"Proof of Insurance" For crossing into Canada

[SacramentoMike]

Thanks for bringing this up. I had no idea.I just spoke to my son in Boulder, CO. He told me that a proof of insurance card is the norm there.

Since I'm planning a ride to Montreal in July, I will ask my insurance company for the card.

Those crazy Canadians. You need a checklist to help you out. They make sure you have all this stuff right at the border crossing. Don't forget anything. Here you go:

1. Canadian proof of insurance card? Check

2. Passport? Check

3. Handgun? Check

 

[FJRGuy]

My insurance company sent me a printed "Canadian Non-resident Inter-provincial Motor Vehicle Liability Card"

That's the one. No one is going to ask for it unless you have an accident. If you do have an accident, you better have one! It's free, get it. And BTW, they almost always are dated for the same dates as your policy, so getting the card once isn't enough, you need to ask for a new one every time you renew your policy. Check the dates before your next trip across the border, eh!

This is the a partially correct answer!!!

You will almost certainly be asked for your "Driver's Licence, Registration AND Insurance" if you get stopped by our Leos. It is against the law not to have your proof of insurance with you in/on a motor vehicle on any public highway/roadway in Canada, and it carries a pretty stiff fine not to have it.

Do any Canadians know if we have the same requirement when biking in the States? I do quite a bit of riding south of the border and I've never heard of a similar US requirement. I've never thought to ask before now.

I don't think there is the same issue the other way as all Canadians are required to have an insurance card anyway.

 

[user 213]

This is the a partially correct answer!!!
You will almost certainly be asked for your "Driver's Licence, Registration AND Insurance" if you get stopped by our Leos. It is against the law not to have your proof of insurance with you in/on a motor vehicle on any public highway/roadway in Canada, and it carries a pretty stiff fine not to have it.

Pay no attention to the silly Canuk. Canadians get asked for proof of Ins. in Canada, US residents usually don't. (thought you could) DAMHIK

Do any Canadians know if we have the same requirement when biking in the States? I do quite a bit of riding south of the border and I've never heard of a similar US requirement. I've never thought to ask before now.

I don't think there is the same issue the other way as all Canadians are required to have an insurance card anyway.

Don't get out much, eh? You will get asked for proof of Ins. in states that require it, regardless of your country of origin. And that will require proof of US insurance. If your Canadian Ins. card specifies it's good in the US, you're golden. Since Canadian Ins. is all the same government company, (please correct me if I'm wrong on this), it's possible that all Canadian policies cover US driving too, but I don't know that and am not sure a local LEO would either.

 

[Bearly Flying]

Since Canadian Ins. is all the same government company

Pay no attention to the silly Merican..... Probably stayed up all night in the Parking Lot...... Again.

While some Provinces do have Gov't Insurance, Not All do. Alberta is Private Insurance Companies.

 

[FastJoyRide]

This is the a partially correct answer!!!
You will almost certainly be asked for your "Driver's Licence, Registration AND Insurance" if you get stopped by our Leos. It is against the law not to have your proof of insurance with you in/on a motor vehicle on any public highway/roadway in Canada, and it carries a pretty stiff fine not to have it.

Pay no attention to the silly Canuk. Canadians get asked for proof of Ins. in Canada, US residents usually don't. (thought you could) DAMHIK

Do any Canadians know if we have the same requirement when biking in the States? I do quite a bit of riding south of the border and I've never heard of a similar US requirement. I've never thought to ask before now.

I don't think there is the same issue the other way as all Canadians are required to have an insurance card anyway.

Don't get out much, eh? You will get asked for proof of Ins. in states that require it, regardless of your country of origin. And that will require proof of US insurance. If your Canadian Ins. card specifies it's good in the US, you're golden. Since Canadian Ins. is all the same government company, (please correct me if I'm wrong on this), it's possible that all Canadian policies cover US driving too, but I don't know that and am not sure a local LEO would either.

Had a very funny incident when I was driving my darling wife's van in Iowa last March - seems the oficer's radar gun needing calibrating or sumpin...

Anywho - we get to the ownership and proof of insurance document thing and I produce the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia docs (which are both) - and which the officer had obviously never seen an example of before. So after a lot of head-scratching and radioing back to headquarters he comes back to the window of the van and returns the docs - and my speeding ticket. :angry2:

As Sylvia is putting the stuff back in the glove compartment she says, why are the papers for your Duramax pickup in my van, and where are my papers!? Turns out I had renewed both vehicles the same day and put the wrong ones in each vehicle - 10 months earlier! I'm sure that would have been expensive if the officer had been able to read the documents!

I have never seen a Canadian proof of insurance card that doesn't clearly state (in size .005 font) that the insurance is valid in Canada and the US (as we all know the Mexicans require you to buy local coverage).

As a gentle correction to Eric, not all Canadian auto insurance is written by provincial government-owned monopolies - just in the provinces of BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. All other provinces have a private and competitive market - including a lot of US companies licenced to do business in Canada.

On the flip side, I have read in previous threads that some US FJR owners have been shocked upon contacting their insurer to discover that their policy does not cover for Canada - but I have to think this would be rare, and probably smaller local insurers with operations nowhere near the US/Canada border?

In summary - Canadians don't need to sweat it as we all must carry our proof of insurance and ownership by law in every province. But our Southern brethren and sistren will need proof of insurance and vehicle ownership papers to ride in Canada - even if you don't need to have them to ride at home.

 

[user 213]

See! This is what's so fun about the forum. We get to learn new things and poke fun at each other. :clapping:

Bottom line for the USinans, talk to your agent and get that card, or arrange to add that insurance to your plan. For Canadians, double check that your insurance papers are the right ones for that vehicle :dribble: and clearly state US coverage.

I can see some US LEO in a bad mood citing for no insurance if your Canadian Ins. form didn't actually specify. That would suck in some states where it results in immediate impoundment of the vehicle and a big fine. Sure, you'd eventually get it sorted out, but it would make for a sucky trip experience.

 

[airboss]

Just got off the phone.

Dairyland didn't say that their US issued insurance card was not valid in Canada, but they are sending me a card for Canada at no cost to me.

Figured I had better check it out after the talk of LEOs requesting to see proof of insurance.

After all the kilo numbers on US speedometers are kind of small and these eyes aren't getting any younger.