Temporarily disabling car insurance? Possible?
Hi. Im 17, joining the army soon and going to ship to basic training after i finish high school – at around July/2010. Right now, Im getting a car, liability insurance only. So ill need insurance for the car for 8 months before i ship. Im going to be away for 6 months for basic and advanced training. 6 months of paying insurance would cost be around 1300$. Seems a waste to pay if im not even driving it while im away. Would i be able to tell my insurance company to temporarily discontinue insurance when im away? Or if i cancel the policy, does the RI DMV request the plates? If not, i could keep it on the street while im away. If they do request the plates, what should i do? I mean i would have to pay taxes on it all over again, pay for insurance downpayment, then registration fees which is all over like 1000$. What could i do in my situation?
You will need to speak to the RI DMV, regarding whether they have a way of suspending or inactivating your registration, or whether what I am about to explain is okay there. The most important thing is to be legal.
If the state of RI will allow you to park the vehicle without liability insurance you have 2 options: drop insurance entirely, or limiting the policy to comprehensive coverage only, covering your car for theft, fire, weather damage, and other things that can occur while it is sitting parked. The advantages of the latter plan are that, obviously, your vehicle is covered (for far less than the cost of liability) and that you will keep a continuous policy, which makes it easier and cheaper when you are ready to put liability back on. This change of coverage often has to be requested in writing, and you have to put liability back on it before driving it, often a day before.
