The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP) can provide Michigan No-Fault Personal Injury Protection benefits in certain motor vehicle accidents when an injured person does not have an applicable source of PIP coverage through the ordinary insurance priority rules.
The MACP is administered by the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility (MAIPF). When a claim qualifies, the claim may be assigned to a servicing insurer that investigates and administers the PIP claim.
The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan is not simply insurance for anyone who happens to be uninsured. Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the accident, the injured person’s insurance situation, Michigan’s PIP priority rules, and statutory exclusions.
Michigan’s eligibility provisions are primarily contained in MCL 500.3172.
For a broader explanation of Michigan PIP benefits and insurance priority, see our Michigan No-Fault Insurance Lawyer guide.
Legally reviewed by Attorney Koro E. Khamo
Founder & Managing Attorney at Khamo Law
Michigan Bar No. P80994
What Is the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan?
The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan acts as a potential source of PIP benefits in certain cases where an injured person is otherwise entitled to No-Fault benefits but an applicable PIP insurer is unavailable or cannot initially be determined.
Under MCL 500.3172, circumstances potentially involving the MACP include situations in which:
- No applicable PIP insurance applies to the injury
- Applicable PIP insurance cannot be identified
- The responsible coverage cannot be determined because two or more insurers dispute responsibility
- The only identifiable applicable insurer cannot fulfill its obligations because of financial inability
Eligibility is fact-specific. A person does not automatically qualify merely because they personally do not have an auto insurance policy.
What Is the Difference Between the MACP and MAIPF?
These names are frequently used together, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.
MACP means the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
MAIPF means the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility.
The MAIPF administers the Assigned Claims Plan. If a claim appears eligible, it may be assigned to a servicing insurer for investigation and administration.
This structure is why an injured person may submit an application through the assigned-claims system but ultimately communicate with an assigned insurance carrier regarding benefits.
Who May Qualify for Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Benefits?
Potential eligibility depends on Michigan’s statutory priority and eligibility rules.
MACP issues commonly arise when an injured person has no identifiable applicable PIP insurer or when the normal priority system does not provide an immediately available source of benefits.
Depending on the circumstances, claims can involve:
- Pedestrians struck by motor vehicles
- Bicyclists struck by motor vehicles
- Certain passengers
- Certain motorcyclists injured in crashes involving motor vehicles
- People without an applicable household auto policy
- Accidents in which applicable insurance cannot be identified
- Accidents involving disputed insurance priority
- Certain situations involving an insurer unable to fulfill its obligations
None of these categories automatically establishes eligibility. The person’s insurance status, household relationships, vehicle ownership and other facts still matter.
Is the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Only for Uninsured People?
No.
Calling the MACP simply an insurance program for “uninsured accident victims” is incomplete.
An injured person may personally lack an auto policy but still have an applicable source of PIP coverage under Michigan’s priority rules.
Conversely, the Assigned Claims Plan can become relevant in certain cases because applicable coverage cannot be identified or insurers dispute which carrier is responsible, not merely because the injured person lacks insurance.
Determining the correct PIP source should therefore come before assuming that an MACP application is appropriate.
Can an Uninsured Driver Receive MACP Benefits?
This requires particular care.
Michigan law contains exclusions that can prevent certain people from receiving PIP benefits. An owner or registrant of a motor vehicle who was required to maintain Michigan No-Fault insurance but failed to do so may face significant restrictions on PIP eligibility.
Therefore:
Being uninsured does not itself mean someone qualifies for the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
The circumstances surrounding vehicle ownership, registration, insurance and the accident must be evaluated before determining eligibility.
Can a Pedestrian Qualify for the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan?
Potentially.
A pedestrian injured by a motor vehicle may have a PIP claim even though the pedestrian was not occupying a vehicle.
The first question is whether another source of PIP coverage applies under Michigan law.
When applicable coverage does not exist under the ordinary priority rules, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan can become relevant.
Our Michigan Pedestrian Accident Attorney page explains additional issues that arise when a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle.
Can a Bicyclist Qualify for MACP Benefits?
Potentially.
Like pedestrians, bicyclists injured in crashes involving motor vehicles can have Michigan No-Fault rights even though they were not occupying a motor vehicle.
The applicable insurance source depends on the person’s coverage situation and Michigan’s priority rules.
If no applicable PIP insurer is available, the Assigned Claims Plan may become part of the analysis.
See our Michigan Bicycle Accident Lawyer resource for more information about bicycle injury claims.
Can a Passenger Apply for Michigan Assigned Claims Benefits?
A passenger does not automatically make a claim against the insurance covering the vehicle in which they were riding.
Michigan’s PIP priority statutes determine the appropriate source of benefits.
A passenger may have coverage through another applicable policy. In circumstances where no applicable PIP coverage exists under the priority system, however, the Assigned Claims Plan may become relevant.
This is another reason insurance coverage should be investigated before an MACP claim is submitted.
