Each insurance company can define a "garaged vehicle" differently based on their guidelines and policy terms. How an insurance provider defines garaged vehicle should described in each individual policy.

In general though an insured will classify a car as a “garaged auto” if it is stored in a garage at night. This means not parked in the driveway or street but in an actual garage. Knowing if a car is garaged may make a difference in your risk to your insurance company for having a vehicle stolen or other rating factors.

Some auto insurance policies, typically classic car ones, here and in the UK stipulate that the vehicle must be garaged for certain coverages to be maintained. This type of policy will normally say that when your vehicle is not in use, it must be kept in a fully enclosed and locked garage (carports, temporary garages). Zip up garages and covered vehicles kept outside are not acceptable as being a garaged auto.

Sometimes an insurance company will speak about where a vehicle is garaged. When referring to "being garaged" an insurance carrier typically means the address and location of where the car is kept, it does not necessarily in this context mean the car is actually in a garage. For instance a car insurance application may ask for the address for billing and also ask if that is also the garage location of the vehicle.

If your insurance policy speaks of a garaged vehicles or garaged location see if it also defines this term anywhere in the policy or even online on your insurance provider's website, if they have one.

For example Esurance defines garaging location as where your insured car is parked most of the time. This location is usually indicated by the ZIP Code of the policyholder's primary residence. With Esurance or other carriers if you keep your car in a town other than the one you live you would need to notify them of this fact. Your garaging location will affect your auto insurance rates usually.

To find out what a garaged vehicle means to your insurance company read through your policy and then speak to your agent if you need to seek clarification.

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