March 7, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visited Grand Rapids Community College on Monday, touring automotive technology labs and taking about auto insurance refund checks headed to car owners this spring.
It’s the third time Whitmer has visited the Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC and fifth visit to GRCC since becoming governor in 2019. The governor toured GRCC automotive tech labs and classrooms, met with students and was greeted by GRCC Provost Brian Knetl.
Whitmer was joined by Anita Fox, director of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services, to announce that the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association will complete the transfer of $3 billion in surplus funds to Michigan’s auto insurers this week.
Once complete, the transfer will trigger a 60-day deadline for auto insurers to send out required $400 refund checks per vehicle to eligible Michiganders no later than May 9, 2022.
“These $400 refunds are game-changers for so many Michigan families,” Whitmer said. “I called for these refunds because I am committed to lowering costs for Michiganders and putting money back in people’s pockets. They are possible because we worked across the aisle to pass bipartisan auto insurance reform, and we will keep working together to grow our economy and build a state where families can thrive.”
The MCCA voted in Dec. 2021 to return approximately $3 billion of the surplus funds to Michiganders while maintaining approximately $2 billion in surplus funds to ensure continuity of care for catastrophic accident survivors.
Michigan’s auto insurers must now issue refunds to eligible state policyholders of $400 per vehicle, or $80 per historic vehicle, for each vehicle that was insured under a policy that meets the minimum insurance requirements for operating a vehicle on Michigan roads as of 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2021.
Eligible consumers who do not receive their refunds by the deadline should contact their auto insurer or agent. Additional information is available from DIFS online at Michigan.gov/MCCArefund, or by contacting the agency by phone at 833-ASK-DIFS (833-275-3437). or by emailing autoinsurance@michigan.gov.
Whitmer was joined by Shawn Jones, owner of Jones Logistics Services, a trucking small business, and Sarah Weir, Kentwood Public Schools’ homeless student liaison.
Photo by Andrew Schmidt.