If you are found with an expired insurance car you would likely be cited by police for either driving without insurance or not showing proof of insurance. Not having proof comes with a lesser fine than driving without insurance is what we have read.

If you did in fact have insurance in effect at the time of the ticket, just not the current insurance card on you, than we have read that you will just need to show proof of this to the court and pay a $25 administrative fee to have the ticket dismissed. It is best though to contact the court listed on your citation for not having valid, current proof of car insurance to see what penalties you could be facing.

According to the Michigan Secretary of State (SOS), owners of passenger vehicles, vans, and light trucks must purchase Michigan no-fault insurance before registering their vehicle. Required coverages include Bodily Injury/Property Damage (BI/PD), Personal Injury Protection (PIP), and Property Protection Insurance (PPI).

You are required by law to keep your Michigan no-fault insurance certificate in your vehicle or carry it with you when you drive. If you cannot show proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer, the court may order the Secretary of State to suspend your driver license. Until proof of insurance is shown, the Secretary of State will not renew, transfer, or replace your vehicle’s license plate. You may be required to prove the vehicle is insured for not less than six months and pay $50, plus any other fees required by law. The plate could also be canceled if proof of insurance is not produced.

So Michigan requires valid no-fault insurance on every registered car. It is a misdemeanor to drive your car or let your car be driven without at least the basic no-fault auto coverage which is what it would appear to a MI law enforcement officer if you only have an expired insurance card and not a current, valid card to show when requested to show proof of insurance. If you are convicted of driving without the mandatory MI car insurance, you may be fined up to $500, put in jail for a year or both.

If you are unable to provide proof of insurance, thus driving without insurance, you may be found guilty of a civil infraction. The court may order your license suspended for 30 days or until you can show proof of no-fault coverage on your vehicle.

Drivers who fail to provide proof of insurance to the court within will also be responsible for paying a Driver Responsibility Fee of $500 or $200 for two consecutive years. The second year fee may not be paid in advance. The Driver Responsibility law does not provide for an appeal of the fee.

Above are the possible penalties for charges coming from being found driving without insurance or proof of insurance. As we mentioned earlier to find out about your specific situation and what penalties you may be facing in court if you were cited for showing an expired insurance card you should contact the court listed on your ticket.

If you did have a lapse in insurance and now need to obtain Michigan auto insurance, start here by getting a quote with us.