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Billionaire Dan Gilbert may try to take auto insurance changes to voters

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Michigan billionaire Dan Gilbert is focused on lowering the state’s auto insurance rates.

Gilbert is trying to convince the Legislature to get on board with his proposal – but if it won’t, he says he’ll start a campaign initiative for the 2020 ballot.

Parts of Michigan have some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation. And Gilbert says the way to fix that is to stop requiring drivers to have unlimited, lifetime medical coverage.

Jared Fleisher is a spokesperson for Gilbert. He says if the state Legislature won’t get on board– Gilbert is ready to take the issue to the people.

“That’s the key policy that we’re after – choice. Letting folks choose the amount of coverage they want to buy.”

But people who want to keep the requirement for unlimited, lifetime medical benefits say there’s a better way to lower the state’s rates. They say Michigan needs to stop letting insurance companies set rates based on non-driving factors like marital status and credit scores.