Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Michigan to Get the Best Rates

Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Michigan to Get the Best Rates

Sunday, June 11 2017 By Steve Bowen

Michigan, divided into two separate land masses, is a unique state. Its insurance system is also unique, with some one-of-a-kind twists on no-fault insurance coverage that you need to know about.

This page will show you which types of coverage are legally required in Michigan, provide information about the cost of driving including average rates, and share some insights about insurance risk to help you protect yourself and your family.

Average Michigan Car Insurance Rates

Michigan car insurance rates are much higher than the national average. The price you pay may vary depending on your driving record, credit rating, zip code, limits, and coverage.

On average, the average cost of auto insurance in Michigan is $1,227.36, compared to the national average cost of $866.31.

Michigan Average Car Insurance Rates

Coverage	Rates
Liability	$811.43
Collision	$390.03
Comprehensive	$149.11
Total Cost Per Year	$1,227.36
Price Per Month	$102.28

Finding a reliable auto insurance provider in Michigan is important these days. But how do you determine which one is right for you?

One way is to compare rates from a number of different car insurance companies. Let QuoteWizard help you do that. We’ll get you all the info you need, and connect you to a handful of agents, so you can find a policy that you, your vehicle, and your wallet will love.

Last year, 122,433 people used QuoteWizard to compare auto insurance quotes in Michigan from top companies and find the cheapest rates.

10 Most Common Vehicles in Michigan

These are the most common vehicles owned by Michigan drivers requesting car insurance quotes through QuoteWizard in the past year.

Best Michigan Car Insurance Companies

Last year, these were the most common car insurance companies reported by QuoteWizard users living in the state of Michigan. Out of the 122,433 Michigan drivers that used QuoteWizard to request insurance quotes last year, 20,236 had no car insurance.

Michigan State Auto Insurance Laws

Car Insurance Minimum Coverage

If you drive a vehicle registered in Michigan, you must maintain a minimum level of insurance coverage of 20/40/10. This means that you must have a policy with at least the following:

• $20,000 of coverage for bodily injury liability per person
• $40,000 of coverage for bodily injury liability per incident
• $10,000 of coverage for property damage liability per incident - for at fault accidents outside of Michigan
• $1,000,000 of coverage for property damage protection - for accidents in Michigan
• Coverage for Personal Injury Protection (no dollar limit)

Michigan is one of the 12 US states that have a no-fault insurance system. In no-fault states, accident victims can collect benefits from their own insurance companies, regardless of whether the other party is insured. Liability coverage is intended to help pay for other peoples’ medical and repair bills if you're found at fault in a car accident. PIP is intended to cover your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Property protection coverage pays for damage to property other than vehicles.

Required Proof of Auto Insurance

Any time you drive in Michigan, you must be prepared to show your car insurance identification card to law enforcement. You will get this identification card from your car insurance company when you buy a policy.

The card must include all of the following:

• Name of the insurance company
• Policy number
• Effective date of the policy
• Expiration date of the policy
• Description of the year, make, or model of the insured vehicles, or the name of the insured driver. The word “fleet” may be used for more than 5 vehicles owned by the same person or business.

Penalties

If you can't show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer upon request, your driver’s license may be suspended. Until proof of insurance is provided, the Secretary of State will not renew, transfer, or replace your vehicle’s license plate. You may be required to prove the vehicle is insured for not less than six months, and pay $50, and possibly other fees. Your license plate could also be canceled if proof of insurance isn't produced.

SR-22 Requirements

Michigan residents that have had their driver’s licenses suspended due to drunk driving convictions or other violations must provide proof of financial responsibility by filing an SR-22 form. “SR” stands for safety responsibility and it certifies that a driver has the minimum amount of insurance required by state law.

Michigan law requires that an SR-22 be carried for 36 consecutive months. If a driver fails to renew their policy 15 days before expiration, a letter is sent to the state resulting in suspension of their license. Once renewed, the license will be reinstated, but this can be a time-consuming process.

State of Michigan Traffic Safety Laws

Distracted Driving Laws

Novice drivers as well as school bus drivers are prohibited from using cell phones at any time while driving in Michigan. Drivers with full driving privileges face no such restrictions. All drivers are banned from sending or receiving text messages while driving in Michigan.

Implied Consent Law

Michigan’s Implied Consent law requires that any driver submit to testing to determine the alcohol or drug content of their blood, breath, or urine when arrested by law enforcement for suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI). Refuse the test and you’ll face the following penalties in addition to the penalties for an OWI:

• First Offense: 1-year driver's license suspension
• Second Offense: 2-year driver's license suspension
• Third Offense: 5-year driver's license suspension

OWI Law and Penalties

If you drive or operate a motor vehicle in Michigan with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, you are guilty of Operating While Intoxicated.

