can you suspend your car insurance in oregon

[AnaLynn]

Yes, you can suspend your car insurance in Oregon, but only under very specific, state-regulated circumstances. Oregon law does not permit you to simply "pause" your policy to save money if you're temporarily not driving. The primary legal way to suspend coverage is by submitting an Affidavit of Non-Use to the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV). This formally declares your vehicle will not be driven or parked on public roads for a specific period.

Filing an Affidavit of Non-Use is a serious step. It requires you to surrender your vehicle's license plates and registration to the DMV. During this time, the vehicle must be stored on private property, like a garage or driveway. While this legally suspends your liability insurance requirement, it's highly risky to have a vehicle with no insurance whatsoever. A storage-only policy, which provides comprehensive coverage for events like theft, fire, or vandalism while the car is parked, is a much safer and often inexpensive alternative.

The other common scenario for suspending coverage is military deployment. If you are an active-duty service member deployed outside of Oregon, you may be eligible for a premium reduction or policy suspension upon providing deployment orders to your insurer.

Suspension Method	Key Requirements	Pros	Cons	Best For
Affidavit of Non-Use	Surrender plates to DMV; vehicle stored on private property.	Eliminates liability insurance cost.	No coverage for theft/damage; must re-register car later.	Long-term storage (e.g., classic car, overseas travel).
Storage-Only Policy	Inform insurer car will not be driven.	Maintains physical damage coverage.	Liability coverage is suspended; cannot drive legally.	Seasonal vehicles, short-term non-use.
Military Deployment	Provide official deployment orders to insurer.	Maintains continuous insurance history.	Limited to qualified active-duty personnel.	Service members on official orders.

Before taking any action, contact your insurance agent. They can explain the exact implications for your policy and help you choose the safest, most cost-effective option for your situation.

[MaxLee]

As a former insurance agent here in Portland, I always told my clients to be very careful with this. You can't just "suspend" your policy on a whim. The only surefire way is filing an Affidavit of Non-Use with the DMV, which means turning in your plates. The car can't touch a public road. Even then, I'd strongly recommend keeping a comprehensive-only "storage policy" on it. Otherwise, a tree falls on it in your driveway, and you're paying out of pocket. It's not worth the risk to have zero coverage.

[ElliottLynn]

Think of it less like suspending and more like switching to a different mode. If your car is sitting in the garage for months, you call your insurer and ask to drop everything except comprehensive coverage. This protects the car itself from damage while it's parked. You're legally off the hook for liability insurance because you're not driving, but you're not leaving a valuable asset completely unprotected. It's a simple switch that saves you money without gambling on a total loss.