No-fault insurer denied your claim? The deadlines still apply
I am Mitchell Bisson, a Grand Rapids personal injury lawyer. I have litigated for over 15 years. This page covers a denied or cut-off Michigan no-fault claim: the filing deadlines, notice, tolling, overdue interest and the attorney fee provision. When I take a denial, I start with the calendar, then look at why the insurer says no. I do not promise outcomes.
The short answer. A denial does not end a no-fault claim. A lawsuit for personal protection insurance (PIP) benefits generally has to be started within 1 year after the accident unless written notice of injury was given to the insurer within that year or the insurer already paid benefits. Once notice is given or a payment is made, you generally cannot recover benefits for any part of a loss incurred more than 1 year before you file suit. Overdue benefits bear 12% simple interest, and an insurer that unreasonably refuses or delays can be charged your attorney fee. Nothing here predicts how your claim will end.
The statutory rules that matter most after a denial
| Rule | What the statute says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of injury | Written notice must go to the insurer, or an authorized agent, and “must give the name and address of the claimant” and say in ordinary language who was hurt and the time, place and nature of the injury. It can come from you or someone on your behalf. | MCL 500.3145(1), (4) |
| Deadline to sue | No later than 1 year after the accident, unless notice was given within that year or the insurer already paid benefits. After notice or payment, suit may be filed within 1 year after the most recent allowable expense, work loss or survivor’s loss was incurred. | MCL 500.3145(1), (2) |
| One-year-back limit | You may not recover benefits for any portion of the loss incurred more than 1 year before the date the action was commenced. | MCL 500.3145(2) |
| Tolling | The period is tolled from the date of a specific claim for payment until the date the insurer formally denies the claim. Tolling does not apply if you fail to pursue the claim with reasonable diligence. The tolling provision was added in 2019 and applies only to expenses incurred on or after June 11, 2019, its effective date. | MCL 500.3145(3); Spine Specialists of Michigan PC v MemberSelect Ins Co, No. 165445 (Mich Apr 1, 2025) |
| When benefits are overdue | Benefits are overdue if not paid within 30 days after the insurer receives reasonable proof of the fact and amount of loss. For some medical bills not sent in within 90 days of the service, the insurer has 60 days more. | MCL 500.3142(2), (3) |
| Interest | An overdue payment bears simple interest at the rate of 12% per annum. | MCL 500.3142(4) |
| Attorney fee | A reasonable fee is a charge against the insurer in addition to benefits recovered, if the court finds the insurer unreasonably refused to pay or unreasonably delayed. A court can also award an insurer fees against a claimant for a claim that was in some respect fraudulent or so excessive as to have no reasonable foundation. | MCL 500.3148(1), (2) |
Tolling is easy to misread. It pauses the clock from a specific claim until a formal denial, and the clock resumes after the denial. If your insurer sent a denial, the date on that letter matters. If it never formally denied the claim and just stopped paying, that raises its own question, and I look at it with you.
How a no-fault denial dispute moves
- The letter. I read the denial or the notice that benefits are ending, and I note the date and the reason the insurer gives.
- The dates. I line up the accident date, the date of notice, the date of each claim and the date of any denial against the statute.
- The proof. Medical records, bills, wage records and the insurer’s own file are gathered to show what was claimed and what was paid.
- A demand. Where it helps, I put the overdue amounts and the basis for interest and fees in writing to the insurer.
- Suit, if needed. If the dispute is not resolved, I file in the right court before the deadline.
- Discovery and resolution. The case can settle, be decided on motion or go to trial.
What I do on a denied or cut-off no-fault claim
I start with the calendar, because a missed deadline can end a claim no matter how strong the medical proof is. Then I look at why the insurer says no. A denial based on late notice is a different problem from one based on an exclusion, and a fraud accusation is a different problem again.
Where benefits are overdue, I work out the interest. Where the insurer’s position looks unreasonable, I raise the attorney fee provision. I also tell you plainly where a claim is weak. Fees depend on the claim, its complexity and whether the case is likely to go to trial. I explain my fee arrangement at the consultation, before you decide whether to hire me.
