Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced today that nearly a third of eligible Michiganders have already received their $400 auto refund checks from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) catastrophic fund surplus.
According to data gathered by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), more than $906 million of the total $3 billion in surplus funds has distributed, which Whitmer attributed to “bipartisan auto insurance reform” in a statement.
Auto insurers have until May 9 to deliver the remaining $2.1 billion via mailed checks or direct deposit to eligible drivers.
At a press conference held in Lansing on Thursday afternoon, April 14, DIFS Director Anita Fox called it a “huge process” to ensure all eligible Michigan residents receive their refund by the approaching deadline. It is a top priority of her department, Fox said.
She went on to say that, after conversations between the department and insurers, she is confident they are in fact able to meet the May 9 deadline.
“We wanted to touch base, wanted a realistic deadline, but one that was not going to drag on because Michiganders need this money now,” Fox said. “It was really about how can we work together to make sure that this gets met.”
Fox also said eager residents should be wary of giving out their personal information, due to reports of scamming that started when the refund was first announced.
The MCCA is a statutorily established nonprofit that all auto insurers pay into for personal injury protection under the state’s no-fault auto insurance system.
The refund announcement came after Whitmer’s request in November 2021 that the MCCA use a $5 billion surplus to pay back drivers who have paid into the fund. The MCCA board later unanimously voted to support issuing refund checks.
Related: Why Whitmer is asking auto insurance industry to give ‘maximum amount’ of $5B surplus back to drivers
After completing a data verification process, the MCCA transferred $3 billion to the Michigan insurers responsible for issuing refunds to eligible drivers, while retaining $2 billion of the surplus to ensure continuity of care for accident survivors.
Meanwhile, some car accidents survivors have been vocal about frustrations surrounding how much they’re reimbursed when treating auto-related injuries, since that piece of Michigan’s new no-fault insurance policy went into effect.
To be eligible for a refund, Michiganders must have had a car, motorcycle or RV that was insured to drive legally on Michigan roads as of 11:59 p.m. Oct. 31, 2021. The refunds are $400 per vehicle or $80 per historic vehicle, and are schedule to be sent no later than May 9.
Eligible residents do not need to do anything to receive their refund, but they may want to verify their address or banking information with their insurance company to prevent delays.
Eligible drivers who do not receive their refunds by the deadline should contact their auto insurer or agent. For questions or concerns that cannot be resolved directly by an auto insurer, contact DIFS at 833-ASK-DIFS (833-275-3437) or by emailing [email protected].
More information is available at Michigan.gov/MCCArefund.
Read more from MLive:
Nearly half of Michigan children live in households that struggle to pay for basic needs, report shows
Candidates for Michigan governor stake positions on fatal Grand Rapids police shooting
Political climate could challenge Michigan prosecution of accused kidnap plotters, analysts say
Here’s how experts say you can rework your budget for high prices, debt and investments
