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Michigan car accident laws
Is Michigan a no-fault state? Yes. Michigan is a no-fault state: your own personal injury protection (PIP) pays first, with at least Choice of PIP medical coverage levels for policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020: unlimited, $500,000, $250,000, or $50,000 (Medicaid enrollees only); other options and exceptions (MCL 500.3107d, 3109a) were not read required, and you can sue the other driver only past the state's threshold. Give your auto insurer written notice of the injury within 1 year of the crash, or you can lose the right to sue for PIP benefits (and benefits more than 1 year before you file are not recoverable).
Michigan gives you three years to file a personal injury lawsuit (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)).
The legal minimum liability coverage in Michigan is $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 per crash and $10,000 for property (50/100/10).
If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and in a crash case you cannot recover noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) if you are more than 50% at fault; under MCL 600.2959 economic damages are still reduced rather than barred.
Quoted from Michigan statutes and official pages, checked October 2, 2026 · not legal advice
The rules in one table
| Rule | Michigan | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline to sue for an injury | Three years after the time of the injury | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) |
| Deadline for vehicle damage | Three years after the time of the injury to property | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) |
| Deadline for a wrongful death claim | Three years after the time of the death (a personal representative may have extra time under MCL 600.5852, not quoted) | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) |
| Claims against a government body | To recover for injuries from a defective highway you must serve written notice on the governmental agency within 120 days of the injury (filed with the Court of Claims for state roads); the notice must state the exact location and nature of the defect, the injury, and known witnesses. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 691.1404(1) |
| Insurance system | no-fault; PIP required (Choice of PIP medical coverage levels for policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020: unlimited, $500,000, $250,000, or $50,000 (Medicaid enrollees only); other options and exceptions (MCL 500.3107d, 3109a) were not read). To sue: You can sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering (noneconomic loss) only if you died, suffered a serious impairment of body function, or suffered permanent serious disfigurement. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3135(1) |
| Deadline to use your PIP coverage | Give your auto insurer written notice of the injury within 1 year of the crash, or you can lose the right to sue for PIP benefits (and benefits more than 1 year before you file are not recoverable). | MCL 500.3145(1) |
| If you were partly at fault | modified comparative (51% bar). If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and in a crash case you cannot recover noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) if you are more than 50% at fault; under MCL 600.2959 economic damages are still reduced rather than barred. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3135(2)(b); § 600.2959 |
| Minimum liability coverage | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per crash / $10,000 property | Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3009(1), (5) |
| Dog bites | strict liability. A dog owner is liable for any damages when the dog bites someone, without provocation, on public property or lawfully on private property, regardless of the dog's past viciousness or the owner's knowledge of it. | Mich. Comp. Laws § 287.351(1) |
Deadlines can be shorter or longer for minors, for injuries found later, and for claims against a government. A lawyer licensed in Michigan can tell you the date that applies to you.
Next steps after a Michigan crash
How to get a Michigan crash report ($15.00 per report).
Check your deadline and a rough claim range
A filing date and a rough value range for Michigan. Both take under a minute.
Questions
How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Michigan?
Three years for an injury claim (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)) and three years for vehicle damage. Shorter notice rules can apply to claims against a government.
Is Michigan a no-fault state?
Yes. Michigan is a no-fault state: your own personal injury protection (PIP) pays first, with at least Choice of PIP medical coverage levels for policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020: unlimited, $500,000, $250,000, or $50,000 (Medicaid enrollees only); other options and exceptions (MCL 500.3107d, 3109a) were not read required, and you can sue the other driver only past the state's threshold. Give your auto insurer written notice of the injury within 1 year of the crash, or you can lose the right to sue for PIP benefits (and benefits more than 1 year before you file are not recoverable).
Can I recover if I was partly at fault in Michigan?
Michigan follows modified comparative (51% bar). If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and in a crash case you cannot recover noneconomic damages (pain and suffering) if you are more than 50% at fault; under MCL 600.2959 economic damages are still reduced rather than barred.
What is the minimum car insurance in Michigan?
The legal minimum liability coverage in Michigan is $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 per crash and $10,000 for property (50/100/10).
Sources
- Deadline to sue for an injury (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5805
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the period of limitations is 3 years after the time of the death or injury for all actions to recover damages for the death of a person or for injury to a person or property.
- Deadline for vehicle damage (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5805
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the period of limitations is 3 years after the time of the death or injury for all actions to recover damages for the death of a person or for injury to a person or property.
- Deadline for a wrongful death claim (Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5805
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the period of limitations is 3 years after the time of the death or injury for all actions to recover damages for the death of a person or for injury to a person or property.
- Claims against a government body (Mich. Comp. Laws § 691.1404(1)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-691-1404
Sec. 4. (1) As a condition to any recovery for injuries sustained by reason of any defective highway, the injured person, within 120 days from the time the injury occurred, except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) shall serve a notice on the governmental agency of the occurrence of the injury and the defect.
- Insurance system (Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3135(1)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-500-3135
(1) A person remains subject to tort liability for noneconomic loss caused by his or her ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle only if the injured person has suffered death, serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement.
- Deadline to use your PIP coverage (MCL 500.3145(1)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-500-3145
An action for recovery of personal protection insurance benefits payable under this chapter for an accidental bodily injury may not be commenced later than 1 year after the date of the accident that caused the injury unless written notice of injury as provided in subsection (4) has been given to the insurer within 1 year after the accident or unless the insurer has previously made a payment of personal protection insurance benefits for the injury.
- If you were partly at fault (Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3135(2)(b); § 600.2959): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-500-3135
(b) Damages must be assessed on the basis of comparative fault, except that damages must not be assessed in favor of a party who is more than 50% at fault.
- Minimum liability coverage (Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3009(1), (5)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-500-3009
(a) Before July 2, 2020, a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than $20,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of 1 person in any 1 accident, and after July 1, 2020, a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, of not less than $250,000.00 because of bodily injury to or death of 1 person in any 1 accident. [...] (c) A limit of not less than $10,000.00 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any accident. [...] (5) After July 1, 2020, an applicant for or named insured in the automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policy described in subsection (1)…
- Dog bites (Mich. Comp. Laws § 287.351(1)): www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-287-351
Sec. 1. (1) If a dog bites a person, without provocation while the person is on public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner of the dog, the owner of the dog shall be liable for any damages suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness.
Read October 2, 2026. Laws and fees change; the linked page is the authority.