What About Motorcycle Accidents?
Michigan uses special PIP priority rules for people injured while operating or riding motorcycles in crashes involving motor vehicles.
When no PIP coverage is available through the applicable statutory priority order, a motorcyclist may potentially seek benefits through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
Michigan DIFS states that, in this situation, MACP PIP medical benefits are subject to a $250,000 limit.
For the broader rules governing these crashes, see our Michigan Motorcycle Accident Lawyer page.
What Benefits Can the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Provide?
When a claimant qualifies, MACP benefits operate within Michigan’s No-Fault PIP system.
Depending on the loss and applicable statutory requirements, benefits may potentially involve:
- Accident-related medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Qualifying wage loss
- Replacement services
- Attendant care
- Medical transportation
- Other qualifying PIP losses
Each category has its own requirements and documentation issues.
For example, our Michigan wage loss benefits guide explains work-loss claims, while our Michigan replacement services benefits guide addresses qualifying household services.
Transportation to accident-related medical treatment is addressed separately in our Michigan medical mileage reimbursement guide.
Is There a Limit on MACP Medical Benefits?
Yes.
Michigan law generally limits PIP medical benefits payable through the Assigned Claims Plan to $250,000 per person per accident, subject to statutory provisions and exceptions.
That makes the coverage source especially important after catastrophic injuries because treatment costs can exceed the Assigned Claims Plan’s medical limit.
The current statutory provisions governing MACP benefits appear in MCL 500.3172.
How Do You Apply for Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Benefits?
MCL 500.3172 requires a person claiming benefits through the Assigned Claims Plan to submit a completed application using the claim form provided by the MAIPF and provide reasonable proof of loss.
An application may require information concerning:
- The accident
- The injured person
- Vehicles involved
- Vehicle owners
- Drivers
- Household members
- Available auto insurance
- Medical treatment
- Injuries
- Other potential sources of PIP coverage
The MAIPF may investigate whether another insurance policy should actually be responsible before the claim proceeds through the Assigned Claims Plan.
This investigation is important because the MACP is generally not intended to replace applicable PIP coverage that should be paying under Michigan law.
What Does “Due Diligence” Mean in an MACP Claim?
An Assigned Claims Plan application may involve investigation into whether another source of insurance exists.
The MACP Plan of Operation describes due diligence as investigating and exhausting avenues of potentially available coverage. That can include investigating the claimant, resident relatives or spouse, vehicle owners, vehicle drivers and other possible sources of coverage.
This is one reason complete and accurate insurance information matters.
An application that overlooks an applicable policy can create delays while the appropriate PIP source is investigated.
What Documents May Be Needed?
Documentation depends on the particular claim, but useful records may include:
- Police report
- Accident information
- Vehicle information
- Insurance policies
- Insurance declarations pages
- Household insurance information
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Wage records
- Employer verification
- Replacement-services logs
- Attendant-care records
- Medical-mileage logs
- Transportation receipts
- Correspondence with insurers
The MAIPF or assigned insurer may request additional information while investigating eligibility and benefits.
What Happens After an MACP Application Is Submitted?
The MAIPF can evaluate whether the claim appears eligible for assignment.
If the claim is assigned, a servicing insurer can then investigate the claim and determine eligibility and payment issues.
Under MCL 500.3172, the MAIPF or an assigned insurer must specify in writing the materials constituting reasonable proof of loss within 60 days after receipt of a compliant application.
Assignment therefore does not mean every claimed expense is automatically payable.
The assigned insurer can still investigate the accident, coverage, injuries, medical treatment and individual PIP losses.
What Happens When Insurance Companies Dispute Who Should Pay?
The MACP can become particularly important when two or more insurers dispute their obligation to provide PIP coverage.
Michigan law specifically recognizes certain insurance-priority disputes within the Assigned Claims framework.
For an injured person, the immediate problem is practical: medical bills, lost income and other losses can continue while insurance companies argue about responsibility.
The existence of a priority dispute should therefore be identified early so that the appropriate statutory procedures can be followed.
What If an Insurance Company Is Later Found Responsible?
An Assigned Claims case does not necessarily mean no traditional insurer will ever be responsible.
Sometimes investigation later establishes that a particular insurer had the obligation to provide coverage.
Michigan law contains procedures governing assigned claims and allocation or reimbursement when another source of insurance is ultimately determined to be responsible.
From the injured person’s perspective, preserving the claim and complying with applicable deadlines remains critical while the insurers resolve responsibility.
What Is the Deadline for an MACP Claim?
Assigned Claims Plan cases have strict timing requirements.
MCL 500.3174 contains a one-year deadline associated with presenting a claim through the Assigned Claims Plan.
Because eligibility investigations themselves can take time, someone who may need MACP benefits should not assume that an insurance dispute allows the claim to sit indefinitely.
Other Michigan No-Fault timing rules can also affect recovery of individual unpaid losses.
