In Michigan, it is mandatory for all drivers to have no fault auto insurance at a minimum. But, for many reasons, that may not be enough coverage for your vehicle. Remember, there are a lot of drivers in the state of Michigan, but what’s more, there are a number of road hazards that you might encounter as well. Michigan also has an infamously unpredictable weather pattern to consider.

The Penalties for Not Having Proper Insurance Coverage in Michigan

Having insurance protects you in the event of more than an auto accident. In the state of Michigan, failure to have at least the minimum insurance in place can result in the following penalties:

• You can be convicted of a misdemeanor crime.
• You can be fined between $200-500.
• You can be sent to jail for one year.
• You can be sentenced to both of these.
• Your license can be suspended for 30 days.
• You can be sued for any damages in an accident.
• You will be held liable for any expenses incurred during an accident, including the cost of towing your own vehicle and its repairs.

Comprehensive Auto Insurance in Michigan: The Benefits

Michigan is the home of the most comprehensive auto insurance in the entire country. Some of the benefits that you get when choosing comprehensive coverage in the Great Lakes State include:

• Unlimited medical and rehab benefits
• Lost wage benefits
• Replacement services that total $20 per day for as long as three years if you are injured during an accident regardless of fault

Comprehensive insurance is a voluntary type of coverage that covers accidents related to deer crashes, car thefts, weather related damage and vandalism.

The Threat of Deer on Michigan’s Roads

In Michigan, there are a number of deer versus auto accidents every year. For the year 2010:

• There were more than 55,000 car versus deer crashes.
• Eleven people died in those crashes.
• The majority (80%) happened on two lane roads, between the hours of dusk and dawn.
• Deer related accidents in Michigan cost the insurance industry more than $130 million every year.
• The cost of the damage to the average vehicle is just more than $2,000.
• Most damage occurs to the front of the vehicle.

Comprehensive Insurance Protects against Auto Theft

While auto thefts in the state of Michigan have gone down in recent years, they still remain a threat. Minimal insurance coverage does not cover the cost of replacing your car if it is stolen nor does it protect you if there are damages to your vehicle, even if someone else is driving it. Some interesting facts about auto thefts in Michigan:

Of the top 12 vehicles stolen in the state, eight are Dodge models.

Of the eight Dodges on that list, the majority are the Dodge Caravan. The 2000 and 1999 Dodge Caravan are numbers one and two on that list.

There is an interesting pattern about car thefts in the state. Here are the color of car, the month and the day of the week that is most dangerous for your car:

• A black car is most likely to be stolen on a Monday in July
• A white car on a Tuesday in August
• A blue car on a Wednesday in June
• A red car on a Thursday in October
• A silver car on a Friday in April
• A green car on a Saturday in May
• A gray car on a Sunday in March