Snowmobile Insurance

Snowmobile Insurance in Ontario

In the True North, it makes sense to have a winter hobby that gets you out and about during the winter months—and there's nothing quite like jumping on your snowmobile and leaving fresh tracks in a smooth, sparkling blanket of snow. Ontario has some of the most picturesque snowmobile trails in Canada. In fact, there are more than 30,000 kilometers of interconnected, uncongested trails in Ontario that are just waiting for you and your snowmobile. But snowmobiling isn't without risks. Like any type of motorized vehicle, there's a chance that you could be injured or damage your snowmobile—or injure someone else or damage their property. Whether you are sledding around your house or going on a long trek in a well-treed winter wonderland, make sure you are properly insured by speaking with the experienced outdoor recreation insurance experts at Morison Insurance.

Much like regular auto insurance, Ontario snowmobile insurance offers protection against liability claims and lawsuits that may arise from your use of your snowmobile, so you don't have to pay for legal costs and medical expenses out of your own pocket. It also supports you in the event that you are injured or your snowmobile is damaged by helping to cover your own medical or funeral expenses or covering the cost of repair or replacement for your snowmobile.

What is Snowmobile Insurance?

With snowmobile insurance, you and your snowmobile are protected against potential damage and liabilities. Snowmobile insurance also covers bodily harm sustained to the driver and other individuals in the event of an accident. Types of coverage can include collision coverage, bodily injury liability coverage or property damage liability coverage. Your snowmobile is an important asset, and as a mobile machine, it's vulnerable to damage—while at the same time, the driver and passengers are also susceptible to injury. Ontario snowmobile insurance helps owners mitigate damage to their own property or others' property, or deal with injury to themselves or to third parties.

Who Needs Snowmobile Insurance?

Snowmobile insurance in Ontario is legally required if the vehicle leaves the owner's property. With snowmobile insurance, you can protect yourself from any liabilities that may arise in the event of an accident. Without insurance, you could be liable for thousands of dollars in damages and medical expenses of anyone that may be involved in the misfortune. Snowmobile insurance allows you the freedom to enjoy your outdoor experience without holding back.

Who Is Eligible for Snowmobile Insurance in Ontario?

Almost anyone who has a license to legally operate a snowmobile can be eligible for Ontario snowmobile insurance. That includes people aged 12 to 15 who have a motorized snow vehicle operator license and those over 16 years of age with a valid driver's license. However, the eligibility of each individual will be assessed based on factors such as their past claims history and how they choose to use their snowmobile. For example, racing is not an activity that is covered under a typical snowmobile insurance policy.

What is Included in Ontario Snowmobile Insurance Coverage?

The minimum snowmobile coverage that is required for Ontario snowmobile insurance includes liability coverage, accident benefits, direct compensation property damage and uninsured automobile coverage. However, those are only the minimum—you will likely want to include optional coverages on your policy as well, such as collision or upset, comprehensive and more. Here is more information on the coverage options for snowmobile insurance in Ontario.

Snowmobile Insurance: Liability Coverage

Third-party liability insurance protects you from financial losses in the event that you cause injury to someone else or damage their property in an at-fault accident. In situations where you are liable for injury, death or property damage, your liability insurance covers medical fees along with repair or replacement for the damaged items. It also covers your legal defence costs should the other person file a lawsuit against you. There are two main types of third-party liability coverage for Ontario snowmobile insurance:

• Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: If you cause injury to another person in an at-fault snowmobile accident, this coverage will help to pay medical expenses to treat their injuries.
• Property Damage Liability Coverage: If you get into an at-fault accident and cause damage to someone else's property, this coverage prevents you from having to pay for repairs or a replacement out of your pocket.

Snowmobile Insurance: Accident Benefits

Accident benefit coverages are a mandatory part of your Ontario snowmobile insurance policy that protect you or your estate from paying for various costs you may incur after being injured in a snowmobile accident. That includes the cost of your medical treatment and rehabilitation, as well as funeral expenses. It also includes payments in the event of death or if you lose income because you're unable to work. There is also enhanced accident benefits coverage for all of the above circumstances.

Snowmobile Insurance: Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD)

If your snowmobile is damaged and you are not at fault, direct compensation property damage is what will get your sled up and running again—or get it replaced entirely so you can hit the trails again. Because you deal directly with your own insurer to get compensation for the damage, the claims process is much simpler and usually faster as well. Don't let someone else's poor judgement or lack of skill take you off the snow for an entire season or even longer than that because you didn't have this important mandatory Ontario snowmobile insurance coverage. In some cases, you may be able to recover a percentage of repair costs if you are partially at fault for the accident.

