Glossary

Mini-tort

Michigan's rule letting a driver recover up to $3,000 from an at-fault driver for vehicle damage their own insurance did not pay, such as a deductible.

Also called: Michigan mini-tort, mini tort claim, limited property damage liability

The mini-tort is a feature of Michigan's no-fault insurance law. In Michigan, you generally cannot sue another driver for damage to your car; your own collision coverage pays instead. The mini-tort is the exception: if another driver is mostly at fault, you can recover up to $3,000 from that driver for vehicle damage your insurance did not cover, most often your deductible or the repair bill if you carry no collision coverage.

The cap was $1,000 until Michigan's 2019 no-fault reform raised it to $3,000 for crashes after July 1, 2020. You can recover only if you were 50% or less at fault, and the amount is reduced by your share of fault under comparative negligence rules. Example: you have $4,200 in damage, a $1,000 deductible and no fault for the crash. Your insurer pays $3,200, and you can claim the $1,000 deductible from the at-fault driver (hypothetical figures).

Mini-tort claims are made against the other driver personally, but many Michigan policies include limited property damage liability coverage that pays them on the at-fault driver's behalf. If that driver lacks the coverage and will not pay, the claim may end up in small claims court. See michigan's no-fault reform explained.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

No-fault insurance A system in which your own policy pays your injury costs after a crash regardless of who caused it, with limits on suing the other driver. Collision coverage Pays to repair or replace your own car after it hits another vehicle or object, or rolls over, regardless of fault, minus your deductible. Deductible The amount you pay toward a covered loss before your insurer pays the rest, set per claim for coverages like collision and comprehensive. Comparative negligence A fault rule that reduces an injured person's recovery by their own share of blame for a crash, instead of barring recovery entirely. Tort A civil wrong, such as careless driving, that injures someone and gives the injured person the right to sue for money damages.

Related guides

Do you pay a deductible if the accident was not your fault? No deductible if the other driver's insurer pays; you pay it upfront if you use your own collision coverage, then get it back through subrogation. Why Michigan car insurance costs what it does Michigan's no-fault system, unlimited PIP and MCCA fee made it one of the costliest states. What the 2019 reform changed and the choices that set your price. Michigan's no-fault reform explained What Michigan's 2019 auto insurance law changed: PIP choice levels, a Medicare-based medical fee schedule, a smaller MCCA fee and limits on rating factors.

Related insurers

Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan Michigan-only Farm Bureau insurer founded in 1949, selling auto, home, farm and life coverage through about 450 agents, with FB Drives Michigan telematics.