Where your Kent County no-fault lawsuit will be heard
I represent clients in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Grandville, Wyoming and across Kent County. The district court has exclusive jurisdiction in civil actions when the amount in controversy does not exceed $25,000. MCL 600.8301(1). Michigan law sets the Kent County district courts by municipality. The 61st District Court serves the city of Grand Rapids, the 59th serves the cities of Grandville and Walker, the 62A serves the city of Wyoming and the 62B serves the city of Kentwood. MCL 600.8128a; MCL 600.8130(1)-(3). The 63rd District Court serves the rest of Kent County, which includes the cities of Rockford, Lowell, Cedar Springs and East Grand Rapids and the surrounding townships. MCL 600.8130(4). A claim above that amount is filed in the circuit court, which for Kent County is the 17th Judicial Circuit. MCL 600.518.
Why people hire me for a no-fault claim denial
You work directly with me, the lawyer handling your case. I tell you why the insurer says no, which deadlines are still open and what it is likely to take to pursue the claim. I do not promise outcomes.
Fees depend on the claim, its complexity and whether the case is likely to go to trial. I explain my fee arrangement at the consultation, before you decide whether to hire me.
Questions I hear from people whose no-fault claim was denied
My no-fault insurer denied my claim and said I committed fraud. What does that mean?
It usually means the insurer says wrong information was given, either on the policy application or in the claim, and it is refusing to pay because of that. If the problem is the application, the insurer may try to rescind the policy, which means treating it as if it had never been issued, even for an accident that already happened. That can happen when the mistake was honest, though a judge decides whether rescission is fair and can protect people who did not make the misstatement. Separately, knowingly false statements made to deceive an insurer can be a felony under MCL 500.4511, but a denial letter is not a criminal charge.
Can I be denied no-fault benefits even if I was hurt in a crash that was not my fault?
Yes, in limited situations. MCL 500.3113 excludes a person who willingly used a vehicle that was taken unlawfully and knew or should have known it, an owner or registrant of an uninsured motor vehicle or motorcycle involved in the accident, a nonresident who did not own a vehicle registered and insured in Michigan, and certain excluded operators and owners.
Can my doctor or hospital sue the no-fault insurer directly for unpaid bills?
Since the 2019 amendments, yes. MCL 500.3112 says a health care provider listed in MCL 500.3157 may make a claim and assert a direct cause of action against the insurer, or under the assigned claims plan, to recover overdue benefits for charges for products, services or accommodations provided to the injured person. The amended provision applies to services provided after June 11, 2019.
How long do I have to give notice of a no-fault claim, and what does the notice need to say?
To keep a PIP lawsuit alive past one year from the accident, MCL 500.3145 requires written notice of injury to the insurer within one year after the accident, unless the insurer has already paid benefits. The notice can come from you or someone on your behalf and has to give your name and address and the person injured, plus the time, place and nature of the injury.
What is the Michigan no-fault one-year-back rule?
Under MCL 500.3145, you generally cannot recover PIP benefits for any part of a loss incurred more than one year before the date you filed suit. If you filed a lawsuit two years after the crash, for example, benefits incurred in the first year would be cut off, subject to the 2019 tolling provision, which can pause the clock after a specific claim but only for expenses incurred on or after June 11, 2019.
When are no-fault benefits considered overdue and does the insurer owe interest?
PIP benefits are overdue if not paid within 30 days after the insurer receives reasonable proof of the fact and of the amount of the loss. An additional 60 days applies to medical bills not submitted within 90 days of the service. An overdue payment bears simple interest at 12% per year under MCL 500.3142.
Can the insurance company be made to pay my attorney fees in a no-fault case?
Yes, in some cases. Under MCL 500.3148(1), a reasonable attorney fee is charged against the insurer in addition to the benefits recovered if the court finds the insurer unreasonably refused to pay the claim or unreasonably delayed making proper payment. The statute also lets a court award fees to the insurer against a claimant for a fraudulent or baseless claim.
Related Michigan pages
- Grand Rapids personal injury lawyer
- No-fault PIP
- No-fault work loss, attendant care and replacement services
- PIP coverage levels and the medical fee schedule
- Breach of contract
- Michigan legal FAQs
I handle denied and cut-off no-fault claims in Michigan. Contact me 24/7 by phone or email. Your Rights, My Fight! Call for a free initial consultation.
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Law Offices of Mitchell S. Bisson, 2828 Kraft Ave SE, Suite 295, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, serving Kent County and West Michigan.
This page provides general information about Michigan law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every case turns on its own facts. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.