Snowmobiles can be a fun outdoor activity, but with great power and speed comes great responsibility. What insurance coverage will help keep you safe when you hit the trails?
Hit the trails with confidence this season!
On a crisp winter day, a big snowfall can bring everyone in the family together for outdoor activities like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.
Though your snowshoes and cross-country skis don’t require you to have liability or collision insurance, your snowmobile does. Snowmobiles are fast and powerful vehicles. They are often driven in low visibility conditions and on uncertain terrain, with multiple young passengers. This means that they can pose quite a high level of risk.
Snowmobile insurance can help to protect you from the legal and/or medical expenses associated with injuring yourself or another person while riding one of these vehicles. The proper insurance coverage will cover damage to another person's property or your belongings. You may also be able to file an insurance claim if your snowmobile is stolen or damaged when parked.
Given the high level of risk associated with these vehicles, it is important that you have the right insurance coverage before hitting the snowmobile trails. Read on to find out the basic requirements of snowmobile insurance and what policies might offer you the best value.
What Snowmobile Insurance is Required in Ontario?
The law requires that you have the following (minimum) coverages on your snowmobile.
Third Party Liability Coverage of at least $1,000,000 to protect you if another person is killed or injured, or if his or her property is damaged. If you are sued, this coverage pays claims up to the limit of your coverage, and the cost of settling the claims.
Statutory Accident Benefits Coverage to provide supplementary medical, rehabilitation, attendant care, caregiver, non-earner, income replacement, and death benefits if you are killed or injured in an accident, regardless of who caused it.
Direct Compensation – Property Damage (DCPD) Coverage to pay for damage to your vehicle and its contents, if another driver is at fault for an accident that occurs in Ontario and that driver is insured by an insurance company licensed in the province.
Uninsured Automobile Coverage to provide financial compensation for you and your family if you're injured or killed by an unidentified driver or by an uninsured motorist. It also covers damage to your vehicle caused by an identified uninsured driver, up to $25,000.
Snowmobile policy premiums are charged annually and are rated based on your average seasonal use.
What Does a Snowmobile Policy Include?
A basic snowmobile policy can include coverage for damage caused by collision with a vehicle or object. Comprehensive coverage includes all insured damage except for collision, bodily injury liability, and property damage liability.
However, you may want to get coverage for additional items such as your snowmobile accessories )like your helmets, gear and windshield), aftermarket parts, trailers (towed and transport), and more. You may also want increased liability limits and year-round coverage to protect against theft, damage, or incident in the off-season. All of these coverages are optional and are subject to a deductible if necessary.
What insurance coverage do you need for your snowmobile?
If you’re ready to hit the trails this winter, find out whether you have the right coverage for your snowmobile and let us find you the protection you need.