Keeping a car registered but not insured?

[ar0ck]

So I found out I may be leaving the state sooner then I originally thought and I am looking to un-insure my Camaro soon for the rest of the year and a few months into next year to save some money, but the only thing I'm unsure of is keeping my personalized license plate. So before I call the DMV on Monday and spend hours on hold has anyone had experience with doing this before?

My insurance agent explained to me that I have to turn in the plates for the Camaro, but I recently got my custom ones over the summer and don't particularly want to turn them in and have to do it all over again when I return in June. My residence will still be in Jersey when I return in June, but I‘ll still be out of the state for the rest of the year. He also said that if I do keep them, when I go to re-insure the Camaro the DMV will send me a fine in the mail when the car pops back up insured, but I haven't been able to find out how much that fine is and if it’s worth just paying just to hold onto my plates.

So what else is there to do?

I don’t really pay much for the Camaro a year to begin with, but I get a multi-car discount with my daily driver that my parents will be using while I’m away. I just don’t want to go through the hassle of ordering new plates.

[JL8Jeff]

I'd keep it insured. What happens if it gets detroyed over the next 10 months by something weather related or a fire or something?

[maroman88]

i never heard about having to turn the plates in to cancel the insurance, thatd be like if u sold a car, u would have to turn in the plates before taking it off insurance... and i have plates off of plenty of old cars lol

[Firebird67dude]

registration cant be that much to make u cry about it. You payed the insurance already so its money spent already, unless ur policy is up sometime soon and time to pay again.

[JL8Jeff]

Originally Posted by maroman88

i never heard about having to turn the plates in to cancel the insurance, thatd be like if u sold a car, u would have to turn in the plates before taking it off insurance... and i have plates off of plenty of old cars lol

If you drop insurance, I think it cancels the registration now. That's why the insurance company tells dmv you've cancelled the insurance. When I sold my Tacoma the insurance company mentioned that they contact dmv and the plates need to be handed in.

[Firebird67dude]

ah news to me.

[camaro2you]

If you drop insurance they will notify state and state will make you turn in your plates and bring in reg card. If this is not done in x amount of days of being notified your license will be suspended......f this state.

[ar0ck]

I'm just voicing my options out loud. Its not a matter of registration, just the hastle of getting the plates back. Insurance isn't much either but I do pay monthly, and although I'm dropping the motorcycle off for the year (which is the most expensive) a little extra money didn't hurt. I still have student loans to pay for and even when I do defer them for 6 months, they don't go away and have to be taken care of.

[bandit88]

i know if your car is no insured and something on the property happens to it..... the home owners won't pay for it
at least thats with my parents home owners

[procamaroz28]

i do that all the time i always park my car in garage over the winter uninsured and plates are still on and active but it dont really matter since its not being driven...

[The Fixer]

Alex, I believe personalized plates are different. They cannot be re-assigned unless it's over 2 or 3 years, so you wouldn't have to worry about someone else applying for your combo while you're gone. Besides, you technically own those plates - you paid the state $50 to make them for you. When I got my new personalized plates for the Monte (to replace my 1SS2NV plates) I called the DMV and they said I could keep them.

Edit: I also agree with Jeff. I think you should keep it insured - you never know what can happen. Call your agent, tell them you're leaving for Basic and will not be able to drive the car for several months, and see what they'll do for you.

[iroc86NJ]

I don't remember all the details but, when i was building up my camaro i contacted the insurance company and inquired if i could suspend my insurance for a few months. They gave me the same story they gave you, cancel the insurance and you have to hand in your plates.

However, the agent gave me the option of removing the liability insurance and switching to a "storage" policy that would allow me to keep the plates. The storage policy, iirc, was more expensive then the liability.

[ar0ck]

Originally Posted by iroc86NJ

I don't remember all the details but, when i was building up my camaro i contacted the insurance company and inquired if i could suspend my insurance for a few months. They gave me the same story they gave you, cancel the insurance and you have to hand in your plates.

However, the agent gave me the option of removing the liability insurance and switching to a "storage" policy that would allow me to keep the plates. The storage policy, iirc, was more expensive then the liability.

Which insurance do you have? I currently have 3 vehicles under State Farm, and I'm switching my full coverage for my R6, to a dirt bike for the winter...

[NastyEllEssWon]

lol its been 3 years since dmv asked me for proof of insurance to register a vehicle.

[sweetbmxrider]

Originally Posted by maroman88

i never heard about having to turn the plates in to cancel the insurance, thatd be like if u sold a car, u would have to turn in the plates before taking it off insurance... and i have plates off of plenty of old cars lol

i made nj on my wall with all of the old plates i have


you should be able to register the old plates again. its like seeing newer cars with blue plates, people hold on to them.

you can't change the coverage to limited use or something similar so its still insured if something happened?

[Savage_Messiah]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

you should be able to register the old plates again. its like seeing newer cars with blue plates, people hold on to them.

