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8+ years writing about insurance, taxes, and personal finance
Certified public accountant
Janet applies her experience in personal finance, taxes, and accounting to make complex financial topics accessible. Her byline has appeared on numerous web media.
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.
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Table of contents
Driving under the influence (DUI) doesn’t just come with legal consequences. It can also send your insurance rates soaring. In Michigan, the most affordable liability-only car insurance for drivers with a DUI conviction starts at around $86 per month.
On average, Michigan drivers see their premiums increase by about 83% following a DUI, with annual costs rising from about $2,784 to $5,100. This increase is because insurance companies classify drivers with a DUI as high risk and more likely to have future claims.
Here’s what you need to know about finding car insurance with a DUI in Michigan.
A DUI stays on your driving record indefinitely in Michigan, although you may qualify to have a first offense removed from your record after five years.
After a DUI, Michigan requires you to carry an SR-22 for three years.
Penalties for a second or third DUI offense within seven years of the first offense can include jail time, license revocation, and forfeiture of your vehicle.
Cheapest car insurance quotes after a DUI in Michigan
After getting a DUI in Michigan, finding affordable car insurance can be a challenge. But some insurance companies offer more competitive rates than others. The table below shows the cheapest car insurance companies in Michigan.
Keep in mind that your actual rates will vary based on your unique circumstances, so it’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple companies to find the best rate for your specific situation.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
---|---|
Auto-Owners | $86 |
USAA | $88 |
Chubb | $95 |
Safeco | $169 |
Progressive | $176 |
Nationwide | $176 |
State Farm | $179 |
Travelers | $207 |
Direct Auto | $219 |
Bristol West | $253 |
Liberty Mutual | $296 |
How a DUI affects car insurance rates in Michigan
Your car insurance rates will likely increase quite a bit after a DUI conviction in Michigan. The table below shows the average liability rates for a Michigan driver with and without a DUI, giving you an idea of how your insurance costs may fluctuate.
With DUI | Without DUI | |
---|---|---|
Average driver | $232 | $170 |
How to get car insurance with a DUI in Michigan
Getting car insurance after a DUI might take a few extra steps, but it’s essential to get coverage. Follow these steps to buy car insurance with a DUI on your record:[1]
1. Gather your information
Be ready with your driver’s license number, vehicle information, and the date of your DUI.
2. Compare quotes from multiple insurance companies
Rates can vary widely for drivers with a DUI, so get quotes from several companies. Focus on companies known for insuring high-risk or non-standard drivers.
3. Look for SR-22 filing support
Michigan, like many U.S. states, requires drivers to carry an SR-22 after a DUI. Make sure the insurance company you select will issue this form.
4. Choose a policy that meets state requirements
At a minimum, your policy must include personal injury protection (PIP), property protection insurance (PPI), and bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) liability.
5. Make on-time payments
A lapse in coverage can make it even harder to find affordable car insurance and reset your SR-22 requirement. Set up automatic payments or reminders to maintain continuous coverage.
DUI laws in Michigan
In Michigan, a DUI conviction remains on your criminal record permanently.[2] But under the state’s Clean Slate legislation, you may be eligible to have your first DUI offense erased from your record five years after sentencing, as long as you don’t have any other DUIs during that period.[3]
Michigan also requires drivers to have an SR-22 for three years after a DUI. An SR-22 is a form your insurance company sends to the state verifying you have a policy with at least the state’s minimum-coverage limits.
Beyond higher insurance rates and the SR-22 requirement, you may have to deal with other penalties after a DUI. These penalties depend on whether you have a high BAC (blood alcohol concentration) and escalate with each subsequent offense:[4]
First offense
Fine of $500 to $700
Up to 180 days in jail
Up to 360 hours of community service
License suspension for up to one year
Six points on your driver’s license
Potential for mandatory alcohol treatment program
Potential requirement to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle
Second offense (within seven years of first offense)
Fine of $1,000 to $5,000
Felony conviction
Imprisonment of up to 10 years
Potential requirement to forfeit the vehicle
Minimum car insurance requirements in Michigan
Michigan is a no-fault car insurance state. This means each driver’s insurance company covers their own medical expenses, regardless of who was at fault in the accident, and you generally can’t sue the other driver unless your injuries are extremely severe.
Like other states, Michigan requires all drivers to carry a specific minimum amount of car insurance coverage to legally operate a motor vehicle. Those minimum-coverage limits are:
Personal injury protection: Minimum of $250,000 per person per accident
Property protection insurance: $1 million
Residual liability insurance (default limits):
Up to $250,000 per person killed in an accident
Up to $500,000 per accident if several people are hurt or killed
Up to $10,000 for property damage in another state
DUI car insurance in Michigan FAQs
If you got a DUI in Michigan, you likely have a lot of questions about how it affects your car insurance. The additional information below can help as you look for insurance coverage.
What is the cheapest car insurance company in Michigan after a DUI?
The cheapest car insurance company for you depends on your profile. Auto-Owners currently offers the lowest rates in Michigan after a DUI, with monthly liability rates of $86, according to Insurify data.
How long will a DUI affect your car insurance premium?
In Michigan, a DUI could affect your rates permanently. Drunk driving puts six points on your driving record, and those points remain on your record for two years from the date of your conviction. While the points fall off eventually, the DUI conviction stays on your record permanently.
How much is DUI insurance in Michigan?
On average, drivers in Michigan pay around $296 per month for car insurance coverage after a DUI, compared to a driver with a clean record, who pays $217.
How long does it take to get a DUI off your record in Michigan?
While a DUI stays on your driving record indefinitely, you may be eligible to have a first-time offense expunged from your record five years after sentencing under Michigan’s Clean Slate law. To qualify for the program, you can’t have any other DUIs in that time frame. Otherwise, it stays on your record permanently.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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Sources
- Department of Insurance and Financial Services. "Michigan’s Auto Insurance Law Has Changed."
- Michigan.gov. "Chapter 2: Your Driving Record."
- Safe & Just Michigan. "Clean Slate for First-Violation DUI."
- Michigan State Police. "Impaired Driving Law."
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Janet Berry-Johnson, CPA is a freelance writer with a background in accounting and income tax planning and preparation. She's passionate about making complicated financial topics accessible to readers. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and son and their rescue dog, Dexter. Visit her website at www.jberryjohnson.com.
Janet has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.