What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Michigan?

To err on the side of caution when driving on Michigan’s roads, it may be a good idea to add uninsured motorist coverage (UM) to your Michigan auto insurance policy. While UM isn’t required by law in the state, it’s never a bad idea to have more coverage than you legally need.

Michigan has a higher-than-average number of uninsured or underinsured motorists, with nearly 25% of drivers on Michigan’s roads lacking sufficient coverage. Given the high number of inadequately insured drivers, it’s a good idea to have UM in the mitten.

Let’s take a look at how you can protect yourself from uninsured motorists in Michigan.

Uninsured motorist coverage in Michigan is an optional coverage you can add to your full coverage policy to allow you to file with your own policy if you’re in an accident caused by someone who doesn’t have an auto insurance policy. In many scenarios, in a car accident, the victim of the incident should file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance to receive financial assistance for medical expenses.

Suppose you’re in an accident with an uninsured motorist and don’t have UM. In that case, you may have to pay for all your expenses out of your own pocket, depending on what other coverage types you have on your policy and your coverage limits.

Michigan uninsured motorist coverage only covers costs related to “pain and suffering,” otherwise known as medical expenses. If you’re injured in an accident with an uninsured motorist, your UM will kick in after you reach your PIP limit and once you pay your deductible. The medical expenses covered by UM coverage are similar to those covered by PIP but a bit less expansive. 

Some medical expenses covered by Michigan uninsured motorist coverage are:

In some states, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage will kick in to help pay for property damage and medical expenses, but UM in Michigan only covers medical expenses.

If you’re concerned about property damage in the event of an accident with an uninsured motorist in Michigan, ask your insurer about their comprehensive and collision coverages. Typically one of these two coverages will include coverage for property damage in the event of an accident caused by an insufficiently insured driver.

In Michigan, underinsured motorist coverage is included in UM coverage. It encapsulates drivers who have auto insurance but don’t meet the state’s minimum legal requirements for auto insurance.

Some insurers will differentiate between uninsured and underinsured motorists in the details of their UM coverage. However, others will consider underinsured motorists uninsured since their coverage is insufficient in the eyes of the law.

Uninsured motorist (UM) in Michigan isn’t a required coverage type, but it’s highly recommended. Michigan’s no-fault law requires drivers to have $50,000 of bodily injury liability per person per accident, $100,000 of bodily injury liability per accident, $10,000 of property damage liability (or 50/100/10 in liability coverage), about $250,000 in personal injury protection (PIP), and, at most, $1 million in property protection insurance (PPI). Although UM isn’t legally required in the state, many insurers and insurance agents will recommend it.

Michigan has an extremely high population of uninsured motorists, with over 25% of drivers in the state lacking sufficient coverage. This statistic alone is enough to convince many drivers to add UM to their auto insurance policies to protect them against a hefty financial burden should they be involved in an accident with one of these drivers. 

Legally speaking, you don’t need uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM) coverage in Michigan. However, in the interest of safety, it may be a good idea to add UM to your Michigan auto insurance policy, as the statistical likelihood of getting into a car accident with an uninsured driver in the state is high. 

Generally, it’s a good idea to have an amount of coverage that produces a premium you’re comfortable paying. You should also have enough savings set aside to cover any expenses you might accrue in an accident if you exceed your policy limits. 

In addition to UM, adding collision coverage and comprehensive coverage to your full coverage auto insurance policy may be a good idea. You may invoke these coverage types to help pay for repairs to your vehicle caused by any driver, insured or uninsured. While opting out of these coverages is perfectly legal, it may be far more expensive in the long run than paying for them on your premiums.

For example, if you have the minimum amount of coverage legally required in Michigan, so 50/100/10 in liability, $250,000 in PIP, and no more than $1 million in PPI, and you’re permanently injured in an accident, caused by an uninsured driver, you will first file a claim with your insurance. If approved, this claim will invoke your PIP coverage after you meet your deductible. But let’s say you require extensive care that exceeds $250,000 (which isn’t unlikely). Once your PIP runs out, you file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer.

Since the at-fault party doesn’t have insurance, you don’t have adequate funds to supplement your medical care. In this case, you will have to dip into your pocket. By adding UM to your auto insurance policy, you will have another coverage to invoke to help you pay for your medical expenses accrued due to an accident caused by an uninsured driver. 

It’s crucial, especially in states like Michigan, to have UM coverage, even if you don’t technically need it. 

The typical statute of limitations on filing a UM claim is three years. However, since UM isn’t a legally required coverage, many insurers can set their own statute of limitations on UM claims and may make it shorter than three years. It’s a good practice to file a claim as soon as possible if you need your insurance benefits, even if the statute of limitations spans a wide time frame. You should speak with your insurer if you have any questions regarding the statute of limitations on your PIP or on any of your other coverages.

Here at Clovered, we want everyone to be as safe as they can be, especially behind the wheel. Adding UM coverage to your Michigan vehicle insurance policy isn’t required, but we highly recommend it. While taking the plunge from a minimum to a full coverage policy may be overwhelming, we’re here to help you find coverage that will keep you safe at a price you’ll love. 

The best way to find a great policy with UM in Michigan that meets all your other needs is to get and compare quotes online. Lucky for you, you can do that right here in minutes with our free quoting tool. If you have any questions about your quote or prefer to get a quote with an agent, you can call us at 833-255-4117 or email us at [email protected], and we will be happy to help.