The market for specialized vehicle coverage has seen a clear shift toward parking- or stationary-use insurance, often labeled as Casco in parking mode. In the first ten days of May, demand for these policies rose by 37 percent, signaling a growing concern among owners about securing vehicles during idle periods. The majority of this cover is sought by car owners, reflecting a preference for protection that aligns with the everyday risk profile of parked vehicles. The brands frequently mentioned in conversations around this coverage include BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Audi, and Volkswagen, indicating that premium and luxury models are a central focus for this type of policy.
Industry insights from Simble, a life insurance service, show a gradual uptick in popularity of parking-mode policies. A survey conducted by Simble revealed that the share of policies activated while a car is parked was 12 percent in March, climbed to 18 percent in April, and reached 24.7 percent in the first half of May. This figure represents approximately a quarter of all Casco policies issued during that window, underscoring a sustained shift in consumer behavior toward parked-car coverage. These numbers illustrate not just a trend, but a developing standard in how motorists approach risk management when their vehicles remain stationary for extended periods.
Vasily Kaluzhin, commercial director of Simble, notes that the primary driver behind securing parked-car coverage is the troubling rate of vehicle theft and the relative ease with which certain components can be removed. According to Kaluzhin, premium brands—particularly BMW and Mercedes-Benz—often lose parts such as headlights due to the parts’ high value and the ease of dismantling. Similar targeting has been reported for other luxury and premium marques, including Volkswagen, Land Rover, Porsche, and Audi, which further heightens the appeal of parking-mode insurance as a practical mitigation strategy. This perspective aligns with broader industry observations about theft patterns and the financial impact of component loss on vehicle owners.
When looking at geographic distribution, Moscow emerges as the leading market for parking-mode policies. Ekaterinburg follows, with St. Petersburg completing the top three. The Interior Ministry has warned of a potential rise in theft incidents as the market experiences a growing shortage of spare parts. This anticipated supply constraint is expected to push up the overall cost of comprehensive insurance, since insurers must account for higher repair or replacement expenses in their pricing models. In this context, parking-mode coverage offers a tangible way for drivers to hedge the financial exposure associated with extended vehicle downtime and the associated risk of specialized component theft. The dynamic described here highlights how consumer choices, theft trends, and supply chain factors converge to shape insurance demand in major Russian cities and potentially beyond, as market conditions evolve and new policy products respond to shifting risk appetites.