New study finds Michigan drivers are paying some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the nation

LANSING, Jan. 25, 2017: Michigan drivers are paying some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country, according to data released this month by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Michigandrivers, onaverage, paid $ 1,350 in 2014 for their auto insurance premiums, almost twice as much as drivers in neighboring Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

'This study reinforces a harsh reality for drivers across our state: They pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country," said Mark Fisk, spokesperson for the Michigan Insurance Coalition. 'It also shows that Michigan's auto no-fault laws are in desperate need of reform to make car insurance more affordable for drivers across the state."

Michigan is the only state in the country that requires drivers to purchase unlimited, lifetime medical benefits with their auto insurance policy, driving up the cost of auto insurance premiums.

It's no coincidence Michigan also has one of the high-estrates of uninsured drivers in the country. As many as 21 percent of drivers in the state don't have car insurance, either because they can't afford it or are choosing to pay for other necessities like food, day care and housing. For some, their car insurance premiums are like a second mortgage.

"Our antiquated auto insurance laws haven't undergone significant reforms since they were enacted in 1973," said Fisk. "The Legislature must make common sense reforms to Michigan's costly autonofault insurance laws tolevel the playing field for all Michigan drivers."

According to NAIC data, drivers in Ohio paid $766 for car insurance in 2014, Indiana drivers paid $728 and drivers in Wisconsin paid $716.