Driving without insurance is never a smart option, regardless of where you reside, who was at fault, or how much damage you inflicted.
Michigan no-fault insurance offers some of the most robust protection in the country. Your coverage will pay 100% of your medical expenditures if you get critically wounded in an accident, with no upper limits. Furthermore, if you are unable to work or care for yourself, your insurance will reimburse you for 85% of your missed salary and provide services such as housekeeping and personal care. But what if you’re involved in an automobile accident and don’t have insurance?
Driving without insurance in Michigan has the highest penalties in the country. Uninsured drivers face fines, license suspensions, and even jail time if they get caught driving without insurance. They cannot sue in the event of an automobile accident, even if they are hurt and innocent, and they will have to reimburse the negligent driver’s insurance company.
What happens in a car accident without insurance?
If you get into an accident while driving an uninsured car, you could confront repercussions:
- You could be sued and held personally accountable if someone else gets hurt in the collision.
- If you are injured, you are not eligible for any of the no-fault insurance’s injury coverage advantages. Medical expenses, missed pay and replacement services are all included.
- You can’t sue the person who caused the accident for non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
- Your family will not receive the survivor benefits that an ordinary no-fault policy gives if you die due to the accident.
- Even if no one is wounded, permitting your vehicle to be operated without insurance or using someone else’s vehicle knowing that it is uninsured might result in a $500 fine and a year in prison.
What is Uninsured Motorist (UM) insurance?
In most cases, if you do have an accident with an uninsured motorist, our no-fault coverage will cover your hospital expenses and related charges. On the other hand, one cannot sue an uninsured motorist for pain and suffering or any excess economic losses that are not covered by no-fault.
By acquiring an “Uninsured Motorist” insurance coverage, you may safeguard yourself and your family. If you get critically harmed by a driver who does not have insurance, this policy will protect you. In terms of the protection they give, these plans are very cost-effective.
Uninsured motorist coverage pays for damages not covered by no-fault, such as:
- Damages that are not monetary, such as pain and misery or mental anguish
- Loss of consortium, which includes companionship and emotional support, may be claimed by a spouse, partner, or child in rare situations.
- Economic losses, such as lost salaries and replacement services, exceed the limits of the no-fault policy.
Why do you need it?
Many drivers drive without insurance, and many more have inadequate coverage. A mandated minimum of personal accident liability insurance gets included in Michigan no-fault insurance: $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. In the event of a severe injury accident, the consequential damages would be many times more.
Here is where “Underinsured Motorist” coverage kicks in. If you were not at fault, it allows you to sue for damages above what the other driver’s insurance coverage provides.
Before you can collect payments under an uninsured or underinsured motorist policy, you must meet specific requirements.
If you are involved in an accident, contact an experienced attorney who will assist you in obtaining the compensation you and your family expect.
Michigan legislation of no-fault is complex, but selecting the appropriate counsel is straightforward.
Penalties for driving without insurance in Michigan
Driving without insurance in Michigan carries the following consequences:
- A fine, jail time, and a cessation of your driver’s license
- Being precluded from filing a lawsuit an at-fault driver for pain and misery compensation – even if the at-fault motorist causes serious wounds and you are entirely innocent
- Being debarred from all no-fault perks and
- Liabilities for an at-fault driver’s no-fault benefits.
The following are the civil and criminal consequences in Michigan for driving without insurance:
- You are guilty of a misdemeanour if you drive without insurance in the state of Michigan.
- Fines ranging from $200 to $500: If you are guilty of driving without insurance in Michigan, you will be fined between $200 and $500 or sentenced to jail.
- Up to a year in prison: If you are found guilty of driving without insurance in Michigan, you will be sentenced to “not more than one year in prison” or fined.
- Probation of your driver’s license: If a court finds that you were driving without the automobile insurance needed by the no-fault law, your driver’s license will be confiscated by the Secretary of State until you acquire the necessary car insurance until you can demonstrate that your car or truck is presently insured.
If a judge finds that you were driving without the auto insurance needed by the no-fault statute, the Secretary of State will not allow you to renew, transfer, replace, or buy a new register for your vehicle. It is until you can demonstrate you have auto insurance and pay a $50 fee.
- You won’t be able to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering: Even if you were completely innocent, you could not prosecute the at-fault driver. They would not be at fault for pain and suffering damages if you got wounded in an automobile accident on your uninsured automobile or truck.
- You will be responsible for your healthcare bills: If you were involved in a car accident while driving an uninsured vehicle, you would be ineligible for No-Fault health benefits to reimburse your accident-related medical expenses. You’ll have to pay out of pocket or file a claim with your health insurance company.
- You would not get compensated for lost earnings: If you were involved in a car accident while steering your uninsured vehicle, you would be ineligible to receive no-fault wage loss benefits. It would have reimbursed you for the wages you would have lost if you could not return to work due to your injuries.
Suppose you or a beloved one got harmed in an automobile accident induced by someone driving without insurance. In that case, you still have crucial legal rights, including the ability to sue and seek compensation for your losses and damages.
If you have a history of car insurance gaps, you may need to check into high-risk car insurance, often known as nonstandard auto insurance. Your region, driving record, and the brand and model of your car are all factors used by insurance providers to determine your car insurance premiums.
