After a Crash in Michigan — Official Resources
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This is general information, not legal advice.
Michigan requires immediate police reporting for injury, death, or apparent damage of $1,000 or more (MCL 257.622). Because Michigan is a no-fault state, written notice of injury must reach your own insurer within one year of the crash (MCL 500.3145) or the claim can be lost entirely. Vehicle damage is a separate claim: the mini tort lets you recover up to $3,000 from the at-fault driver. UD-10 crash reports cost $15 from the Michigan State Police. Free help: State Bar referral ($25 for 25 minutes), MichiganLegalHelp.org, and DIFS at 877-999-6442.
Michigan splits one crash into two separate claims: your injuries go through no-fault, your vehicle goes through the mini tort. People routinely pursue one and never learn about the other. Both are below, along with reporting rules, the UD-10 report, lawyer referrals, and free legal help. The first-steps checklist covers saving your dashcam clip first.
Report the crash
Under MCL 257.622, a driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or damages property to an apparent extent of $1,000 or more, must report it immediately — at the scene, or at the nearest police station or to the nearest officer.
Modern bumpers hide damage, so what looks minor often clears $1,000 once it's inspected. If you're unsure, report it; the Michigan State Police note that crashes not reported immediately are left to the responding agency's discretion.
Notify your own insurer within one year
Michigan is a no-fault state: medical bills, wage loss, and related benefits come from your own Personal Injury Protection coverage, no matter who caused the crash. Under MCL 500.3145, written notice of the injury — the application for no-fault benefits — must reach the insurer within one year of the crash. Miss it and the claim can be lost entirely.
A year sounds generous, and that's exactly the trap: people wait to see how the injury develops, and the window closes. File the application early even if you're still being treated. If you're not sure whose policy covers you — your own, a household member's, or another vehicle's — the state can point you to the right one; see the insurance section below.
Get the crash report
Buy the UD-10 Traffic Crash Report through the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Purchasing System — $15, online only. As of April 2026 you sign in through a MiLogin account. Processing typically takes 3–30 days depending on the agency that responded.
You'll need the crash date plus either the case number or a driver's license number of someone involved. If you don't have that, or you're the owner of damaged property rather than a driver, the MSP's Traffic Crash Reporting Unit explains the FOIA route instead.
Your car repairs are a separate claim
No-fault covers injuries, not your vehicle. Michigan's "mini tort" provision (MCL 500.3135) lets you recover up to $3,000 for vehicle damage from the driver who was at fault — useful if you have no collision coverage, or to cover your deductible if you do. You claim it from the at-fault driver's insurer, not your own, and you don't need a lawyer to do it.
Hit-and-run
Call police immediately — Michigan already requires it at $1,000 in damage, and with a fled driver the officer's report is the only record that exists.
Save your clip and note the time and location. Your no-fault benefits run through your own insurer regardless, on the one-year clock above. The mini tort, though, needs an at-fault driver to claim against — so if nobody is identified, uninsured-motorist coverage is what stands in for it. Read your policy's hit-and-run notice window carefully: it's often measured in days, not months, and it's separate from every deadline on this page.
Find a lawyer
The State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service matches you with a participating lawyer for a $25 fee covering an initial consultation of up to 25 minutes. Available weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Free legal help
MichiganLegalHelp.org is the statewide free legal information site — its Guide to Legal Help routes you to legal aid programs, self-help centers, and referrals based on your situation and income. There are staffed self-help centers around the state, and everything on the site is free.
Insurance problems
The Department of Insurance and Financial Services investigates complaints against insurers and answers coverage questions — including which policy should be paying your no-fault benefits. File through the DIFS complaint page, or call 877-999-6442, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No policy of your own? Michigan's no-fault system can still route benefits through another insurer depending on your circumstances, and that determination is genuinely complicated — call DIFS and ask them directly rather than assuming you're out of options.
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Dashwatcher is a dashcam company, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice or a substitute for a licensed attorney. Reporting rules, deadlines, and programs differ by state and change over time; verify everything with the official source before you rely on it. Links go to government agencies, bar associations, and nonprofits. Dashwatcher receives no payment from any organization listed.
From the team at Dashwatcher.
Last verified: August 3, 2026