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Does a policyholder need to obtain a Canadian ID card to use their motorcycle or snowmobile in Canada? The answer is an emphatic  YES.

Contrary to what many think, Canadian specific insurance cards are required when any motorcycle or snowmobile is used, or even transported in a trailer, in Canada. This insurance card is used as evidence of insurance coverage if a traveler is stopped by enforcement officials or involved in an accident in Canada. Without it, the traveler may be fined for driving without adequate insurance.

Why are special cards needed for a Canadian trip?

U.S. insurers must file with Canadian authorities a Power of Attorney and Undertaking (PAU), in which the company agrees to certain conditions. One of these conditions is to meet the minimum third-party liability limits required in the province or territory where the accident took place (in most Canadian jurisdictions, the compulsory third-party liability limit is C$200,000; Nova Scotia is C$500,000). Companies which have filed a PAU can then order and issue a Canadian ID Card to their insureds for driving into Canada.

Here are a few additional FAQs

Can Canadian ID Cards display “any owned vehicle”?
Canadian ID cards must be vehicle specific.

Can Canadian ID Cards be filled out by hand?
The card must be in a typed format, and can not be handwritten.

Where can producers get Canadian ID cards?
The card must come from the carrier insuring the client, and are not interchangeable from company to company.