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Michigan product liability insurance guide

Michigan’s product-liability statute distinguishes manufacturers from downstream sellers: a seller that is not the manufacturer is liable only if it failed to exercise reasonable care (including breach of implied warranty) and that failure proximately caused injury, or if its express warranty was breached and proximately caused harm. The statute also addresses foreseeable alteration or misuse, voluntary exposure to a known unreasonable risk, sophisticated-user warnings subject to required-warning exceptions, and inherent product characteristics. The current primary text for the product-specific limitations period was not accessible during this research, so this draft does not state a claim deadline or repose period. 1,2

What Is Product Liability?

Product liability can cover claims that a product you make, import, distribute or sell injured someone or damaged property. If your business handles products, describe every role in the supply chain and ask how the quote treats product damage and recall costs. Read the national Product liability guide.

What to Watch for in Michigan

  • Retailing is not the same as manufacturing

    For a seller other than a manufacturer, § 600.2947(6) requires proof of a causative failure to use reasonable care, including implied warranty, or a causative breach of the seller’s express warranty. Document when the business assembles, modifies, repairs, relabels, or makes its own product promises. 1

  • Alteration and misuse turn on foreseeability

    The statute addresses harm caused by an alteration or misuse unless that change was reasonably foreseeable. Preserve the product, manuals, installation and repair records, customer-use information, and version history so those facts can be evaluated. 1

  • Keep the warning and standards record tied to each product unit

    Michigan permits evidence of prevailing nongovernmental standards and creates a rebuttable no-liability presumption for relevant statutory or agency standards and approvals. That presumption is limited to the aspect and standards relevant to the event; lack of compliance does not itself create a presumption of negligence. 2

  • Confirm the current product-specific claim period

    This draft omits a deadline because the Michigan Legislature’s current § 600.5805 text and chapter PDF returned access errors. The often-cited three-year product period was not verified from an opened current primary text here; seek the official current section before relying on a deadline. 1

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. 3,4,5

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. 6,7,8

Providers With Documented State Licenses

These providers publish a national listing for Product liability; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Michigan. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

  • VouchVouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLCInsurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28Vouch’s licenses page, effective January 16, 2025, lists producer licenses in all 50 states and DC. Its separate surplus-lines table includes Idaho number 870820, while a footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses. Because those statements conflict for Idaho, this record keeps Idaho producer-only and does not treat the table number as established agency surplus-lines authority. The page is company-reported and does not establish product availability. 15

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Michigan

  1. Which activities make us a manufacturer, and which leave us as a seller; do our application and product schedule reflect the distinction?
  2. Can we retain the specific unit, warnings, instructions, test data, applicable standards, and service or alteration history when a claim arises?
  3. Do our sales, installation, repair, labeling, or express warranty practices create any seller conduct or promise that should be described separately?
  4. Which Michigan limitation period applies to the alleged claim and when does it accrue? Confirm the current statutory text with counsel; this guide leaves that point open.

Product Liability in Michigan: FAQ

Can a Michigan retailer rely on the manufacturer’s defense automatically? 1

No. Section 600.2947(6) provides a conditional rule for a seller other than a manufacturer and identifies causative seller conduct or warranty breach that can support liability. 1

Does regulatory compliance conclusively eliminate Michigan product liability? 2

No. Section 600.2946(4) describes a rebuttable presumption for relevant compliance or approval; the statute also limits the presumption to the aspect and standards relevant to the event. 2

Product Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Michigan

Sources

  1. Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.2947. Michigan Legislature; § 600.2947(1)–(6), current section text. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.2946. Michigan Legislature; § 600.2946(1), (2), and (4); 2023 PA 285 effective February 13, 2024. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; Official regulator and insurance oversight. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Insurance License Lookup. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. File an Insurance Complaint. Department of Insurance and Financial Services; State complaint process and contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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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