Penalties for Driving without Insurance in Michigan
Michigan requires every driver to carry adequate car insurance that includes personal injury and property protection, coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability coverage.
If you're caught driving without insurance in Michigan, you may have to pay a fine, surrender your license for up to 30 days or even serve jail time — or a combination of the three. Your car insurance company will likely increase your auto insurance premiums as well..
You may also be on the hook for medical costs or car repair bills for both yourself and the other driver if you cause an accident while uninsured.
Penalties for driving without insurance
Driving without insurance is considered a misdemeanor in Michigan. If convicted, you may have to pay a fine up to $500, face up to one year in jail and surrender your driver's license for 30 days or until you have coverage (whichever is later). You'll also have to pay a service fee of at least $125 to have your license reinstated.
If your license is suspended, you may need to have your insurer submit an to the Secretary of State, proving you have the required minimum insurance coverage.
Penalties for driving without proof of insurance
If you have insurance but can’t provide proof during a traffic stop, you can submit proof to the court before your court date. You won't receive a fine or points on your license, but you may have to pay a $25 service fee.
Getting auto insurance after a lapse in coverage
Insurers tend to increase rates for drivers with a lapse in coverage because you're seen as higher risk. And some insurers might refuse to cover you at all. You'll need to find an insurer that's willing to cover you, and you may need to file an SR-22, as well. But you can shop around to find the best deal even if you have SR-22 insurance.
Should you have trouble finding insurance coverage, check out the Michigan Automobile Insurance Facility as your last resort. You'll need at least the state's minimum coverage requirements. That includes coverage with the following limits:
Required coverage | Required limits |
|---|---|
| Personal injury protection | $250,000 or opt-out |
| Property protection insurance | $1 million per accident |
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 per accident |
Consequences of driving without insurance in an accident
If you get into an accident while uninsured in Michigan, the consequences can be severe. You'll need to pay for your own injuries and property damage that occurs out of your own pocket. If the accident was the other driver's fault, you lose out on compensation for pain and suffering, vehicle damage and lost wages. As an uninsured driver, you might have to pay for the other driver's lost income, medical costs, pain and suffering, vehicle damage and more.
Lead Writer
Matt Timmons is a Lead Writer on the insurance team at ValuePenguin, where he writes in-depth and timely pieces helping find the right coverage for them.
He's covered insurance at ValuePenguin since 2018, specializing in auto and home insurance, as well as life insurance. He's paid special attention to the EV insurance market, where prices are much higher than for gas cars.
Before he started writing about personal finance, Matt wrote about professional skills and online tools at an e-learning company.
How insurance helped Matt
During freshman orientation in college, Matt's iPod was stolen off his table while he was eating lunch. Luckily, he'd bought a college insurance plan the day before and he had money to buy a replacement before classes started.
Expertise
- Auto insurance
- Home insurance
- Insurance rate analysis
- Life insurance
Referenced by
- CNBC
- Miami Herald
- Yahoo! Finance
Education
- BA, Wesleyan University
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
