When should Michigan drivers receive their $400 auto insurance refund checks?

LANSING, Mich. - Refund checks worth hundreds of dollars should be arriving in the bank accounts of Michigan drivers over the next few months. 

The $400 refund checks that are being delivered from the state's auto insurance industry are part of the bipartisan-passed legislation in 2019, which required the companies that oversee the state's trust fund to return money to drivers who insured a vehicle in Michigan by the end of October last year.

The refund checks should arrive by May 9, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.

Whitmer took credit for the refund checks during her annual State of the State Address earlier in January, where she attributed her signing of the auto insurance reform package as a cost-saving measure for drivers.

The money will come from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), which reported a billion-dollar surplus last year. 

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According to the state, drivers that insured their vehicle by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2021 will receive a refund. Motorcycles and RVs are eligible for the refund as well, as long as they have minimum insurance requirements. 

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. 

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 Director Anita Fox. "The DIFS bulletin ensures that consumers are protected and imposes a May 9, 2022 deadline for issuing refunds to all eligible drivers."

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.