I keep telling my dad his are beat, get new ones... he says no cuz he already has these memorized and doesn't want to have to memorize new ones

[Frosty]

Here in PA once the personalized plates are turned in, stolen or whatever that's it, no more plate for you. Not sure if NJ is different.

I'd keep the car insured, you never know what can happen.

[jims69camaro]

technically, if you drop the insurance then the plates must be turned in. in practice, however, as long as the registration is paid for*, then you can keep the plates on the vehicle while it is in storage. there is also an option with most major carriers for "storage insurance", but you'd have to talk with your agent.

*i kept the plates once, but did not renew the registration. two years passed and i was ready to register the plates again. they only charged me for the registration for those two years, which i would have normally paid if i had kept the registration up. so there was no penalty. now, i am not advocating this, i am just passing along what i observed as a personal experience.

[ShitOnWheels]

I've known someone who had his car impounded because he uninsured the car but didn't turn in his personalized plates (he wasn't in the car with the personalized plates)...his license was suspended because he didn't turn in the plates.

When he was pulled over, his license was suspended at like 8am that morning, and pulled over at like 9am that same morning. So he had NO idea that they had suspended the license. Still had to impound his car. When he went to court to fight it, the judge was actually contemplating throwing him in jail, until they sorted it all out with the cops and prosecutor and realized that he never would have known about the suspension before being pulled over.

I realize, Alex, that you won't be around for a while, but I wouldn't take the chance. Keep liability only on the car at least, garage it, and be able to keep the plates and drive the car as soon as you are home for leave.

[12secondv6]

I'm the person in genie's post.

My v6 bird had "12secv6" plates on it. I blew the motor on the bird just as I finished up my 72 chevelle. I decided not to turn the personalizedplates in because I intended on replacing the motor after the summer.

So, I was out in the chevelle and was pulled over for loud exhaust on a monday morning at 9 am. The officer was extremely nice to me. He advised that my license was suspended. I had not recieved any notification in the mail and my driver's license was clean (no points) so I was shocked. The officer wasn't able to explain why it was suspended.

So, he impouned my chevelle as I was out driving.... with a suspended license.

I went to the dmv and inquired why my license was suspended. The person advised that I hadn't turned in my plates. I explained that I just got plates so I was very confused. I advised her that I had two cars - 72 chevelle with plate XXXXXX and a 97 bird with plate "12secv6." She said I hadn't turned my 12secv6 plates in - i confirmed that I had them at home on the car but because i blew the engine i took it off insurance. She explained that they pay more attention to personalized plates - if you take them off insurance then you must turn the plates in ASAP.

She advised that the system reflected that my license was suspended at 8 AM that monday morning and a letter is in the mail. She confirmed that there was no way I would have known about the suspension yet.

I went home, got the plates, went back to dmv and turned them in, she gave me a reciept for turning the plates in, and reinstated my license.

I went back to the pd - gave them all the paperwork and explained what happened - office was really cool and said come to court and he would take care of me and drop the charges. I went to the impound lot and paid to get my chevelle out.

I wasted an entire day because of personalized plates.

Now, fast forward to the court date. I showed up, saw the officer and talked with him - he said don't worry about it - everything would be taken care of. So, judge called me up, he asked if I pled innocent or guilty - i said guilty - judge rambled off all the potential things that could happen (loss of license, jail time, XXXX amount of money etc). He asked me again if I wanted to plead guilty - I said yes. The officer had been pulled outside just before I was called out. So, the judge told me I would lose my license for 6 months, be sent to jail for 3 days, pay several thousand in court costs etc. I panicked and told the officer it was just regarding not turning in personailized plates - judge said it doesn't matter. I told the judge I need to speak with the officer of which he agreed.

At this point, several people in the court room were shocked as I would be going to jail because of plates.

I found the cop, told him what the judge was doing and I was freaking out.

Cop said he would look into it. He spoke with DMV, confirmed that the letter went out at 8 am - i was pulled over at 9 am - there was no way I would have known - I went to dmv that day and sorted everything out etc.

Cop spoke with judge - I just had to pay like 30 or 40 bux for court costs.

Cop was cool
Judge was an @sshole\

Moral of story.... turn in your personalized plates IMMEDIATELY if you take it off the road and cancel insurance

[Z28 Heritage]

Originally Posted by 12secondv6

I'm the person in genie's post.

**Insert long story here**

Moral of story.... turn in your personalized plates IMMEDIATELY if you take it off the road and cancel insurance

Wow that is one Fed up story you have there buddy.

[The Fixer]

Damn James, that's some crazy stuff! The only reason I can think of why they never wanted my old plates, is that I always had insurance on the cars. That's really bizarre.

[gotmudnj]

that now changes my mind on personlized plates i pay extra 50 plus now a headache if i drop insurance nice...f that idea..