- A reader asks what insurance is required on a car kept garaged in Rhode Island while the owner lives in Florida for the winter.
- Liability insurance is required when the vehicle is being driven and not while it is garaged for an extended period of time and not being driven.
Q: I live in Florida for the winter. I have a car in Florida and I leave my Rhode Island vehicle locked in my garage. I want to reduce the car insurance to storage status, keep my license plates and just reduce the amount of insurance for the three months.
My insurance agent told me it would only cost me for comprehensive coverage. I asked him if he was sure I didn’t need to maintain any liability insurance. He said it would be three months of total coverage at 70% and I would get a credit in April. Last year I got a credit immediately. Then he said I should check with the DMV, and that I might need to fill out a form, but I didn’t have to do that last year or the year before. I tried to get an answer from RI DMV.
What insurance do I need to maintain on my car to keep my plates but not pay full coverage?
− Sandy P.
A: If your vehicle is not being driven for an extended period of time and the vehicle is to remain registered in Rhode Island, it has to have insurance coverage (i.e. seasonal, comprehensive, storage insurance). Liability insurance is required when the vehicle is being driven and not while it is garaged for an extended period of time and not being driven.
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The DMV website (dmv.ri.gov) has a section on the Insurance Verification Program. You can find it in the “Adjudication & Suspensions” tab and the “Insurance Verification Program” link. In this area, you will see information that explains the program for the insured and for the insurance companies. There is also information on the letters that are sent out to verify someone’s insurance and what to do if you receive the letters or your registration is revoked for failure to have insurance.
If a registration revocation notice is generated due to the insurance not being reported or no liability insurance reported while the vehicle is not being driven/garaged, then proof of insurance needs to be provided to the DMV. The fine for insurance revocation is $252.50 if you pay in person at the Cranston DMV. Reservations are required to enter the building, and information on how to make a reservation can be found on the front page of the DMV’s website. We also have an online option for payment that can be found in our “Online Services” tab. It is the “Insurance Revocation Reinstatement” link.
Chuck Hollis is assistant administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. Please email your questions to cars@providencejournal.com with “Ask the DMV” in the subject field.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.