Booster Seat Law

• Children younger than age 4 must ride in a car seat in the rear seat (if the vehicle has a rear seat). If all available rear seats are occupied by children under 4, then a child under 4 may ride in a car seat in the front seat, if the passenger side airbags are disabled.
• Children must be properly secured in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4-feet-9-inches tall, whichever comes first.

The maximum fine for failing to properly restrain children in Michigan is $25 for a first offense.

Graduated Driver’s License Program

Michigan has implemented a 3-tier graduated driver’s license program beginning with a learner’s permit and ending with full driver privileges once all conditions are met.

Drivers must be 14 and 3/4 years  old to get a learner's license, and are required to drive 50 hours under supervision. Ten of those hours must take place at night. Once these conditions are satisfied, and the driver has reached at least the age of 16, they can take the driver’s test. If they pass the test, an intermediate license is issued and the driver enters the intermediate stage.

Drivers in the intermediate stage cannot drive between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am. In addition, they are forbidden to have any passengers in their car under the age of 21, other than immediate family members. Drivers obtain their full driving privileges once they complete the above requirements and turn 17.

Senior Drivers in Michigan

All Michigan drivers are required to renew their driver’s license every 4 years. Michigan has no special provisions for senior drivers.

Seat Belt Laws

Michigan requires that all passengers in the front seats of  a moving vehicle aged 16 and up wear seat belts. Children are required to use approved child seats as described above. The maximum fine for a first offense is $25.

Vehicles Registered in Another State

When you drive a vehicle in Michigan that is required to be registered in another state, you must have the type of insurance required by that state. You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to law enforcement if requested.

The Cost of Driving in Michigan

Average Car Insurance Rates

The average cost of car insurance in Michigan in 2014, the most recent year for which data was available, was $1,227.36 compared to a national average of $866.31. Michigan is the 2nd most expensive state for car insurance.

Fuel Taxes

The state of Michigan taxes gasoline at 30.54 cents per gallon and diesel fuel at 28.49 cents per gallon. This is in addition to the Federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline, and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. The total tax on regular gasoline is 48.94 cents per gallon. For diesel fuel, the total tax adds up to 52.89 cents per gallon.

Car Insurance Risk in Michigan

Uninsured Motorists

The percentage of Michigan residents estimated to be driving without insurance tops out at 21%. That ranks Michigan as #5 among US states and the District of Columbia, much worse than average.

Traffic Fatalities

In 2014, there were 901 traffic fatalities in Michigan, a 5% decrease from the state’s 947 traffic fatalities in 2013.

Michigan Crash Statistics

The Michigan State Police archives crash statistics on this website: Michigan State Police - Crash Statistics

Vehicle Thefts in Michigan

Michigan had 21,157 vehicle thefts reported in 2014, a 12.2% decrease compared to 2013. In 2014, the vehicle theft rate was 213.5 per 100,000, an decrease of 12.3% over the 2013 rate of 243.3 per 100,000.

The vehicle theft rate in Michigan is identical to the overall US vehicle theft rate, which was 216.2 per 100,000 in 2014.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Michigan

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau - Hot Wheels Report 2014

1. 2007 Chevrolet Pick-Up (Small Size)
2. 2004 Chevrolet Impala
3. 2002 Dodge Caravan
4. 2014 Ford Fusion
5. 2004 GMC Pick-Up (Full Size)
6. 2014 Ford Taurus
7. 2006 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)
8. 2000 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
9. 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
10. 2014 Dodge Charger

Michigan Auto Insurance Company Market Share

Source: Insurance Institute of Michigan

Rank	Market Share	Company
1	17%	Auto Club Group
2	10%	Auto-Owners
3	9%	Progressive
4	8%	Allstate
5	7%	Citizens
6	4%	Farm Bureau
7	4%	Farmers
8	3%	Liberty
9	2%	Frankenmuth

Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services

http://www.michigan.gov/difs

Director Office of Insurance Rates and Forms:

Patrick C. McPharlin

Insurance Hotline:

(877) 999-6442

Hours:

Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

File a Consumer Insurance Complaint

Filing a Complaint with DIFS

Sources:

• FBI Uniform Crime Report
• NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System
• Insurance Information Institute – Minimum Coverage Levels by State
• American Petroleum Institute
• National Insurance Crime Bureau
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Insurance Information Institute – Insurance Expenditures by State
• Michigan Driver's Licensing
• Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance in Michigan
• Michigan Auto Insurance Market Share

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