Michigan law requires every registered car be insured.
If you own a car and drive it, or allow someone else to drive it, without insurance there can be serious consequences. These can include being sued and held personally responsible if you cause injuries or property damage, losing your right to collect medical & wage loss benefits along with your right to sue an at-fault driver, and also potentially facing misdemeanor charges, fines, imprisonment, and having your license suspended.
While those are potential large scale consequences, for most people, a more immediate ramification of going without insurance – even temporarily – is this can prove costly when you then try to buy a new auto insurance policy.
The reason for this is insurance companies have eligibility requirements. Included among these eligibility requirements, with standard insurance companies, is proving you maintained continuous coverage on your vehicle for the past six months.
If you don’t meet this requirement standard insurance companies will decline your application. You will still be able to purchase insurance – but, for the first six months, it would have to be through a “non-standard” insurance company, which translates to higher rates.
If you find yourself in a situation where you’re going to have difficulty paying your auto insurance premium in a timely fashion it’s advisable to talk to your insurance agent before your policy lapses. Your agent may be able to provide options, such as increasing deductibles or trimming coverage, to whittle the bill down to an affordable level. In so doing you may be able to avoid a lapse in coverage and the resulting higher costs for insuring your vehicle.
Did you know?
You can request an auto insurance quote through this website.