Our Michigan One-Year-Back Rule guide explains another important limitation affecting unpaid PIP benefits.
What If I Lost the Health Coverage That Allowed Me to Opt Out of PIP?
Michigan has a special rule for certain people who selected a PIP medical exclusion or opt-out based on qualifying health coverage and then lose that health coverage.
DIFS currently explains that the person generally has 30 days to obtain qualifying health coverage or appropriate PIP medical coverage. If an auto accident occurs during that 30-day period and no other qualifying coverage applies, benefits may be available through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
DIFS states that MACP coverage in this particular circumstance may be available up to $2 million.
After that 30-day period, if qualifying health coverage or PIP medical coverage has not been obtained, the person may no longer be entitled to PIP medical benefits for an accident.
This special situation should not be confused with the ordinary $250,000 MACP medical-benefit limitation.
Can the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Deny a Claim?
Yes.
A claim can be denied if the claimant does not satisfy statutory eligibility requirements or if investigation identifies another reason the person is not entitled to benefits.
Potential disputes may concern:
- Whether another PIP policy applies
- Vehicle ownership
- Household insurance
- Whether required No-Fault insurance existed
- Whether the claimant is statutorily excluded
- Whether the accident qualifies
- Whether documentation is sufficient
- Whether an application was timely
- Whether a particular expense qualifies as a PIP loss
The reason for a denial should be reviewed rather than assuming that every MACP denial has the same legal basis.
What Should You Do If You May Need the MACP?
If there is no obvious PIP insurer after a Michigan motor vehicle accident:
- Preserve the police report and accident information.
- Identify every vehicle owner and driver involved.
- Gather available insurance information.
- Determine whether you, a spouse, or relevant household members have applicable auto coverage.
- Preserve medical records and bills.
- Document missed work.
- Keep records of replacement services and attendant care.
- Track accident-related medical transportation.
- Preserve correspondence from insurers denying responsibility.
- Address the Assigned Claims application and deadlines promptly.
The goal is not merely to prove that you personally lack insurance. It is to establish why the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan is the proper source of PIP benefits under the applicable priority rules.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan
What does MACP stand for in Michigan?
MACP stands for Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. It is administered by the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility, or MAIPF.
Is the MACP an insurance company?
The MACP is an assigned-claims mechanism administered by the MAIPF. Eligible claims may be assigned to servicing insurers that investigate and administer benefits.
Can I use MACP because I don’t have car insurance?
Not automatically. Eligibility depends on Michigan’s priority and exclusion rules. Some people without their own auto policy may have another applicable source of PIP coverage, while certain people required to maintain insurance may be excluded from benefits.
Does the MACP pay medical bills?
For an eligible claimant, qualifying PIP medical expenses may be payable through the assigned-claims system, subject to applicable statutory limits and requirements.
Does MACP pay lost wages?
Qualifying work loss can potentially be part of an eligible Assigned Claims PIP claim. The claimant must still establish the income loss and its relationship to the accident injuries.
Does MACP cover medical mileage?
Qualifying transportation associated with accident-related medical treatment can potentially be part of a PIP claim. Maintain detailed records of medical trips and expenses.
Can a pedestrian use the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan?
Potentially. MACP may become relevant when a pedestrian injured by a motor vehicle does not have an applicable source of PIP coverage under Michigan’s priority rules.
Can a bicyclist use the MACP?
Potentially. The same general principle applies: available insurance must first be evaluated under Michigan’s priority system.
How long do I have to file an MACP claim?
Michigan law imposes a one-year timing requirement for presenting Assigned Claims claims. Because the precise application of deadlines can depend on the facts, potential MACP claims should be addressed promptly.
What happens if two insurers both say the other one should pay?
Certain disputes between insurers over PIP responsibility are specifically contemplated by Michigan’s Assigned Claims statutes. The appropriate claim and notice procedures still need to be followed while responsibility is determined.
How Khamo Law Can Help With a Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Case
Assigned Claims cases can require more insurance investigation than an ordinary PIP claim because one of the central questions is why there is no readily applicable insurer responsible for the injured person’s benefits.
Khamo Law can investigate:
- PIP priority
- Household insurance
- Vehicle ownership
- Available policies
- Insurance denials
- MACP eligibility
- Application documentation
- Medical benefits
- Wage loss
- Replacement services
- Attendant care
- Medical mileage
- Unpaid or denied PIP benefits
- Potential claims against an at-fault driver
For a broader explanation of the benefits available after Michigan motor vehicle accidents, visit our Michigan No-Fault Insurance Lawyer resource.
Contact Khamo Law About a Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Claim
If you were injured in a Michigan motor vehicle accident and no insurance company appears willing or available to pay your PIP benefits, determining the correct insurance source should be addressed promptly.
Khamo Law can review the accident, insurance policies, household coverage, vehicle ownership, priority rules, and potential eligibility for the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan.
Call (248) 466-0606 or contact Khamo Law for a free consultation.