Winter Car Insurance
During winter, consider maintaining comprehensive and collision coverage to protect against weather-related damages. If storing your vehicle, some insurers offer storage-only coverage options.
Car insurance in the winter
Winter weather brings unique driving risks — from snow and ice to poor visibility. Fewer miles on the road might lower your risk, but it doesn’t remove the need for protection. Winter car insurance refers to the coverage options and adjustments drivers may consider during colder months, whether you’re parking your car for the season or preparing to drive in harsher conditions.
It's not technically possible to “pause” your car insurance. This is because of the way insurance and your state’s vehicle registration laws work together. To legally drive your vehicle, you’ll need to register and insure it. By “pausing” your insurance, you run the risk of having your registration suspended, resulting in a significant fine. However, there's some wiggle room if you're willing to get creative.
Storage coverage for a car during the winter
Some insurance companies offer storage coverage. This coverage option allows you to drop all your insurance coverage except comprehensive coverage. One important detail worth noting: if you drop your insurance policy to storage coverage, you are not legally allowed to drive your car.
Because storage coverage won't provide the correct insurance coverage for your registration, you run the risk of having your registration flagged and suspended. There are a couple of ways to avoid this. If your state offers it — and if you qualify — you can submit an Affidavit of Non-Use through the DMV. This states that your vehicle is not being operated or parked on a public roadway, and your liability coverage has been dropped. This will avoid any registration suspension or cancellation issues.
If your state doesn’t offer an Affidavit of Non-Use, check whether it actively monitors your registration. If it doesn't, you would just want to make sure your registration won't be up for renewal when you have your vehicle “in storage.”
If you opt for storage coverage, you'll only have comprehensive coverage. Your car will only be protected against weather, theft, vandalism, and animal-related damage. So it’s probably worth keeping the vehicle stowed safely in a garage or driveway. If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, you probably won't be able to use this option.
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Reduce your coverage level
If you’re not able to use storage coverage, you might consider dropping your physical coverage — your collision and comprehensive. On average, collision and comprehensive coverages comprise half of a driver's total insurance costs. If you'll be storing your vehicle in a garage for a few months, consider dropping these coverages. You won’t be able to take this step if you have a loan or lease on the vehicle.
The table below outlines average rates for different coverage levels from top car insurance companies. Your rates won't match these exactly, but it gives you a good idea of what to expect.
Updating data...
| Company | Avg. 6 Mo. Premium |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,551 |
| Auto Club | $1,349 |
| Farmers | $1,266 |
| State Farm | $1,217 |
| Nationwide | $1,189 |
| Progressive | $1,074 |
| GEICO | $944 |
| USAA | $873 |
Source: The Zebra
The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool data methodology
The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool for home and auto insurance rates utilizes the latest ZIP code-level rate filings from across the U.S., sourced from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global. These filings, typically updated annually or biennially by insurers, are verified through Quadrant’s QA process and then integrated into The Zebra’s estimator.
The displayed rates are based on a dynamic home and auto profile designed to reflect the content of the page. This profile is tailored to match specific factors such as age, location, and coverage level, which are adjusted based on the page content to show how these variables can impact premiums.
For a comprehensive understanding, see our detailed methodology.
The monthly difference between full coverage and dropping your coverage to liability-only insurance is about 50%, or $56. If you decide to drop to liability-only, it's a good idea to get quotes from different companies to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck.
Should you increase car insurance coverage in winter?
Winter driving brings more risks — icy roads, poor visibility, and storm damage can all increase your chance of an accident. For that reason, it may make sense to add extra protection during the colder months, rather than lower coverage.
Two coverages especially useful in winter are collision and comprehensive:
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Collision covers damage if you hit another vehicle or an object, like sliding into a tree.
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Comprehensive protects against non-collision damage, such as hitting a deer or damage from falling ice.
These coverages aren’t legally required unless you lease or finance your car, but they can be smart to have if you live in a place with blizzards, heavy snow, or icy conditions. If you want to add coverage, make sure to do so before severe weather hits. Insurance companies may place temporary restrictions on new policies or changes when a major storm is approaching.
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Winter driving tips
If you’re looking for tips on driving safely during the winter or more ways to save on auto insurance, see our articles here:
Save an average of $440 a year by comparing your options.
Winter car insurance FAQs:
About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
- The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
- The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
- The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
- The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.