LANSING – Sen. Rick Jones told Senate members Thursday if the Legislature cannot pass a bill to reduce auto insurance rates for all Michigan motorists than helping reduce the financial burden for older drivers in legislation he introduced would be the right place to start.
Jones (R-Grand Ledge) urged lawmakers to consider his bill, SB 787, as a starting point for reining in what has been called the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.
SB 787 would allow motorists age 65 and older to leave the existing system and request a cap on their auto insurance as well as relieving them of having to pay into the state’s fund for catastrophic claims.
“Seniors recently surrounded me at a coffee shop and demanded action,” Mr. Jones said during a floor speech pitching his legislation to the full Senate.
He added that in Michigan, people older than 65 see their auto insurance rates go up when they go on Medicare since the program does not coordinate with Michigan on auto insurance.
Lawmakers have failed multiple times over the past several years in attempts to make changes to the state’s auto insurance laws to bring down costs with the most recent attempt being last fall.
SB 787 was referred to the Senate Insurance Committee.
This story was published by Gongwer News Service.
