You have to report hitting a deer in Michigan only when the crash injures someone or causes at least $1,000 in apparent property damage, under the state’s general accident-reporting rule in MCL 257.622.1Michigan Courts. Failing to Report Accident There’s no separate deer-collision statute. In practice, most deer strikes clear the $1,000 threshold once you add up body panels, headlights, and radiator work, so filing a police report is usually required and almost always worth doing anyway.
When a Police Report Is Required
Michigan law requires any driver in an accident that injures or kills a person, or that causes property damage of $1,000 or more, to immediately report it to the nearest police station or officer.1Michigan Courts. Failing to Report Accident The threshold looks at total damage from the crash, and modern vehicles routinely take on more than $1,000 in damage from a deer strike.
Failing to report when required is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $100, or both.1Michigan Courts. Failing to Report Accident The fine is modest. A misdemeanor on your record is not.
If damage genuinely looks minor and no one was hurt, you’re not obligated to file. Even then, a report creates a paper trail your insurer will appreciate if you later discover damage that isn’t visible at the roadside.
What to Do at the Scene
Move your vehicle to the shoulder or as far from traffic as you can, and turn on your hazard lights. Check yourself and any passengers for injuries first. Call 911 if anyone is hurt.
Leave the deer where it is. An injured deer can kick hard enough to break bones, and people get hurt every year trying to move one. Call the local police or sheriff’s department and let them handle the carcass and any road hazard. Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt on while you wait, especially on a busy highway.
Take photos while you wait: the damage to your vehicle, the deer if you can see it from a safe distance, the road, and any debris. Those photos strengthen the insurance claim later.
Claiming the Deer With a Salvage Permit
If you want to keep the deer for the meat, you need a salvage permit first. Taking a highway-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 you have the permit, attach it 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 The permit covers deer and bears only; many other species can’t be salvaged at all.3Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife Permits
How Insurance Handles a Deer Claim
Two coverages come into play: comprehensive for the vehicle damage, and Michigan no-fault Personal Injury Protection for any injuries.
Vehicle Damage
Hitting a deer falls under comprehensive, not collision.4Progressive. Does Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer Comprehensive is optional in Michigan and covers events largely outside your control, including animal strikes, theft, hail, and vandalism.5Allstate. Does Car Insurance Cover Hitting a Deer Liability-only drivers pay for repairs out of pocket. Otherwise, you pay your deductible and the insurer covers the rest up to policy limits. Typical comprehensive deductibles run from $250 to $2,000.
One important wrinkle: if you swerve and hit a tree, guardrail, or another vehicle instead of the deer, that’s usually a collision claim, not a comprehensive one. Collision deductibles tend to be higher and the claim can affect rates more. Safety experts advise braking in a straight line rather than swerving.
Injuries
Michigan’s no-fault system applies to deer accidents the same as any other crash. Your PIP coverage pays medical expenses and a portion of lost wages if you can’t work. You must apply for no-fault benefits within one year of the accident.
Pain-and-suffering compensation isn’t available after a deer collision. Under Michigan law, that 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.
Whether Filing Will Raise Your Rates
Comprehensive claims are the gentlest kind when it comes to rate impacts. Many insurers won’t surcharge at all for a single comprehensive claim, particularly if the payout is under $1,000. When a surcharge does apply, it usually runs 3 to 10 percent of your premium, and some carriers waive surcharges on smaller claims by internal policy.
Frequency is what changes the picture. Two or more comprehensive claims within a three-to-five-year window meaningfully 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 numbers on whether it’s worth filing at all.
Reducing Your Risk During Peak Season
Michigan recorded 58,324 vehicle-deer crashes in 2024, one of the highest counts in the country. Nearly 43 percent happened in the last three months of the year, with October and November the worst. November alone accounted for over 10,000 collisions, matching deer mating season when deer move more and pay less attention to roads.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. During those hours in October and November, slow down on two-lane rural roads and use high beams when no one is coming the other way. If you see one deer cross, brake and wait. Deer travel in groups, and the one you see is rarely the last.
When a collision is unavoidable, brake firmly and stay in your lane. Swerving turns a comprehensive claim into a collision with a tree, a ditch, or another vehicle, and the outcomes are usually worse.