Michigan No-Fault Law, section by section › MCL 500.3115
Personal protection insurance benefits under the assigned claims plan for claims of persons not occupants of vehicle.
In plain terms
A person injured while not an occupant of a motor vehicle, such as a pedestrian or bicyclist, who has no PIP under section 3114(1) (their own or a household policy) claims benefits through the assigned claims plan. Since the 2019 amendments the involved vehicle's insurer is no longer in the priority chain for non-occupants.
How this section works in practice
Pedestrians, bicyclists, scooter riders and anyone else who is not an occupant of a motor vehicle when a car hits them still receive PIP benefits. If they or a resident relative have a Michigan auto policy, that policy pays under section 3114(1). If they have no household policy, this section sends them to the assigned claims plan administered by the Michigan Automobile Insurance Placement Facility.
That is a significant change from the pre-2019 rule, under which a pedestrian without a policy claimed from the insurer of the vehicle that struck them, then from the driver's insurer. Today the involved vehicle's insurer is not in the chain at all. The assigned claims plan pays the same categories of benefits, but with the limits in section 3172: medical benefits capped at $250,000 and reduced by any other source such as health insurance, a one-year notice deadline under section 3174, and the eligibility review and examination under oath described in section 3173a. Anyone hurt as a pedestrian should start the assigned claims application promptly; the plan's clock runs from the date of the accident.
Text of MCL 500.3115
Sec. 3115.
Except as provided in section 3114(1), a person who suffers accidental bodily injury while not an occupant of a motor vehicle shall claim personal protection insurance benefits under the assigned claims plan under sections 3171 to 3175.
History: Add. 1972, Act 294, Eff. Mar. 30, 1973 ;-- Am. 2019, Act 21, Imd. Eff. June 11, 2019
Source: MCL 500.3115 at legislature.mi.gov (official text). Text as published in the 2025 Michigan Compiled Laws; reviewed by Koussan Law on September 15, 2026.
Sections this one refers to
- MCL 500.3114: Priority: Which Insurer Pays PIP
- MCL 500.3171: The Assigned Claims Plan and the MAIPF
- MCL 500.3175: Assignment, Reimbursement and Recovery
Sections that refer to this one
- MCL 500.3127: Sharing PPI Losses Among Insurers
Practice pages
Important: This is not legal advice
This article is general information about Michigan personal injury law. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Michigan attorney about your specific situation. The laws, deadlines, procedures, and frameworks here are general guidelines that may or may not apply to your case.
Every personal injury case turns on its own unique facts. The timing, the parties, the evidence, the jurisdiction, the insurance available, and dozens of other variables can change the legal analysis. Do not rely on anything written on this website to make decisions about your case.
If you have been injured in Michigan, the only responsible step is to speak with a licensed Michigan attorney about your specific facts. Call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free consultation, or contact a different Michigan personal injury attorney of your choosing.
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