Insuring Your ATV | Lawrie Insurance Group

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is an off-road vehicle often used for fun and recreation. But, with the thrills come major safety risks.

Weighing more than 600 pounds, ATVs have large, powerful engines that allow them to reach speeds of 110 km/h or more. They can be unstable and hard to control, particularly at high speeds. They have no roll bars, safety cages, or seatbelts. And with a high centre of gravity, they can tip easily, throw riders and passengers off, or even roll over on top of riders.

Each province has its own definition of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) but those definitions are all relatively similar. Most consider any motorized vehicle with two or more wheels meant for off-road driving to be an ATV. They aren’t intended, nor are they licensed by provinces, for use on highways or roads.

There are no federal regulations or age limits when it comes to riding ATVs. Instead, each province has its own guidelines and laws. Most require ATV riders to be 16 years old and all provinces require the use of a helmet while driving.

Is ATV insurance required?

Unlike auto insurance, not all provinces require you carry insurance on your ATV. However, many provinces, including BC, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, require liability coverage if you are using your ATV on public land, in provincial parks, or in public parks. Additionally, you may be required to purchase certain coverage if you are financing your all–terrain vehicle.

How and where you ride your ATV determines the type of insurance and how much off-the-road protection coverage you’ll need. Whether you ride your ATV every day or occasionally on the weekends, accidents can happen at any time.

ATV insurance works similarly to auto insurance. Because ATVs can be risky — for the riders, passengers, and those around them — your ATV insurance is designed to help cover the costs associated with a mishap or incident, as well as theft. This type of insurance helps you recover financially so that repairs, injuries, and even lawsuits don’t end up costing more than you can manage out of pocket.

ATV coverage options

You can enjoy riding your ATV knowing you’re covered with these insurance coverage options:

Damage to the vehicle: Collision and comprehensive coverage helps pay for physical damage to your ATV if for example, you hit a tree, rock or a fence. You will be responsible for paying your deductible and collision coverage will help pay the rest. It also helps provide coverage for scratches, dents and other cosmetic damage to your ATV sustained in a covered accident.

Liability: Liability insurance offers bodily injury and property damage coverage to help pay for injuries to people or damage to property caused by a covered accident.

Accident benefits: Accident benefits are triggered by the injury or death of the driver or passengers in an off-road vehicle accident, regardless of who is at fault in the accident. The amounts paid vary from province to province.

Want even more protection? You can customize your ATV policy by adding more coverage. Optional coverage youcan get for your ATV can include:

Increased limits of liability
Equipment coverage, including towable trailers or sleds made for use with an ATV
Roadside assistance

Put safety first

ATVs can be a lot of fun, but you need to make sure they’re properly insured. What’s the worst that could happen? As it turns out, quite a lot. Just sitting in your garage, your ATV is at risk of being damaged by fire, falling objects, and other uncontrollable events. In addition, all-terrain vehicles carry a high theft rate.

Of course, there are even more dangers when you’re at the wheel. You could damage your ATV in a rollover, injure yourself in an accident, damage someone else’s property or even injure someone while riding.

Your helmet may protect your life, but your insurance protects your finances. Contact your insurance broker to help you determine the coverage you need to safeguard yourself and your vehicle.