In every Canadian province and territory, whether you are a first time driver or a senior driver, it is the law to have car insurance when you drive your vehicle. If a driver is pulled over by the police, or in a car accident, and found not to have car insurance, the ramifications can be serious. Fines can be severe, demerit points will be applied to the driver’s record, the driver’s license may be suspended or canceled, and the car may even be seized and a substantial fine may be given before one can get the car returned.
If you are involved in a car accident and you do not have car insurance, you find yourself serious financial turmoil. For instance, if another driver is seriously hurt and their car is severely damaged, you may be responsible to pay their medical costs, vehicle repairs, a new vehicle, or the driver may be awarded punitive damages. It could result in financial damages of hundreds of thousands of dollars. You will also be responsible for your own legal costs as well as the other driver’s legal costs.
As well, if you do not have insurance, you may not be able to afford to pay a lawyer to represent you if the other driver is found at fault for the accident. In some provinces there is a capped amount for the amount of compensation that one can receive. For example, in Nova Scotia, the capped amount for pain and suffering is $2,500. Pain and suffering claims are not part of claims for loss of income, medical expenses, and damage to property.
Having car insurance will protect you against financial devastation. Two important types of car insurance coverage are Liability and Collision Coverage. In Canada, liability is mandatory in every territory and province. This type of insurance covers you if another driver, another person’s property, and the other driver’s car is damaged in the event of an accident. Collision coverage will cover you if your car is damaged in an accident as the result of a collision. Collision is not mandatory in Canada but is recommended for drivers with expensive cars.
There are a number of criteria that insurance companies take into consideration when determining the insurance premium for a particular driver. Drivers with a clean driving record will pay less for their insurance because they are considered low risk compared to drivers that have a history of speeding and other traffic violations. Teen drivers are considered ‘high risk’ because they are less experienced. However, most insurance companies will offer discounts for teen drivers who maintain a specific school grade average or have taken a driver training program.
As well, there are other discounts any driver can take advantage of such as: anti theft device discount, a discount if one is a member of an auto club, multi vehicle discount, ‘green’ vehicle discount, discount for maintaining low mileage, and more. It is important to ask your insurance company what discounts they offer. As well, the make, year, and model of the car will affect the cost of insurance premiums.
Without having car insurance when driving in Canada one runs the risk of serious financial loss. It makes sense to obey the law when it comes to car insurance because the premium you pay is much lower than what you will pay if you are caught driving without it.
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