Snowmobile Insurance: Uninsured Automobile Coverage

No matter how careful you are, and how many years of experience you have, you don't know who else is out there on the trails with you, and there's no way to control someone else's bad decisions or lack of foresight. What happens if you or your passenger are injured in a collision, and the person at fault is uninsured or an unidentified driver who committed a hit and run? That's when your uninsured automobile coverage kicks in. Your own insurer will compensate you with payments for medical expenses or funeral costs, and may also cover certain types of damage to your snowmobile.

Snowmobile Insurance: Collision or Upset Coverage

Collision and upset coverage is an optional addition to your snowmobile insurance policy that protects you against having to pay the cost of repair or replacement when your snowmobile is damaged in a collision with another vehicle or an object such as a tree. It also covers an "upset," which is when your snowmobile tips or rolls over and suffers damage. For example, if you were getting ready to head off and backed into another snowmobile or skidded into a tree, those situations would qualify for collision coverage. If you skid too hard or attempt to traverse a steep slope and your sled tips over and lands upside down, that's a scenario that qualifies for upset coverage to get it repaired.

Snowmobile Insurance: Comprehensive Coverage

But what if your snowmobile is damaged in some way other than a collision or upset? Comprehensive covers you in the event that your snowmobile suffers damage that's not related to an accidental collision or upset. That may include situations such as hitting wildlife on a trail, being hit by a falling object such as a tree branch, or even windshield damage from flying projectiles like pebbles. It also covers fire, lightning strikes and some other harsh weather conditions, along with theft and vandalism.

Snowmobile Insurance: Family Protection Coverage

Family protection coverage is a complementary addition to your Ontario snowmobile insurance policy that applies in a situation where you are injured in an accident and the at-fault driver is underinsured or unidentified. It essentially ensures that you or your family member will have full insurance protection so you are able to claim the difference between the at-fault driver's liability limit and the amount specified on your policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does Snowmobile Insurance in Ontario Cost?

Understandably, you want to know the price of Ontario snowmobile insurance upfront so you can budget for it. However, there are so many potential variables for your policy, there's just no way for us to give you a remotely accurate snowmobile insurance cost quote without knowing more about your particular needs and circumstances. Once you've spoken with a Morison Insurance broker, we can get started on finding the best possible snowmobile insurance coverage for you. The cost of your premiums will be influenced by factors such as:

• Driver's age
• Years of experience
• Past claims history
• Value of snowmobile
• Type of engine

Here is a range of how much you can expect to pay for your snowmobile.

Do I Need a Standalone Snowmobile Insurance Policy or Can I Bundle It With Home or Auto?

Both standalone and bundled are good choices for insurance when it comes to your snowmobile coverage. If you prefer a standalone policy for Ontario snowmobile insurance, or it happens to be the option that makes the most sense for your particular insurance needs, it's a perfectly valid choice. Bundling your snowmobile insurance with your home or auto insurance policy is also possible, and you may get a small discount by avoiding the standalone surcharge. But the choice of whether to go with a standalone or a bundle should come down to what offers the best coverage. Not sure what to do? Consult with a knowledgeable broker at Morison Insurance who can determine the best course of action to make sure you have all the snowmobile insurance coverage you need.

Can I Get Snowmobile Insurance That's Only Active During the Winter?

It makes sense to ask—while the Canadian winter can be notoriously long, it doesn't last forever and you can't use your snowmobile throughout the summer or during most of spring and autumn. Despite the fact that it's a winter-specific machine, snowmobile insurance in Ontario is issued on yearly policies, so they can't be cancelled in the spring and renewed again in the fall.

Do I Need Snowmobile Insurance If I Only Use It on My Own Property?

You are not required to have snowmobile insurance in Ontario as long as the registered owner of the snowmobile is driving only on their own private property. To be clear, the person driving the snowmobile must be the owner of the property it is being driven on. If you are riding around on your acreage and decide to take a shortcut back to your house via the shoulder of a public road, for example, that is not permitted without snowmobile insurance. Here's another scenario—say your cousin comes over for a visit and asks if he can take your snowmobile out for a ride. Even if he is careful to stay on your property, that is not permitted because the snowmobiler is not the property owner.

Where Can I Drive My Insured Snowmobile?

You can legally drive an insured snowmobile on your property or someone else's private property (with their permission, of course), on private trails belonging to organizations that have issued you a valid trail permit, or alongside public roads on the unplowed part of the road shoulder. You may not drive your snowmobile on the pavement of public roads or on the plowed shoulder.

Where Can I Get Ontario Snowmobile Insurance?

Contact the snowmobile insurance experts at Morison Insurance. We will ensure that you and your snowmobile are properly protected so that you can have peace of mind while on the trails. Contact us at 1-800-463-8074 or start by filling out the form on our website to get a snowmobile insurance quote. You'll be glad you did!

This content is written by our Morison Insurance team. It is provided for general information only. Insurance needs differ from person to person, and this article is therefore not a substitute for professional advice about your individual insurance needs which can be obtained by speaking to one of our brokers.