Michigan insurance, answered in plain English

Michigan's no-fault law requires every driver to carry a policy that pays for your own medical bills and certain economic losses after an accident — regardless of who caused it. Your own insurer pays your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, and the other driver's insurer is not responsible for your medical costs. The trade-off: you generally can't sue the at-fault driver unless injuries meet a legal threshold (death, serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement).

Since July 2020, Michigan drivers choose their PIP medical coverage level instead of being required to carry unlimited lifetime medical benefits. You can now select unlimited coverage, $500,000, $250,000, $50,000 (Medicaid-enrolled households only), or opt out entirely if you have qualifying health coverage and everyone in the household is covered. Choosing a lower limit reduces your premium but exposes you to medical bills above your limit.

Yes. No-fault does not eliminate liability. You still need residual bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) liability to cover lawsuits when you're at fault and the injury meets the threshold. Michigan's default limit is now $250,000 per person / $500,000 per accident, and we strongly recommend keeping at least that — plus uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and, for most households, an umbrella policy.

It depends on your health insurance and your assets. Unlimited PIP remains the gold standard — catastrophic auto injuries can exceed $500,000 quickly, and health insurance typically excludes some auto-injury costs. If you have strong group health coverage with low deductibles, a $250,000 or $500,000 limit can be a reasonable middle ground. We'll walk through your health plan and assets and show you the exact premium difference for each option before you decide.

PIP (Personal Injury Protection) pays up to your selected limit for medical care related to an auto accident, plus up to 85% of lost wages for up to three years, replacement services (household help you can't do while injured), and attendant care. These benefits apply to you and resident family members, whether driving, riding as a passenger, or even struck as a pedestrian or cyclist.

Yes. If you have qualifying health coverage, you can make health insurance primary and PIP secondary (a 'coordinated' policy), which lowers your auto premium. Be careful: many employer plans, HMOs and marketplace plans exclude auto injuries or have high deductibles, and Medicare/Medicaid have their own rules. We review your health plan documents before recommending coordination.

Once your PIP medical limit is exhausted, you're responsible for the remaining costs — either through your health insurance (if it covers auto injuries) or out of pocket. You may also sue the at-fault driver for excess medical expenses, but collecting depends on their liability limits and assets. This is exactly why the PIP limit decision matters and why an umbrella policy adds a second layer of protection.

Mini-tort (Michigan's 'limited property damage' liability) lets you recover up to $3,000 from the at-fault driver for vehicle damage not covered by your own insurance — typically your collision deductible or the full damage amount if you don't carry collision coverage. It applies only when the other driver is 50% or more at fault, and it doesn't apply to damage to properly parked cars.

You file the claim directly with the at-fault driver's insurance company, providing a police report, photos, and repair estimates showing your out-of-pocket damage up to $3,000. If the insurer disputes fault or refuses to pay, you can sue in small claims court. Clients call us when this happens — we'll help you document it and point you in the right direction.

Yes — if you're found more than 50% at fault, the other driver can claim up to $3,000 from you for their uncovered vehicle damage. This is why we recommend broadened collision coverage: with broadened collision, your insurer waives your deductible when you're not substantially at fault, which reduces how often mini-tort even comes into play.

We write auto (including specialty auto and recreation vehicles), home and lake estate, farm and country estate, business and commercial umbrella, and life insurance — including term, permanent, and return-of-premium options with riders. Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan is a Michigan-based company, rated among the top-performing life insurers in the country by the Ward Group.

Yes — Farm Bureau Insurance policies are a member benefit, and membership is open to everyone (you don't have to be a farmer). Michigan Farm Bureau membership costs $50 per year and includes member savings on vehicles, appliances, hotels, theme parks and more. We enroll you as part of writing your policy, and most members find the savings offset the dues quickly.

No. Our office is in Novi at 28550 Cabot Dr Suite 100, but we serve clients throughout all of Michigan — from metro Detroit to lake properties up north. Quotes, reviews, and most service work can be handled by phone, email or video call.

Three ways: request a quote online through our quote portal, submit a free coverage review with your current declarations page, or call us at 248-313-4576 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). Most quotes are turned around within one business day.