New Statewide Poll Shows Voters Do Not Trust Auto Insurance Companies, Despite Millions in Advertising

BRIGHTON, Mich.—(April 23, 2025)—A  recent statewide poll conducted by Marketing Resource Group found that only about one in four (26%) likely Michigan voters “completely trust” their auto insurance company to pay their claims in full and on time, and over half (52%) stated they “do not know,” “do not completely trust” or “completely do not trust” their insurance company.

This despite the millions of dollars insurance companies pay for celebrities, sports stars, and high-priced marketing firms to convince the public they will be there for them after an accident, said Tom Judd, executive director of the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council (MBIPC).

“The truth is consumers know auto insurers commonly deploy the same delay and deny tactics they read about or have experienced from their own health insurance carrier,” Judd said. “The sad truth, in Michigan, is that those answering that they trust their insurance companies are probably unaware of the devastating impact the 2019 auto insurance law has on the insurers’ responsibility to pay for the care of catastrophically injured drivers.”

The 2019 law arbitrarily cut reimbursement rates for long-term services such as in-home care and non-institutional community living services by nearly 50%. The result? Consumers purchasing lifetime benefits have nowhere to turn when healthcare providers can’t accept them due to the limited reimbursement level being below the actual cost of care. In essence, the 2019 law enhanced the ability of insurers to escape responsibility for long-term care coverage, without having to deploy delay and deny tactics, because the law itself limits access to care. 

Furthermore, despite the efforts of well-intentioned and dedicated workers at the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), the state’s insurance regulatory body, their hands are tied when they get calls about not being able to access services because they are bound by statute.

“The only remedy is a narrowly tailored law passed by our legislature and signed by Governor Whitmer,” Judd said. “MBIPC is optimistic that under the leadership of Speaker Hall and Majority Leader Brinks, a bipartisan solution is possible. MBIPC wants consumers to have confidence that their insurance companies will be there in times of tragedy to ensure they have a chance at rehabilitation and a long healthy life. The first step to achieving this is to fix the nonsensical 50% reimbursement cut to long term care services for catastrophically injured drivers and their injured family members. MBIPC is committed to working with our policy makers to make this happen.”