a Ticket In Another State
Reader’s Question:
I have a Michigan drivers license and I received a traffic violation in Tennessee. Does Tennessee forward violation information with Michigan?
Henry
Grand Rapids, MI
Neither Tennessee nor Michigan are members of the Driver’s License Compact (DLC) which requires member states to report back to the licensing state of a driver convictions for traffic violations that one received out of state. But even without being part of the DLC any longer, the Tennessee Department of Safety has decided to report tickets back to Michigan if you are cited for a moving violation in TN with an out-of-state driver’s license.
The Michigan Secretary of State (SOS) site has information regarding out of state tickets that may still be added to your MI driving record.
So while both Michigan and Tennessee are not members of the DLC it seems that the TN traffic court will inform the MI SOS about your traffic ticket if you are found guilty and convicted of it. Michigan will then put the out of state traffic violation on your driving record and assess points if required by the Michigan Vehicle Code.
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