Do I need insurance for a car off the road?

Insurance coverage is often a necessity for any vehicle. There are times, however, where it may seem to make sense to remove coverage from a vehicle that is not in use, is sitting in storage, or is otherwise not on the road.

Removing your insurance coverage may seem like the best idea if your car is off the road. However, there are several points to consider before removing your car’s insurance coverage.

Start comparison shopping today to make sure you have the right coverage for off roading. Enter your zip code into our FREE tool above to get started!

You Should Keep Insurance Coverage If Your Car Has Value

First off, it’s important to keep coverage active on your vehicle if it has value. For instance, if your car is being stored in your garage for a month or two as you work on repairs, then you may want to keep your coverage active to some extent.

Storage coverage is normally just comprehensive coverage. This coverage essentially provides protection to your vehicle for damage other than collision damage.

Determining the value of your vehicle may be a challenging task, especially when insurance providers determine value differently than the property owner.

Additionally, insurance providers often look at the cost to repair the vehicle in related to the determined value.

When trying to determine if this coverage is right for you, make sure to speak with your insurance agent. They can help you determine if this type of coverage is right for your needs.

You Should Keep Insurance Coverage If You Want To Avoid a Lapse in Coverage

Having a lapse in your insurance coverage can cause a couple of hiccups in the future. For starters, it may make you seem like a higher risk to any insurance provider.

This lapse could lead to higher premiums when you reinstate or get new coverage later on, or it could keep you from getting coverage from a traditional provider.

If a traditional provider is unwilling to provide coverage, due to a high-risk status or an extended lapse in coverage, then you may have to go through a state minimum insurance provider.

The longer the lapse in coverage, the more financial risk you will be exposed to as well. Without insurance coverage in force, then any damages or accidents that could occur would be your sole responsibility.

You Should Keep Insurance Coverage If Your Car Is Unique, Classic, or Vintage

There are many vehicles that meet the definition of unique, classic, or vintage, and these vehicles need special handling when it comes to insurance coverage.

Antique and classic cars are one example of this, as their value is often much higher than the cars most people drive on a daily basis.

Although antique and classic cars are the most common example of this, there are a number of different vehicle types that need insurance even when they’re not on the road.

Luxury vehicles or exotic, imported vehicles may need insurance as their cost of repairs is often much higher than traditional cars.

Your insurance agent or provider can get more information about your vehicle to find out if it qualifies as a unique vehicle.

You Should Keep Insurance Coverage If You Plan To Take It On And Off The Road

One last thing to consider is how often you plan to take your car on and off the road.

While it may seem like a great idea to remove coverage if the car is off the road for a month, you don’t want to hop in one morning without remembering to reinstate coverage.

If you plan to use the car on and off over a period, it may make sense to leave your coverage active or to speak to your agent or provider about other options.

Finding the Right Coverage

Maintaining insurance coverage on your car is important for many reasons.

While suspending or removing coverage from your car may seem like the best idea when it’s off the road, there are a lot of factors to consider before making any final decisions.

The value of your car, the type of car you have, and your insurance provider’s policies are all determining factors.

Make sure to speak with your insurance provider or agent if you have any questions about whether removing coverage is the right choice for you.

Make sure you have the right coverage at the best cost by entering your zip code into our FREE comparison tool below!