A column by Rep. Mike Mueller

Since the day I took office, one of my highest priorities has been to lower the cost of car insurance for Michigan families. I’ve heard from residents throughout our communities who simply can’t afford the cost of driving their vehicle. As a Michigan driver myself, I’ve shared these frustrations for years. We pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the nation. It’s not fair and it’s time we do something about it.

Earlier this year, I proudly voted in support of a historic, bipartisan plan to bring more coverage options and guaranteed rate relief to every Michigan driver. And now, I’m pleased to report the plan is working, and drivers will see significant savings in just a few months.

The first sign our reforms are paying off came when the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) recently announced it will cut its annual per-vehicle assessment by more than half for the year-long period beginning July 2, 2020. That means every Michigan driver will pay $100 per vehicle, down from the current $220 per vehicle – a 55 percent savings.

At $100, the MCCA’s assessment is at the lowest rate since 2003. Our plan was crafted to provide real, long-lasting savings for drivers, and this latest announcement proves it’s already working.

The even better news is that the lower MCCA fee is just the first of many reductions that drivers can expect to take effect as these reforms progress. Many more opportunities for savings will become available when the new law officially goes into effect next July. The new law will continue to provide relief for years to come by offering drivers more choices, combating fraud and ending price gouging on medical services for crash survivors.

Michigan is the automobile state, so it shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to own and operate a vehicle here. Our state is moving forward in the right direction – lowering car insurance costs and maintaining the nation’s best medical coverage for every driver who chooses it. We couldn’t have made these reforms without the input from Michigan residents who fought for it. I stand with each of you in the fight, and I look forward to seeing further savings in the near future.