Vehicle licensing and insurance

[DidUHearAboutPluto?]

Hawaii vehicle registration and insurance are abusive.
There are no allowances for low mileage driven vehicles that I can find.
I'm retired and don't commute for work.
I keep a car for getting to the towns, Pahoa (5+ mi.)  and Hilo (25 mi.) once or twice each every 2 weeks and an  older pickup for maintaining our property. The pickup has been on 180,000 miles for 8 years.
 I don't drive around the island.
Once you've seen it, you've seen it.
The cost of licensing and insurance for them is way too high compared to the use they get.

Are there any strategies available to deal with this?

Regarding your automobile insurance.  Premiums are usually rated on your age, driving history and declared usage.  If you do not drive to work, or use your vehicle in business - you should get the "pleasure" rate.  Usually that is the cheapest rate, although some carriers give credits for more than one car insured, or credits for covering both auto and homeowners or senior discounts and for seniors who have attended safe driving classes.   Your policy should show a classification code.  Mine is 81111A, which means one car,  pleasure rated and and credit for a clean driving record.

There used to be a class for farm vehicles, which was even cheaper but came with restrictions.  That may have been business insurance and not personal.

Take a look at your classification - if your carrier uses that format.  Talk to your agent or insurance company to make sure they are rating you correctly.

Good luck!

[terracore]

Several companies offer "per mile" insurance, however none of the ones I checked with offer it in Hawaii.

Between insurance and registration fees I'm paying approximately $100 per trip that I drive my truck. My average trip is 14 miles, 5 of those on private road. I thought about getting rid of it, but none of the rubbish haulers I contacted service unpaved roads. I could get a "junk guy" to do it but even if I come out slightly ahead financially its not worth the loss of independence.

I had a phone session with my agent and there was no difference in farm, commuter, or pleasure rate, nor any difference if the annual mileage was 500 or 10,000. He couldn't explain why, other than thats just how they do it in Hawaii.

[kalakoa]

thats just how they do it in Hawaii.

Might have something to do with the fact that writing policies is subject to 0.15% GET.

Now I wonder if it's possible to suspend the policy for 29 days out of 30.

[Durian Fiend]

..Are there any strategies available to deal with this?

Hey, I just thought of one that hasn't been mentioned.  

You can cheat!     Nuff said, right?  Just don't get caught, big trouble...

[AaronM]

Not really big trouble. More like a big slap on the wrist. Besides getting caught is difficult. I drove my car for over 3 years without a current reg sticker.

[eightfingers2.0]

Not really big trouble.  More like a big slap on the wrist.  Besides getting caught is difficult. I drove my car for over 3 years without a current reg sticker.

So what was it like when you eventually “got current”?

[Obie]

"So what was it like when you eventually “got current”?'

You have to pay all the back fees.

The best thing is if you have puna beater truck and drive it until you get caught.
Then you just set it on fire and report it stolen.

[Puna Grace]

OOOOH!  You could get some of those nifty plates from one of the Hawaiian Nationalist entities.  There is a newer one that has formed their own army and is attempting to negotiate a peace treaty with the occupying US military forces.  I could be wrong but it seems like the law enforcement folks let vehicles with those plates slide.

[TomK]

Sounds similar to the sovereign citizen nonsense whose "army" has gone through the youtube university of bad advice and end up being arrested. I hope people reading this thread don't follow your suggestion.

[kander]

I had expired tags for 3 plus years, got pulled over, told the cop whats the difference if I pay today or pay yesterday, or tomorrow? the taxes will still have to be paid. he looked at current insurance card and let me on my way.

I think the thing they really worry about is if you have insurance. Although, from looking at the other jalopies on the road not sure if people have insurance on them.