“Two years after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature revamped auto insurance, I’m now paying significantly less to drive my car. Many others are, too.” – Ingrid Jacques

Writing an op-ed for The Detroit News, conservative columnist Ingrid Jacques touted the major cost-saving benefits of the “historic” bipartisan auto insurance reform Governor Whitmer worked with the legislature to deliver for Michigan drivers in her first year in office.

Though the law is getting renewed praise now that it is also guaranteeing a $400 refund check for every auto-insured vehicle in the state, Jacques notes that other aspects of the reform have already been putting money back in the pockets of Michiganders. For example, since Whitmer took office “rates on average have decreased between 18% and 27%” thanks in part to over 35 new insurance companies now being able to participate in the market.

Back in 2019, Republican leaders House Speaker Lee Chatfield and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey both agreed that this massive cost-saving reform “couldn’t have gotten done without” Governor Whitmer’s leadership. Additionally, legislative Republicans celebrated the announcement once the refund amount was finalized.

Read excerpts below on the major win for Michigan working families that allows “more than 7 million drivers here [to] finally have some say in what coverage they want” and read the full op-ed here.

The Detroit News (Op-Ed): Hey Michigan, We’re Finally Saving On Car Insurance
By Ingrid Jacques

Two years after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature revamped auto insurance, I’m now paying significantly less to drive my car. Many others are, too.

Yet it doesn’t seem like the law’s benefits are getting enough attention. Whitmer this fall announced a $400 per driver refund coming next year, but there’s more good news. 

For five decades, Michigan’s no-fault framework created the highest rates in the country. Premiums were nearly twice that of the average in other states. In Detroit, drivers faced outlandish costs. 

While rates on average have decreased between 18% and 27% since 2019, Michigan is still one of the most expensive states. But there are 155,000 additional drivers who have purchased auto insurance since the reforms, and 37 new insurance companies have entered the market. More competition is good for everyone. […]

Now, more than 7 million drivers here finally have some say in what coverage they want, and this dramatically impacts what they pay.

For the first time in 50 years, we have a choice in the level of personal injury protection.

Before your eyes glaze over, this is important. 

Drivers formerly were forced to choose unlimited lifetime medical benefits for the slim chance they’d get severely injured in an auto accident. And we all paid dearly for it — along with rampant fraud and no cost controls on crash-related medical expenses.

Now, you can select unlimited PIP,” $500,000, $250,000 (with exemptions if you prove you have health insurance), and further reductions if you have Medicaid or Medicare. […]

It’s worth the hassle. To insure our two vehicles, my husband and I are saving more than $1,000 a year. That’s real money. […]

The post ICYMI: It’s Not Just the Refunds. Governor Whitmer’s Auto Insurance Reforms Have Already Cut Costs for Michigan Drivers. appeared first on Michigan Democratic Party.