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Michigan drivers to see refund in the hundreds by spring from insurance surplus
The refund follows a request by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer who called on the MCCA to send checks back to drivers after the group registered a projected $5 billion surplus in November.
LANSING, Mich. - When will auto insurance refunds be available to Michigan drivers?
According to the governor, all refund checks will be issued to drivers no later than May 9, 2022.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said last week that Michigan drivers would receive $400 checks for every vehicle they own that's insured in the state. The money will come from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), which reported a billion-dollar surplus.
The refunds are part of bipartisan-passed legislation that was signed in 2019. If a resident had a vehicle insured as of 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2021, they will receive a refund. Motorcycles and RVs are eligible for the refund as long as they have minimum insurance requirements.
RELATED: Here's how auto insurance changed in Michigan this year
The money is scheduled to be transferred by the MCCA to insurers by March 9. From there, checks will be issued through mail or ACH deposit.
"Michigan used to have the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, but we worked together to put Michiganders first, significantly lowering the cost of insurance and putting $400 per vehicle back in driver’s pockets while continuing to provide access to the most generous benefits in the nation," said Whitmer.
Among the biggest changes from the auto insurance reform was the requirement removal that all drivers pay for unlimited Personal Injury Protection medical coverage. Drivers that opted out of maximum PIP coverage will still get a refund.
RELATED: Drivers to receive $400 refund checks per vehicle
The details of the refunds were published in a bulletin released by the Department of Insurance and Financial Services.
"The Governor directed DIFS to take an active role in ensuring that refunds would be issued expeditiously to Michiganders who have paid into the fund for decades," said Anita Fox. "The DIFS bulletin ensures that consumers are protected and imposes a May 9, 2022 deadline for issuing refunds to all eligible drivers."
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Michigan's auto insurance laws are changing.
DIFS also created a FAQ site for drivers to peruse if they have any questions.
Any drivers that are eligible to receive a refund but don't get a check by the May 9 deadline can contact their insurance company with questions. They may also contact the insurance department with concerns Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 833-ASK-DIFS (833-275-3437) or emailing autoinsurance@michigan.gov.