Whether you have a camper that you only use in the summer months or a car that’s never used in winter, it’s important to understand the different insurance coverage options that are available.
Unfortunately, many car owners find out the hard way that taking all of their insurance coverage off of their vehicles isn’t the best idea over the winter.
How Different Auto Coverage Works
The most commonly associated coverage with automobiles is called liability. This covers bodily injury and property damage and may be referred to as BIPD. This is usually broken down into specific limits and may appear on your policy or cards as: $12,500/$25,000/$7,500. This coverage covers other people and their property, not you or your vehicle. Comprehensive coverage provides indemnity on an “other than collision” basis; for example, if you hit a deer or something collapses on top of the vehicle. Collision coverage indemnifies you if you hit something, such as another vehicle.
What Coverage to Leave On Your Seasonal Vehicle
If you are going to leave your seasonal vehicle in storage over the winter, you won’t need to carry liability or collision coverage until you take it back out again. However, you should consider leaving comprehensive coverage on that vehicle. For example, let’s say you have it stored in your garage and a heavy snowstorm causes the roof to collapse.
If you have comprehensive coverage still on your vehicle, it would be covered in this event. If you don’t, you’ll end up having to fix your vehicle out of your own pocket.
Leaving just comprehensive coverage on your vehicle is very inexpensive and well worth the peace of mind you’ll get knowing that your vehicle will be protected.
When to Contact Your Insurance Agent
If you plan to move your vehicle or take it out when the weather turns nice, it is imperative to give your insurance agent a call. They will be able to reinstate any coverage that you removed to ensure that you have the coverage you need. Even if you’re only going to use the vehicle for a few days, it is still necessary to turn your coverage back on. Failing to do so can result in either a ticket or a fine if you are pulled over, or you may risk damage to your vehicle that will not be covered. Once you’ve returned the vehicle to storage, you can remove the excess coverage until you need it again.