Should You Have Insurance on Your Non-running Car?

You might think if your car isn’t being driven (or can’t be driven), you wouldn’t need to pay insurance on it. Unfortunately, in most states, you would be wrong to assume that. Read on to see what states have what requirements for ensuring non-running cars. 

Is there a Penalty for Not Insuring Your Non-running Car?

Almost every state requires some sort of auto insurance, including liability insurance (except Florida, which does not require liability insurance), on a car driven on the roads. But what happens if you get into a car accident but need some time to save up some money for the repairs? Or maybe you are figuring out what happens if your friend crashes your car? You might find yourself asking, “Do I have to have insurance for the temporary non-running vehicle?” The answer is, for most states, yes. But the type of non-running car insurance for a non-running vehicle varies by state. This means the temptation to remove your insurance policy probably isn’t the way to save money, and in some cases, can end up costing you even more with fines from your uninsured periods.

In some states, like New Hampshire and Virginia, you don’t need car insurance at all. Some states, like Arizona, Mississippi, and Texas don’t require car insurance, but instead require a bond. These bonds are more expensive than the actual insurance and don’t offer any coverage if you get into an accident.  

Some states answer the question “Do I need car insurance on a non-running vehicle?” by saying, “No, if you file an ANU (affidavit for non-use).” These states include Nevada, New Mexico, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Louisiana, Indiana, Colorado, Arizona, and Alabama. Other states have a similar way not to require car insurance while a car isn’t operational called “PNO” or “planned non-operation.” California is one such state.

For many of the 50 states, even if your car cannot drive on the road, you still must keep it insured. Ohio is one of these states, and if you’re caught without insurance, you can have your license and car’s registration revoked. States like Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Georgia will issue steep fines for not having car insurance on a registered vehicle that begins at $185 and can even get you a year in jail!

Another reason to keep it active is to have comprehensive auto insurance coverage in place. Otherwise, you run the risk of something happening to your car when it is off the road.

Your home insurance is likely not going to cover damage to your vehicle. So if you decide that you don’t want car insurance, you are leaving yourself open to high bills and potential legal issues.

Сan I Take a Non-running Vehicle Off My Insurance?

Do you need insurance on a car that doesn't run? The short answer is yes. You will want to keep your insurance policy active on a non-running car, even though it costs you the money you don’t want to spend. Here’s why. It may end up costing you even more in the long run. 

When you suspend your car insurance for a month or two or three while you save up for repairs, you might get hit with fines from your state. What will definitely happen is, when you finally get the repairs are done, and you’re ready to put it back on the road, the insurance company will see a gap in your insurance history and will charge you a much higher monthly price from then on. 

But what about cheap temp insurance? This is an option if you KNOW you won’t be getting your car on the road, but it isn’t foolproof. The only reason we say it MIGHT be an option is because most of the companies offering temp insurance (insurance for a short amount of time, often less than 6 months) don’t offer the best coverage. So while technically you’re insured to avoid fines and periods of being uninsured, it’s not ideal.

If Your Car Doesn’t Run, Consider Selling it to Junkcarsus

Do you have to have insurance on a non-running car? Yes. This is especially unfortunate if you have a damaged car that you can’t drive but need to save up money to fix it. Obviously, paying for insurance during this time just means it will take you longer to save up! Depending on how much your car is worth, how much the repairs will cost, how long it will take you to save up for repairs, how much you’re paying per month on car insurance, and a whole lot of other factors, you might want to consider selling your broken down car to a junk car buyer like JunkCarsUS because we will give you cash for non-running cars! If you're looking to free yourself from the burden of insurance and maintenance costs, you might be thinking, 'Where can I sell my non running car?' JunkCarsUS is here to help.

With over 12 years of experience buying junk cars, we have come up with a simple three-step process that will give you the fastest, easiest, and most profitable junk car selling experience all over the USA! Here are our three steps.
1. Contact us! Give us a call at (855) 547-1550 or fill out an online application. Give us some information about your car - the make, model, year, mileage, and condition - of your car, and we’ll give you a quote right then and there. 

2. Accept our cash offer! JunkCarUS gives our customers the highest price guarantee out of any junk car buyer in the USA. Once we give you our offer, we never go back on it. Then all you have to do is arrange for…
3. Free towing! One of the ways we’ve become the leading junk car pickup service is because we offer free towing. One of our trusted tow truck drivers will come to your location at the time that’s most convenient for you and safely remove your vehicle from your yard, garage, or wherever. 

So the answer to the question “Does a non-running car need insurance?” is unfortunately yes, but you don’t need to keep your junk car and continue paying insurance on a car you can’t drive. A JunkCarsUS, we’ll take a car in nearly any condition, even if it’s undrivable. So instead of paying for insurance on a car in need of some hefty repairs, give us a call today at (855) 547-1550 because we buy unwanted cars and can turn your junk car into cash in your pocket today! 

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