Michigan Auto Law offers free help to recover mini-tort deductibles up to $3,000

Brandon Hewitt, attorney and chief operating officer of Michigan Auto Law, told FYI that the firm has launched a program to help consumers recover mini-tort amounts (deductibles) from at-fault parties'insurers for up to $3,000. Hewitt said the service is free to users and that the firm has already processed a handful of checks since launching the program at the beginning of the month.

Hewitt described eligibility criteria: the claimant cannot be at fault; the vehicle must have sustained damage; and the claimant must have an out-of-pocket cost such as a deductible because not all policies cover full repairs. "The Mini Tort is basically the deductible for the repairs to your car that you get charged by your own insurance," Hewitt said. He explained required documentation: a copy of the declarations page (showing deductible), the police report (or permission to retrieve it), and a repair estimate or photos. Hewitt said the online intake is at 3kforfree.com and that, once submitted, the firm will prepare correspondence for the at-fault insurer and update claimants as the case progresses; he suggested people often see resolution in roughly 6 to 8 weeks.

Hewitt also noted timing: "Technically, there's a 3 year statute [of limitations] on that," he said, but the firm encourages claimants to act within about one year to reduce insurer resistance. The segment emphasized the program's consumer-assistance framing and did not discuss fees, municipal policy, or court filings beyond this intake-level service.