The Snowbird Switch

As snowbirds switch from one seasonal home to another, their insurance needs to be switched also.

Snowbirds need to remember that their insurance coverage needs to be changed every their residency state is.

Snowbirds may get to enjoy great weather all year by changing the state they live in as the seasons change, but as they do they need to remember to change their insurance also. A valid insurance policy in one state may not provide enough or any coverage once residency is changed to another state. You may even have to get a new insurance company if the company you have your insurance coverage with doesn’t write insurance in both the state you winter in and your home state.

Snowbird Insurance State Switch

When snowbirds make the transition from the southern state they stay in during the winter back to their northern home state they need to remember to switch their insurance coverage. As simple as it sounds, it’s really not because you have to get a new insurance policy every time you switch states.

This may sounds ridiculous, but the reason you have to get a new insurance policy is that insurance laws are different from one state to another. For example, the insurance laws in Arizona are not the same as they are in Montana. So your car insurance policy in Arizona does not satisfy the insurance laws and required coverages that you need in Montana to be able to drive legally.

Each time you change states for long periods of time, even if you are going to return, you have to change coverages to make sure you are adequately and legally covered. If you don’t, you could find yourself without enough coverage in the event of an accident or a cancellation if your insurance company questions your residency.

Snowbird Insurance Company Switch

Insurance companies aren’t licensed to sell insurance nationwide; they become licensed to sell insurance one state at a time. There are some insurance companies that like to stay focused on one state, like DTRIC and Bear River, where as other insurance companies become licensed in many, many more. If your insurance company doesn’t write insurance in one of the states you are travelling back and forth from you may have to get another insurance company.

Insurance Changes to Stored Cars

For those Snowbirds that store a vehicle either at their winter home or their summer home, don’t forget to make adjustments to the insurance coverage on that vehicle. Because it is being stored and staying in the same state it is insured in you won’t have to switch insurance policies or companies, just the coverages you have on the vehicle.

For a vehicle that is coming out of storage because you have returned to that location and now need it to get around, make sure your vehicle is adequately insured by talking to your insurance agent before you drive it.

When you put the car in storage for the season, it is usually safe to remove everything but the comprehensive coverage. Because you aren’t driving it around the government doesn’t require that you carry liability coverage and you generally don’t have to worry about your car colliding into anything to need the collision coverage.

However, before you remove anything talk to your insurance agent for insurance counseling that is specific to your situation and location. There are some personal cases where snowbirds can’t remove coverages, even from a stored vehicle that isn’t being driven.