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How can I put my policy on hold when my car is out of commission?

My car stopped working a few months ago and I don't have the money to fix it right now. It's just sitting in my garage for now. I don't want to pay to insure it when I'm not even using it. How do I get it removed from my insurance policy for the time being? 

 

Apr 18, 2022 Jacksonville, FL

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Kristine Lee

Insurance Analyst

Kristine is a licensed insurance agent who joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer. Before joining The Zebra, she was a…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • 5+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry

We are sorry to hear that your vehicle is currently out of commission. You will need to contact your insurance company and see if putting your auto insurance policy on hold is something they can do. Each carrier is different and have different guidelines so contacting them is where you would need to start to find out if suspending your coverage is an option. Keep in mind that if you completely suspend your insurance, including comprehensive coverage, you won't be covered if something happens to your car such as it's stolen or damaged by a falling branch. 

Another option, is to reduce your coverage to comprehensive-only. This is again something your insurance company may have stipulations about. For example, they might require you to keep your vehicle in a secure facility, not just parking it in your driveway or even garage, say. 

One thing you shouldn't do is fully cancel your insurance policy. If you cancel your insurance, even for a car that is not currently driveable, it can create a gap in your insurance history and make getting insurance again in the future harder and more expensive. For example, our 2022 State of Insurance report found that by maintaining continuous coverage (without a lapse of even a day), a driver can save an average of 5% on their car insurance.

Each carrier is different and have different guidelines so contacting them is where you would need to start to find out if suspending your coverage is an option. Hopefully this helped and if you need anything else please let us know.

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