LANSING — A new report from the state says that Michigan drivers are saving an average of $357 a year due to 2019 insurance changes.

But advocates for crash survivors say the state’s system has left thousands of drivers needing care that they can’t afford — and some take issue with the claim of savings for Michigan drivers.

“We know that there are issues with access to care because of this law and this report does nothing to counter those claims,” said Tom Judd, executive director of the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council.

The December report from the state analyzed the impact of 2019 changes to Michigan’s auto no fault policy, which removed the requirement to buy personal injury protection.

Those changes allowed drivers to select a lower level of coverage or to forgo coverage entirely.

Selecting lower coverage can reduce the price of insurance but comes with the risk of greater costs if someone is injured in a crash.

The changes also lowered the rate at which care providers are reimbursed for their services by about half, further stressing operations and lowering options for crash survivors.

“The end result of that part of the legislation has been a significant crisis in care for people who are catastrophically injured,” Judd said.

He said that even the majority of drivers who choose to maintain personal injury protection have had trouble affording proper care.

“People who are still choosing to pay for lifetime benefits — which is about 70% of drivers now still choosing that level of coverage — are finding it very difficult to impossible to find quality services when they’re significantly injured in an automobile accident and need long term care services,” Judd said.

He said that higher reimbursement rates need to be restored to support victims and those giving them care.

Doug Heller, an insurance consultant with the Committee to Protect Auto No Fault, says that income has been the main difference between those buying or forgoing individual coverage.

“What that kind of sets up is a two tiered system in Michigan — one which is the coverage people want, that goes for wealthier consumers, and then the one that nobody really wants, but people get stuck into because they don’t have the resources,” he said.

Heller also took issue with the way that the report arrived at the savings claim, since the actual cost of insurance has increased on average.

The $357 is estimated to be the difference between current rates and what drivers would have paid without the 2019 reforms — both values are higher than the actual 2019 insurance rates.

Wendy Block with the Michigan Chamber argued that the reforms have left drivers overall with more affordable coverage, even if some struggle with expenses after a crash.

“It is important that Michiganders be able to afford auto insurance in our state, because without auto insurance, you have no medical benefits for situations when you may get injured, and you have no benefits to fix your car if you can’t afford that insurance to begin with,” she said.