What if the driver was uninsured or fled the scene?

The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan

MCL 500.3171 through MCL 500.3175 create the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility, which administers the Assigned Claims Plan. When no motor vehicle insurer is responsible — including hit-and-run crashes where the at-fault vehicle is never identified — the Plan assigns the claim to a participating insurer to pay statutory PIP benefits.

• Application deadline. Within 1 year of the crash under MCL 500.3172 and MCL 500.3145.
• Medical cap. $250,000 in PIP medical benefits under MCL 500.3172(7) — lower than the top private coverage levels but far higher than most out-of-pocket bills.
• Wage loss & other benefits. Same statutory PIP structure — 85% of wages up to the monthly max for 3 years, replacement services, attendant care, survivor's loss.
• Eligibility. The claimant cannot have another primary PIP source and cannot be barred by their own uninsured motor vehicle ownership under MCL 500.3113.

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage

UM coverage — when purchased on your auto or motorcycle policy — pays you the compensatory damages you would have recovered from an at-fault driver who has no insurance. It typically pays for:

• Pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Excess economic damages above what PIP covered.
• Wrongful death damages for the family in a fatal crash.

Because UM is optional, many riders do not have it — check your declarations page. Most Michigan UM policies also require actual physical contact between the phantom vehicle and yours for a hit-and-run claim; some carriers accept independent corroboration (dashcam or eyewitness).

Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage

UIM applies when the at-fault driver has insurance, but the policy limits are exhausted before your damages are fully paid. Michigan requires you to exhaust the underlying policy and give your carrier a chance to preserve subrogation before settling — miss that step and you can lose UIM coverage entirely. Always get a lawyer involved before signing a release with an underinsured driver's carrier.

When the hit-and-run driver is later identified

Even after the initial Assigned Claims Plan or UM claim, if the at-fault driver is identified — through crash reconstruction, traffic camera footage, or law enforcement follow-up — that driver becomes personally liable. The 3-year statute of limitations under MCL 600.5805(10) runs from the crash date, which is why immediate investigation is critical.

What to do in the first 24 hours

1. Get medical care — document injuries from day one.
2. Report to Michigan State Police or local jurisdiction. A UD-10 crash report is essential for both the Assigned Claims Plan and UM/UIM claims.
3. Preserve dashcam / helmet-cam footage and canvas the area for surveillance video before it is overwritten.
4. Photograph the scene, any debris from the hit-and-run vehicle, and every visible injury.
5. Call a Michigan motorcycle accident lawyer. UM notice deadlines can be as short as 30 days.