Michigan Car Insurance Fund Records not Public, Court Says

The Michigan appeals court says the public has no right to see the records of an insurance fund that puts a fee on cars to pay for catastrophic injuries.

The court said that the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association is not covered by a public records law. It overturned a 2012 decision by an Ingham County judge.

The insurance fund was created by the legislature to reimburse insurers for claims that exceed $500,000. Michigan’s no-fault insurance law provides unlimited lifetime coverage for medical expenses tied to auto wrecks.

Motorists pay $186 per vehicle per year into the fund on top of their regular insurance. The rate can change each year.

A coalition of health care, labor and consumer organizations wants detailed information on how the fund calculates rates.