Q: I lost my insurance 2 years ago and had an accident. Their insurance is trying to get me to pay $6000 for her repair.
I was given a ticket for impeding traffic. I did hit the back left side panel of her car.
A: Michigan is a No-Fault state. This means that all drivers are required to purchase insurance on their vehicles and that if there is an accident, regardless of who is at fault, each driver's insurance pays to cover their own medical bills, lost wages and damage to their own vehicle. The drivers are not permitted to sue each other in court, except to recover the amount of their insurance deductible. If a motorist is not insured he is operating the vehicle illegally and the other driver's insurance company is permitted to bring a suit to recover its damages. If you had kept the vehicle insured, they would not be permitted to do that. Your option is to defend the case and show that you were not at fault, but that may be difficult or impossible as you were not supposed to be on the road in an uninsured vehicle. If they obtain a judgment, you may apply to the Court for an installment payment agreement to allow you to make payments that you can afford. Be prepared to show the Court your income and your household expenses so the Court can determine a fair payment.
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