Do US riders still need a Canadian Insurace Card?

[Ignacio]

Thats what the 'yellow card' is for. Nothing else. - Steve

That may be what's required of Canadian riders, but the thread is about U.S. riders. Do U.S. riders have to produce a "yellow card" or is it OK for them to produce their state issue card that very likely isn't yellow instead? If it has to be a Canadian yellow, please cite your source. Thanks.

 

[sapest]

I am sorry I was not clear. My comments have been from the US rider point of view from the start.

Canadians have proof of insurance in a form accepted in every province and territory. Its not yellow.

US citizens do not have this (somewhat) 'standardized' proof, (from a Canadian LEO point of view) and that is what the 'yellow card' is for.

(Its not always yellow either, just what the card has come to be called)

I would not comment about how acceptable a state issued card is going to be in Canada.

-Steve

 

[Ignacio]

But then I found this here

International car insurance coverageDriving in Canada

When crossing the U.S. border into Canada as a nonresident tourist, all United States-based auto insurance carriers will still cover your vehicle while you are in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs.

"The personal auto policy that you and I and everyone else in the United States has defines the coverage area as the U.S., its territories and possessions, and Canada," says Kevin Foley, a New Jersey insurance agent with PFT&K Insurance Brokers.

However, you should contact your insurance provider before your trip to obtain a "Motor Vehicle Liability Card / Canada Inter-province" insurance card, which is available at no additional charge from your insurance carrier. If you do not have the Canada-specific insurance card, you may be liable for a fine if a Canadian police officer requests your proof of insurance.

A website that's not actually an insurance company themself from 2013 that use the words "should" and "may". More echoes of a law or policy that has waned or an echoed copy and paste from an older website? I dunno. Still would be nice to find somebody purporting to be an authority or at least a consortium of insurance companies.

 

[sapest]

^^^^^

I thought my post #10 satisfies this.

See - https://www.ccir-ccrra.org/en/pau/

Again, to clarify earlier comments I have made.

I am not discussing if a US rider does or does not have insurance coverage while in the US.

The topic is 'do you need the card?' Or if I may, asked another way, what is acceptable proof of insurance that a US citizen should carry to satisfy Canadian law enforcement?

My answer is - "the 'yellow card'.

If nothing else, can we all agree that you dont need any insurance related document to cross the border?

-Steve

 

[Ignacio]

^^^^^
I thought my post #10 satisfies this.

See - https://www.ccir-ccrra.org/en/pau/

I read a lot of "cans", "generally"s, and no "shalls".....from a non-government or quasi-government agency at a BC provincial level (or maybe it was referring BC being the province that is responsible for this document)

Not exactly universal is it? Seems like another bit of material that suggests there isn't a definitive answer to this enigma.

 

[sapest]

CCIR is a federal organization.

BC handed over jurisdiction/mgmt of the process to CCIR as described on the web site in ?2000?

In BC, here is the law on non-resident 'proof of insurance' (I am pretty sure every province will be different, if for no other reason than because BC has mandatory provincial insurance)

(2) A person exempt under subsection (1.1) is also exempt for the same period, while driving or operating in British Columbia a motor vehicle set out in subsection 1 b, c, or d, from the requirements respecting the holding of a motor vehicle liability insurance card or a financial responsibility card, subject, in every case, to his or her giving the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia proof of financial responsibility under sections 106 to 113

(BC Motor Vehicle Act, Part 1, Sec 32 - 2) https://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96318_01

Sections 106 to 113 are way to long to copy here, I suspect no one would go down that road, but read them here, if you like -

https://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20M%20--/47_Motor%20Vehicle%20Act%20[RSBC%201996]%20c.%20318/00_Act/96318_02.xml

Is what US citizens get from their insurance carrier a legal in BC 'motor vehicle liability insurance card' ? I dunno, but I know a 'yellow card' is.

So why make a bad day worse by not having a yellow card if your US carrier will provide one?

-Steve

 

[Fred W]

I think the point is the insurance carriers in the US do not want to provide any special cards for Canadian travel. While it may vary company to company, they all provide a proof of insurance card of some type for the covered vehicles. In many (but not all) US states you are required to carry the card in the vehicle along with your registration papers. NH is among the few states that does not have mandatory auto insurance, so no proof is required), but I still religiously get the proof cards from my insurers. I'm thinking these proof of insurance cards from the Insurers made the "yellow cards" obsolete.

 

[RaYzerman19]

Sounds like it may vary slightly in each province. Ontario's insurer's provide pink slips called Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Cards, which you must carry and show to a LEO upon request.... definitely in an accident, maybe if stopped for a driving infraction (not always in my experience). I would only guess that most LEO's are understanding and will accept your standard insurance documentation as proof of insurance, but it should state your insurer, policy no., expiry dates, your name and the vehicles/VIN's insured, etc. If your insurer doesn't issue a special 'yellow card' then have your standard documentation with you that is proof of insurance, with your insurer's phone number handy (should be on there) in the event a LEO wants further proof, or if you have an accident.

Out of pure ignorance, I only have carried my pink slip in the US, have had the odd (ahem) 'interview' with LEO's in a couple of states and they've never asked to see it, but I volunteer it anyway.