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Intellectual Property Insurance in Michigan

Michigan’s trade-secret law permits injunctions against actual or threatened misappropriation, but the injunction ends when the information no longer qualifies as secret, subject to a period to remove the wrongdoer’s advantage. Ask how the policy handles urgent relief and follow-on damages. 3

What Is Intellectual Property?

Intellectual property insurance comes in two separate parts: defense, when you're accused of infringing a patent, trademark or copyright, and enforcement, when you pursue someone who copied yours. A defense-only quote doesn't pay for your own lawsuit, so ask for each part you need. Read the national Intellectual property guide.

What to Watch for in Michigan

  • Match the State Rule to Your Coverage

    Michigan’s trade-secret law permits injunctions against actual or threatened misappropriation, but the injunction ends when the information no longer qualifies as secret, subject to a period to remove the wrongdoer’s advantage. Ask how the policy handles urgent relief and follow-on damages. 3

  • Plan for the State Remedy

    Michigan permits exemplary damages up to twice compensatory damages for willful and malicious misappropriation, and fee awards in specified cases. Ask whether the contract distinguishes covered defense costs from uninsurable punitive amounts. 3

  • Check the Policy Against the Claim

    Michigan has a separate Bad-Faith Patent Infringement Claims Act. If you receive a patent demand, preserve the letter and its envelope, then ask whether patent-infringement defense is covered regardless of the sender’s conduct. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Michigan

Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services licenses agents, agencies and companies, supervises insurance business, and helps resolve complaints. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue. 4,5,6

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 2.5% combined surplus-lines tax and regulatory fee on premium when Michigan is the insured's home state Michigan's Property and Casualty Guaranty Association is funded by insurers authorized to transact in the state; an insurer procured solely under Chapter 19 is expressly not considered authorized for that chapter. The surplus-lines policy must carry a notice that the insurer is not Michigan-licensed and insolvency claim payment may not be guaranteed. 7,8,9

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Michigan

  1. Does this policy cover a patent demand aimed at our business in Michigan, including defense costs?
  2. Which details in a patent demand should we preserve for counsel and the insurer?
  3. Can we report a demand before we know whether the sender’s patent claim has merit?

Intellectual Property in Michigan: FAQ

What is the key Michigan rule for a trade-secret claim? 3

Michigan’s trade-secret law permits injunctions against actual or threatened misappropriation, but the injunction ends when the information no longer qualifies as secret, subject to a period to remove the wrongdoer’s advantage. Ask how the policy handles urgent relief and follow-on damages. 3

How should I handle a suspected intellectual-property claim in Michigan? 3,1

Notify the insurer promptly and preserve the first demand, access logs, agreements, and discovery date. Michigan has a separate Bad-Faith Patent Infringement Claims Act. If you receive a patent demand, preserve the letter and its envelope, then ask whether patent-infringement defense is covered regardless of the sender’s conduct. The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act is a separate claim with its own filing period. 3,1

Intellectual Property in Other States

Other Coverage in Michigan

Sources

  1. 18 U.S.C. § 1836, Civil Proceedings. Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives; § 1836(b)(1), (3): federal civil action, injunction, and damages for qualifying trade secret misappropriation. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Michigan Compiled Laws, Chapter 446. Michigan Legislature; Act 550 of 2016, §§ 446.163–.169: bad-faith patent infringement claims. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Michigan Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Michigan Legislature; §§ 445.1902, .1904, .1906–.1908. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; Official regulator and insurance oversight. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Insurance License Lookup. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. File an Insurance Complaint. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; State complaint process and contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Surplus Lines Licensee: Filing the Surplus Lines Taxes. Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services; DIFS current filing page: Michigan-home-state placements taxed at 2.5% combined tax and regulatory fee; separate fees charged to insured are not included in premium tax base. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Michigan Insurance Code, Chapter 500. Michigan Legislature; MCL 500.7911(1)-(2), 500.7921(b): association membership tied to insurer authorized to transact; insurer procured solely under Chapter 19 is expressly not authorized for guaranty chapter. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Michigan Insurance Code, Chapter 500. Michigan Legislature; MCL 500.1922 requires policy notice that insurer is not Michigan-licensed and insolvency claim payment may not be guaranteed. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  11. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  12. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  15. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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