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The Motor City Detroit and Car Insurance That Protects

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Research Last Updated: 05/23/2013

The unique Detroit car insurance is the strictest in the entire nation.

detroit car insurance

Also known as Detroit, Michigan

In 2011, there were 284,049 traffic accidents across the state of Michigan. Compared to the estimated population of 9.8 million people for the state in the same year, those accident statistics aren’t all that bad. Comparably, Wayne County (where Detroit is located) has similar accident numbers statistically, so it is no more dangerous to drive in and around Detroit than it is anywhere else in Michigan.

Still, this doesn’t mean that you should feel free to drive around without Detroit car insurance. For one, it’s illegal to do so. And two, you never know when you will end up as one of those accident numbers.

Required Detroit Car Insurance

Detroit car insurance requirements are exactly the same as Michigan’s car insurance requirements as it’s the state that takes control of that sector of driving. However, state car insurance laws are enforced by Detroit police officers just the same as any other city traffic laws on the books. So don’t think that the city cops will let you slide because insurance requirements are a state thing.

To be able to legally drive in Detroit and anywhere else in Michigan, you have to be carrying all three of the following car insurance coverages:

  • Personal Injury Protection
  • Liability coverage (property damage and bodily liability)
  • Property Protection (different than property damage liability coverage)

Detroit Personal Injury Protection

The personal injury protection coverage is something that is seen in only a handful of other states that are “no fault” states just like Michigan is. Personal injury protection is a coverage that will pay for all of your medical bills and the medical bills of anyone else in your vehicle in the event of an accident; regardless of who caused the accident.

Detroit Liability and Property Protection

The liability coverage is exactly the same as it is in other states, Michigan just lumps it together as one insurance coverage. It still consists of liability coverage for injuries you may cause to another person or damages you may cause to another person’s property in a car accident. Michigan requires drivers to carry no less than $20,000 in coverage per person and $40,000 total coverage for all injuries, as well as no less than $10,000 in coverage for property damage.

The difference in the Michigan liability coverage is that the property damage section of this coverage is only for property damage that you may cause with your vehicle outside of the state of Michigan. Any damages to property that you may cause in Michigan are covered under the required property protection coverage.

The property protection coverage is a coverage unique to Michigan and is not found in any other state. This coverage provides up to $1 million dollars in coverage for any damage you may do to another person’s vehicle, property, state property, etc. within the state of Michigan.

This may seem to be a lot of Detroit car insurance to purchase just to be able to drive, but if you are ever in a car accident you will be grateful you have the insurance company paying these expenses instead of them coming out of your pockets.

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Michele Wilmonen

Michele's first introduction to insurance was working for a major insurance company as a file clerk and a mailroom supervisor in a regional office. She learned insurance directly from underwriters and claims adjusters from questions and also watching them do their job. Since then, she's earned a number of insurance certifications from the Insurance Institute of America and also a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho. She blogs at Car Insurance Guidebook.

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