How to insure a stored vehicle

If your vehicle will be parked and unused for 30 days or more, you may benefit from a modified insurance setup. Common situations could include:

• Seasonal storage (e.g., convertibles, motorcycles, classic cars)
• Long-term travel or deployment
• Parking a secondary car in a garage or storage facility
• Remote work-related inactivity

Rather than cancel your policy entirely (which can create a coverage lapse), many insurers allow you to reduce your protection while maintaining essential coverage.

In most states, you can’t technically pause a policy. Canceling your insurance while your car is parked can lead to a lapse in coverage, which may result in higher rates when you reinstate coverage, explains Car and Driver. However, you can remove certain coverages while keeping others:

• Remove: Liability, collision, uninsured motorist coverage (these may not be required if the car isn’t being driven)
• Keep: Comprehensive coverage (this will protect against theft, fire, vandalism, weather damage, etc.)

If your car is in storage, comprehensive coverage typically helps protect from:

• Theft or attempted theft
• Vandalism or break-ins
• Natural disasters and storms
• Damage caused by animals (e.g., rodents chewing wires)

This type of policy does not cover driving, so if you take the car out of storage and get into an accident, you would not be covered unless you’ve restored liability and collision coverage.

• Consider removing unnecessary extras like roadside assistance or rental reimbursement
• Increase your deductible to reduce monthly costs
• Let your insurer know the vehicle will be stored in a secure location
• Avoid a lapse in coverage by keeping some form of insurance active

Also ask your insurer if you qualify for low-mileage discounts or storage-specific rate reductions.

Insurance isn’t the only part of the equation. Here are some tips to protect your vehicle before it’s stored:

• Wash and wax the vehicle to prevent corrosion
• Fill the gas tank and add a fuel stabilizer
• Disconnect or maintain the battery with a trickle charger
• Inflate tires to the correct pressure to avoid flat spots
• Use a breathable car cover (not plastic)
• Keep documentation and photos in case of future claims

Before you begin driving your car, you’ll want to:

1. Contact your insurer to restore full coverage
2. Get updated ID cards (or have a digital copy ready)
3. Inspect the car (e.g., brakes, tire pressure, battery, fluids)
4. Update your registration if it was suspended during storage

Do not drive the vehicle with only comprehensive coverage in place. It won’t cover any on-road damage or liability.

If you're putting your vehicle into long-term storage, now is the time to figure out your insurance needs. Protect your car, avoid unnecessary costs, and stay legally insured.