LANSING, Mich. — Lansing resident Derek Braswell, like many Michigan drivers, struggles with the high cost of car insurance in the state.
- Michigan drivers pay an average of $2,707 per year for car insurance, according to Experian.
- Democratic state senator Jeff Irwin has introduced bills to cut premiums by 10%.
- The legislation would also prevent companies from charging reinstatement fees for coverage lapses.
The cost of getting around is taking a toll on Michigan residents' wallets.
WATCH: Michigan lawmaker proposes car insurance rate cuts to ease financial burden
"Driving is my everyday thing," Braswell said.
The Lansing resident faces a common financial burden in Michigan: expensive auto insurance.
"My regular car insurance that I have can be extreme," Braswell said.
According to Experian, the average cost of car insurance in Michigan per year is about $2,707 or $226 per month. The high cost stems from the 2019 no-fault reforms that required residents to carry personal injury protection and higher minimum insurance.
"Rates in Michigan are way too high," said state Senator Jeff Irwin.
That's why the Democratic lawmaker introduced bills aimed at lowering costs. The legislation would require car insurance premiums to be cut by 10% and prevent companies from charging reinstatement fees if there's a lapse in coverage.
"These are the things I think are really straining the budgets of Michigan families, and that's why I started looking at any way I could to address that," Irwin said.
I reached out to the Insurance Alliance of Michigan, but they could not provide a statement at this time. The Republican Party did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Braswell remains optimistic that the proposed changes will become a reality and provide financial relief to Michigan drivers.
"I think the industry as a whole is changing in the direction where it will be more affordable for people in the future," Braswell said.
The bill would need to be approved by the state House and Senate, then get Governor Whitmer's signature to become law.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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