As winter approaches and before you hit the trails, here’s everything you need to know about snowmobile insurance.
Do you need insurance to protect yourself in case of a snowmobile accident even if you have the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec (FCMQ) card?
The FCMQ card will cover your civil liability. The Act respecting off-highway vehicles stipulates that the owner of a snowmobile, whether or not riding on a trail, must have civil liability insurance coverage of at least $1 million. This guarantees compensation for any property damage or bodily injury caused by your vehicle.
However, the FCMQ card does not cover potential damage to your snowmobile. You will therefore need to take out damage insurance with an insurer in order to enjoy full and complete coverage. After all, a collision with a tree or animal, falling into a ditch, damage to your machine, theft, and vandalism are all very real risks.
Can you insure a snowmobile without adding civil liability?
Civil liability is mandatory coverage that can be provided by your insurance policy or by the FCMQ. As mentioned earlier, the minimum for an insurance policy is $1 million. It’s also the level of coverage provided by the FCMQ trail card.
That said, some firms will agree to remove the civil liability portion, but others will refuse in order not to expose parties to a lack of insurance.
What does having civil liability insurance on my snowmobile mean for me?
Under the Civil Code of Québec, a person’s civil liability is based on their general duty to conduct themselves properly and assume responsibility for any damage caused by them to any person or property.
Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) pays compensation for injuries sustained in snowmobile accidents in only a few specific situations. By using a snowmobile, you could cause damage to other people or property and then be held responsible. That’s why you need civil liability insurance that protects you against bodily injury and property damage not covered by SAAQ.
Let’s look at an example. During the holiday season, you go snowmobiling and accidentally injure another snowmobiler. The other snowmobiler could sue you for damages to cover loss of income, medical and other costs incurred, as well as moral damages, including suffering.
In a nutshell, civil liability covers you for any damage caused to third parties or objects, in this case in a snowmobile accident. Your civil liability ensures that the other party involved will be compensated.
