In Michigan, you have to report hitting a deer only when the crash injures someone or causes at least $1,000 in apparent property damage. Most deer collisions clear that $1,000 line once a bumper, headlight, hood, or radiator is involved, so in practice almost every driver who hits a deer should call it in. Even when the damage looks minor, a police report makes the insurance claim cleaner and gives you a record if anything is disputed later.
When a Police Report Is Required
Under MCL 257.622, a driver involved in any accident that injures or kills a person, or that causes property damage of $1,000 or more, must immediately report it to the nearest police station or police officer.1Michigan Courts. Failing to Report Accident The threshold applies to the total damage from the accident. Modern vehicles routinely sustain well over $1,000 in damage from a deer strike, which is why reporting is the default answer here.
If the damage genuinely appears minor and no one in the vehicle was hurt, you’re not legally obligated to file a report. Filing anyway is still worth it, because your insurer will ask what happened and a report settles that quickly.
Failing to report when the law requires it is a misdemeanor. The penalty is up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $100, or both.1Michigan Courts. Failing to Report Accident The fine is small. A misdemeanor on your record is not.
What to Do at the Scene
Pull as far off the road as you can and turn on your hazards. Check yourself and any passengers for injuries first. If anyone is hurt, call 911.
Leave the deer where it is. An injured deer can kick hard enough to break bones, and people are hurt every year trying to move one. Call the local police or sheriff’s department and let them handle the animal and any road hazard. Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt on while you wait, especially on highways where passing traffic is the bigger danger.
While you wait, take photos. Get the damage to your vehicle, the deer if you can see it safely, the road, and any debris. Those photos will carry weight when you file your insurance claim.
Claiming the Deer With a Salvage Permit
If you want to keep the deer for the meat, you need a salvage permit before you take it. Taking a road-killed deer without one is illegal. The driver who hit the deer has first priority to claim it.2Kalamazoo County, MI. Possession Permits The permit is free. The responding officer can issue one at the scene, or you can apply online through the Michigan DNR if the officer doesn’t have permits on hand.3Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife Permits
Once issued, attach the permit securely to the deer’s leg or antlers within 24 hours, and keep it there until the carcass is fully processed.2Kalamazoo County, MI. Possession Permits Salvage permits cover only deer and bear. Elk, moose, bear cubs, spotted fawns, wolves, bobcats, otters, wild turkeys, and other game birds cannot be salvaged.3Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife Permits
How Insurance Handles a Deer Strike
Two kinds of coverage can come into play: comprehensive for the vehicle, and Michigan no-fault Personal Injury Protection for any injuries.
Vehicle Damage Is a Comprehensive Claim
Hitting a deer falls under the comprehensive portion of your auto policy, not collision.4Progressive. Does Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer Comprehensive is optional in Michigan and covers events largely outside your control, like animal strikes, theft, hail, and vandalism.5Allstate. Does Car Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer If you carry only liability, repairs come out of your pocket. If you have comprehensive, you pay your deductible and the insurer covers the rest up to your policy limits. Typical deductibles run from $250 to $2,000.
There’s a trap worth knowing about. If you swerve to avoid a deer and hit a tree, a guardrail, or another vehicle, that’s usually treated as a collision claim rather than comprehensive. Collision deductibles tend to be higher, and the claim can hit your rates harder. That’s one reason safety guidance is to brake in a straight line rather than swerve.
Injuries and No-Fault PIP
Michigan’s no-fault system applies to deer accidents the same way it applies to any other crash. If you or a passenger is injured, your auto insurer’s PIP coverage pays medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. You must file your application for no-fault benefits within one year of the accident.
Pain-and-suffering compensation is not available after a deer collision. Under Michigan law, that type of recovery requires a negligent at-fault driver, and a deer doesn’t qualify. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage doesn’t apply for the same reason.
Will It Raise Your Rates?
Comprehensive claims are the gentlest category when it comes to rate impact. Many insurers won’t surcharge at all for a single comprehensive claim, especially if the payout is under $1,000. When a surcharge does apply, it typically runs 3 to 10 percent of your premium, and some carriers waive surcharges on smaller claims entirely.
Frequency is what moves the needle. Two or more comprehensive claims within a three-to-five-year window significantly raise the odds of an increase, and a surcharge typically stays on your record for three to five years. If the damage is only slightly above your deductible, run the math before you file.
Reducing Your Risk During Peak Season
Michigan recorded 58,324 vehicle-deer crashes in 2024, among the highest totals in the country. Nearly 43 percent of them happened in the last three months of the year, with October and November the worst by a wide margin. November alone accounted for more than 10,000 collisions, lining up with deer mating season when the animals move more and watch roads less.6Michigan Traffic Crash Facts. 2024 Deer Statewide Report
Most strikes happen at dawn and dusk, roughly 5:00 to 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., when visibility is poor and deer are most active. In those hours during October and November, slow down on two-lane rural roads and use high beams when there’s no oncoming traffic. If you see one deer cross, brake and wait. Deer travel in groups, and the one you see is rarely the last one.
If a collision is unavoidable, brake hard and stay in your lane. Swerving tends to produce the worse outcome, trading a comprehensive claim for a crash into a tree, a ditch, or oncoming traffic.