My insurance company stopped paying after an IME. What can I do?

An insurer cutting off benefits after an independent medical examination is one of the most common events in Michigan no-fault claims, and it is not the final word. A denial can be challenged, and benefits are regularly reinstated through the claims process or litigation. Deadlines apply to challenging a denial, and the one-year-back rule continues to limit how far back losses can be recovered while you wait, so the sooner the denial is reviewed, the more remains recoverable.

Can I still hire a lawyer six months after my car accident?

Yes, and six to nine months after a crash is when many people first realize something is wrong — treatment has not resolved, benefits have been reduced or denied, or a settlement offer has arrived that does not account for future care. Michigan's one-year notice deadline and one-year-back rule mean that waiting costs money permanently, but a claim that has been mishandled can usually still be corrected if it is caught in time.

What benefits do Michigan insurers commonly fail to pay?

Replacement services at $20 per day are the most commonly unclaimed Michigan no-fault benefit, because insurers have no obligation to inform claimants that the benefit exists. Attendant care provided by family members, mileage to medical appointments, and work loss calculated on gross rather than net income are also frequently underpaid. Separately, many injured people are never told they may have a claim against the at-fault driver for losses exceeding their own coverage.

How do I know if my no-fault claim is being handled correctly?

Warning signs include benefits paid late or inconsistently, benefits reduced or stopped after an independent medical examination, never being told about replacement services or attendant care, wage loss calculated on take-home rather than gross pay, a settlement offer arriving before treatment is complete, and never being told whether a claim against the at-fault driver exists. Any one of these is worth having reviewed, and reviews are typically free.

Is Your Michigan Car Accident Claim Being Handled Right? Free Claim Audit

When did your accident happen?

0 of 8 answered

1. Are your medical bills actually getting paid?

Not "submitted" — paid. Providers still billing you is the sign.

2. Has the insurance company sent you to their own doctor?

Usually called an IME or "independent medical examination." It isn't independent — the insurer picks and pays the doctor.

3. Has anyone told you about the $20-per-day household help benefit?

Replacement services — cooking, cleaning, laundry, childcare, yard work. A family member can do it and be paid.

4. If you missed work, how was your wage loss calculated?

Michigan pays 85% of gross pay — before taxes, including overtime. Not take-home.

5. Do you need help at home — bathing, dressing, moving around?

That's attendant care. A family member providing it can be paid, and it's often the largest benefit in a serious claim.

6. Has anyone told you whether you can claim against the driver who hit you?

A separate claim from your own benefits — for pain and suffering, and for bills beyond your coverage.

7. Has the insurance company offered you a settlement?

8. Are you still treating?

Still in therapy, still seeing doctors, or facing a recommended procedure.

Why this happens around month six

The point where claims quietly go wrong

There's a pattern to Michigan no-fault claims, and it shows up at roughly the same point every time.

Months 1–3Benefits get paid. The system seems to be working. Most people assume it will keep working.

Months 4–6An IME gets scheduled. Payments slow, get partial, or arrive late. Providers start billing you directly.

Months 6–9Benefits are reduced or cut off. A settlement offer appears. Meanwhile you're still hurt and still treating.

Month 12The notice deadline passes. The one-year-back rule starts erasing older bills and wage loss permanently.

This is the part that costs people the most: nothing dramatic happens at month twelve. No letter arrives. Benefits just quietly become unrecoverable, one month at a time, while you're waiting to see whether things get better. Michigan courts almost never grant relief for missed no-fault deadlines.

The usual gaps

What insurers don't volunteer

None of this is necessarily bad faith — insurers simply have no duty to tell you about benefits you don't ask for. But the effect is the same:

Replacement services$20/day, and the single most commonly unclaimed benefit in Michigan. A year is over $7,000.

Attendant care by familyOften the largest benefit in a serious claim — and routinely unpaid because nobody asked.

Wage loss on gross, not net85% of gross including overtime. Calculating on take-home shorts you every month.

Mileage to appointmentsSmall per trip, meaningful over a year of therapy.

The claim against the at-fault driverNobody at your own insurance company is going to raise this with you.

Bills above your coverage limitIf PIP runs out, the difference may be recoverable from the at-fault driver.

Common questions

Questions at this stage

They stopped paying after their doctor examined me. Is that the end?

No. A cutoff after an IME is one of the most common events in Michigan no-fault, and it's regularly reversed — through the claims process or through litigation. What matters is timing: the one-year-back rule keeps limiting how far back you can recover while the dispute sits. The sooner it's reviewed, the more remains recoverable.

Is it too late to get a lawyer six months in?

No — six to nine months is when many people first realize something's wrong, and it's a workable point to step in. What you can't do is wait much past the one-year mark and expect the earlier months to still be there.

I already gave a recorded statement. Did I hurt my case?

Not necessarily. Recorded statements get used to argue inconsistency, but they're one piece of evidence among many, and what you said early about symptoms that later worsened is explainable. Bring a copy if you have one.

Can I switch lawyers, or hire one if I've been handling it myself?

Yes to both. Many claims come to us mid-stream, including from people who've been doing it alone and hit a wall. Bring everything you have — benefit statements, denial letters, correspondence.

They offered me money. Should I take it?

Have someone look first — it costs nothing. Offers made while you're still treating almost never account for future care, and accepting usually means signing a release that closes the claim permanently, including for anything that gets worse later.

What does the review cost?

Nothing. The consultation is free, and personal injury representation is on contingency — no attorney fee unless there's a recovery.

What should I bring?

Benefit statements or payment records, any denial or IME letters, your insurance declarations page, a list of your medical providers, and pay information if you missed work. Partial is fine — bring what you have.

Six months in, and something doesn't feel right?