Auto insurance no-fault changes go into effect in July 1.
Back in 2019, Governor Whitmer signed No-Fault Reform bills aimed at lowering auto insurance in the state.
The bills give drivers the option to choose their own level of personal injury protection, with the option to opt out, saving families money on their insurance.
With more people choosing to opt out, those who receive insurance benefits could see big cuts.
When Brittney Ruckle was nine years-old she was in a life altering car crash. 14 years later, her family still depends on help from home care workers.
“She needs 24 hour, 7 days a week care,” said Brittney’s mother, Kris Ruckle-Mahon. “She’s a beautiful, wonderful 23-year-old girl now but she needs that help for her continued recovery.”
She says because of auto insurance No-Fault changes, those who help take care of her will have to take a 45% pay cut.
“The way our auto no-fault system worked back then they we were able to provide her with in home equipment, therapies, accessible van, a modified house,” says Ruckle-Mahon.
Agevix is a business that employs home care workers for crash victims. They say Michigan is one of the most expensive states for car insurance, but when faced with an accident you could find yourself without catastrophic medical coverage if you opt out.
“There’s been a push to reduce cost of auto insurance in our state,” said Agevix Co-Owner, Wendy Nienhouse. “It’s one of those things that’s when it’s gone you recognize just not only the cost of what it is to heal, but also what the protection was that we thought was going to be a huge cost savings.”
Nienhouse says it will force their business to readjust to still make income.
“We’ll have to shift to providing another type of service or we will enlarge other parts of our company and the services we provide that will not include providing the specialized care we provide those catastrophic injury survivors,” says Nienhouse.
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