Snowmobile Insurance

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Why a snowmobile needs its own policy

A sled spends most of its life on a trailer, in a garage, or parked at a trailhead lot in the Sierra, and only a few months on the snow. Your car policy is built for road vehicles and your homeowners policy is built for the house, so neither is set up for an over-snow machine miles from home. A snowmobile policy names the sled, covers what it can do to other people and what can happen to it, and can be written to keep theft and fire protection in place during the off-season.

What does snowmobile insurance cover?

• Liability — injury to another rider, a skier or a snowshoer, or damage to a cabin, fence or parked car, when you or a listed rider is at fault.
• Collision — stumps and rocks hidden under fresh powder, a tree on a groomed-trail curve, a slide into a creek bed.
• Comprehensive — theft of the sled or the whole trailer from a parking lot, fire, vandalism, and storage-season losses.
• Trailer coverage — physical damage to the trailer that hauls the sleds, when added to the policy.
• Custom parts — aftermarket exhaust, tracks, skis, heated grips, GPS and racks. Ask about the cap before you buy.
• Medical payments — your own injuries and your passenger’s, regardless of fault.

What is usually not covered?

Racing and timed events, guided tours or rentals you run for money, and mechanical breakdown such as a blown belt or seized engine. Riding outside the territory the policy names can also be a problem, so if you trailer across the state line for a trip, tell us before you go.

Does a snowmobile need a DMV ID in California?

Yes. The California DMV lists snowmobiles with ATVs, trail bikes and dune buggies as off-highway vehicles that do not need regular registration but must display a DMV-issued identification plate. DMV says green ID plates are issued to snowmobiles, and a new ID plate is issued every two years at renewal. Source: California DMV, Off-Highway Vehicle Registration. The OHV identification number goes on the quote request.

Do I need a SNO-PARK permit to ride?

If you park at a California SNO-PARK lot, yes. The OHMVR Division of California State Parks runs the Winter Recreation Program, which has two parts, the Over Snow Vehicle program and the SNO-PARK lots, together with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies. The Division says the permit season runs November 1 to May 30, permits are required at every SNO-PARK location, and one permit is good at any lot. Source: California State Parks OHMVR Division, Winter Recreation. The permit covers parking only. It does not insure the sled, the trailer or your liability.

How much does snowmobile insurance cost?

It depends on the sled and how you insure the off-season. Insurers look at each sled’s model year, engine size and value, how many sleds and trailers are on the policy, who rides, where the sleds are stored, and the deductible. Some policies let you keep comprehensive only during the months the sled is parked, which changes the annual premium. We quote the whole setup, sleds and trailer together, so you see one number for the season.

What we need for a snowmobile quote

• Year, make, model, engine size and VIN for each sled, plus the DMV OHV ID number.
• The trailer’s year, make and VIN if you want it covered.
• Who rides and their license status, including teenagers.
• Where the sleds are stored in the off-season and the ZIP code.
• Add-on parts and gear, with an estimate of their value.

Insurance City is an independent brokerage in Stockton. We compare snowmobile coverage from the carriers we represent and explain the territory, storage and passenger rules in plain words. Call (209) 670-1556 or start with the form.