Cars that are easily damaged by de-icing salts or that lack good traction on icy roads often sit in the garage in winter. If you own multiple vehicles and leave one of those vehicles in the garage during winter months, you may be paying a lot of money in insurance costs without reaping many benefits. Some car owners choose to cancel their auto insurance during the winter and reinstate it in the spring. Depending on the circumstances, this may not be the best option. The more you understand about the way your auto insurance works, the easier it should be to decide what's best for you.

If you're not driving your car for the winter, canceling your insurance coverage could save you money in the short term, but over the long term it could cost you money. There are multiple reasons for this. To begin with, many insurance companies penalize people who don't maintain continuous coverage throughout the year. In addition, if your car were to become damaged or stolen while sitting in your garage this winter, you would have no insurance coverage to get it fixed or replaced. 

If you cancel your coverage and leave your car sitting in your garage, won't your car be covered under your homeowner's insurance?

Unfortunately, your car is not covered under your homeowner's insurance, even if it sits stationary in your garage. It is only covered under auto insurance.

Is there any way that you can reduce your insurance costs without completely canceling your auto insurance coverage?

If you're not going to drive your car over the winter, but still wish to protect your car from theft and damage, you can maintain a comprehensive auto insurance policy and cancel your liability and collision policy. Doing this will dramatically reduce your rates while still maintaining some form of insurance coverage on your car. If you choose to do this, don't forget that the car can't be driven at all until liability and collision is reinstated.

For more information about canceling your liability and collision coverage, and to find out how much money this will save you, talk to your insurance agent. He or she can help you decide if taking this kind of action makes sense for your circumstances. Your insurance agent can also help you explore any other options that may save you money this winter.

Talk to a company such as Family Insurance Centers to learn more.