Anyone riding in Canada on (cheap) US insurance? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone riding in Canada on (cheap) US insurance?

Given how U-Haul operates, I don't think that this can be true (all their vehicles are US plated)
They have fleet agreements that ensure the resident percentage of their resident fleet is registered in Canada, so about 1 in 25 will have Canadian plates, mostly Alberta.
 
With the surprising high number of ny, fl and az plates I see driving around, my guess is saving money while ignoring insurance fraud and its implications....
This year is different, lots of Canadian snowbirds own cars in the USA. They normally leave them in the US, but this year many drove them home.

The have 6 months to return to the US otherwise the may have insurance issues.
 
This year is different, lots of Canadian snowbirds own cars in the USA. They normally leave them in the US, but this year many drove them home.

The have 6 months to return to the US otherwise the may have insurance issues.
They have also unwittingly illegally imported them and are illegally driving them. Not good if something goes wrong.

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They have also unwittingly illegally imported them and are illegally driving them. Not good if something goes wrong.

Sent from my moto g(8) plus using Tapatalk
I was thinking about that. It is an interesting problem. You aren't allowed to take them back due to border restrictions but you aren't allowed to keep them here either. Maybe it will end up the same as plate stickers with a punt roughly equal to the length of time the border was closed. If I had a vehicle like that, I would be looking for some policy in writing so I didn't get screwed. You can't legally import it at this point so you can't get canadian plates and insurance but your US insurance will probably be void because you were out for too long.
 
I was thinking about that. It is an interesting problem. You aren't allowed to take them back due to border restrictions but you aren't allowed to keep them here either. Maybe it will end up the same as plate stickers with a punt roughly equal to the length of time the border was closed. If I had a vehicle like that, I would be looking for some policy in writing so I didn't get screwed. You can't legally import it at this point so you can't get canadian plates and insurance but your US insurance will probably be void because you were out for too long.
Except they were never legally allowed to be here but most people don't know that. If you are Canadian you cannot drive a car you own across the border into Canada if it is registered in the US.

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Except they were never legally allowed to be here but most people don't know that. If you are Canadian you cannot drive a car you own across the border into Canada if it is registered in the US.

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But if you were american and brought the car over, does the six month clock still apply? It's a mess in every direction.
 
If you are Canadian you cannot drive a car you own across the border into Canada if it is registered in the US.

I was under the impression that this only applies if Canada is officially your main residence. If you are legally resident in the US (green card, visa, dual citizenship, etc.) then you can drive a US plated car in Canada without issue but within limits, just as a US citizen can. Is this not true?
 
I was under the impression that this only applies if Canada is officially your main residence. If you are legally resident in the US (green card, visa, dual citizenship, etc.) then you can drive a US plated car in Canada without issue but within limits, just as a US citizen can. Is this not true?
This.
 
@Scuba Steve can you explain more please?...my step kids have dual citizenship (Canadian and American) but they currently live in Florida...the one son is planning on moving here next summer once he's finished university with his girlfriend...he just purchased a new to him vehicle and it's obviously plated and insured in Florida for now...does that mean if he moves here he can't bring his car with him?...do you know where I can find this in writing so I can show hubby?...TIA
 
@Scuba Steve can you explain more please?...my step kids have dual citizenship (Canadian and American) but they currently live in Florida...the one son is planning on moving here next summer once he's finished university with his girlfriend...he just purchased a new to him vehicle and it's obviously plated and insured in Florida for now...does that mean if he moves here he can't bring his car with him?...do you know where I can find this in writing so I can show hubby?...TIA
I will look later for the exact details but car will have to be declared and taxes paid on it before the border and imported properly otherwise it could be seized if he tries to enter the usa with it again.

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@ifiddles your step son will be fine he just needs to import his vehicle through registar of imported vehicles program. www.riv.ca has all the details and steps. He will need to pay taxes on it and also duty if the vehicle in question wasn’t made in North America.

Couple thoughts. If it’s financed that’s a problem. He will need to pay the loan out well in advance to receive the title which he needs in his hands at both U.S. Customs as he comes across and the MTO after he goes through the RIV process.
Second with the current exchange rate it may make more sense just to sell the vehicle there and buy something else once he gets here.
 
@Scuba Steve can you explain more please?...my step kids have dual citizenship (Canadian and American) but they currently live in Florida...the one son is planning on moving here next summer once he's finished university with his girlfriend...he just purchased a new to him vehicle and it's obviously plated and insured in Florida for now...does that mean if he moves here he can't bring his car with him?...do you know where I can find this in writing so I can show hubby?...TIA
My canadian brother and his american wife moved from USA to canada almost two years ago. Black Camaro got the important bits correct although IIRC there is some program where you can bring one vehicle without paying the tax if you lived in the us for x years and are moving back to canada.

FWIW they wouldnt do it again. Way too much hassle and associated costs (pay off loan in full, toyota are aholes (wouldnt enable drl's so they had to install aux led drl's, made them pay a bunch for required recall clearance letter), inspection (and associated extortion because the shop was slow), warranty voided second car was exported, etc.).

It may make sense for a few specific vehicles, but for an average vehicle, dump it in the states and buy something in canada.
 
I was under the impression that this only applies if Canada is officially your main residence. If you are legally resident in the US (green card, visa, dual citizenship, etc.) then you can drive a US plated car in Canada without issue but within limits, just as a US citizen can. Is this not true?

From what I gathered from talking to snowbirds, that seems to be the case. A couple said they've been getting by by holding two licenses, one from whatever state, and one from Ontario, and when they've gotten pulled over they've simply shown their US licenses, but to me, that's a little too in a greyzone for my comfort. I'll put the bike in the truck bed and tow the travel trailer behind me and then bring the whole train back with me.
 
A lot of US insurance companies let you ride in Canada for up to 180 days. Considering how short our season is, that's not a bad temporary solution for people finding themselves currently in an insurance pickle. Is anyone doing this? Did you get an international license and purchase your bike south of the border, or just bring it south and call a broker?
not sure if this idea of using a US insurance company is for "premium " savings, but if that's the reasoning then wouldn't it be a easier idea to get insurance from Alberta, as the motorcycle insurance premiums are half of what Ontario residents pay.
Example ,My bike : Kawasaki zx10r, basic coverage, no collision here {Ontario}, $1100. Same bike with full coverage, Alberta price $390 per year.
And they insure any age , 17 year old with GSXR1000 pays less than $1000 per year, no motorcycle experience , new rider Alberta rates are more than half of what we pay in Ontario
 
not sure if this idea of using a US insurance company is for "premium " savings, but if that's the reasoning then wouldn't it be a easier idea to get insurance from Alberta, as the motorcycle insurance premiums are half of what Ontario residents pay.
Example ,My bike : Kawasaki zx10r, basic coverage, no collision here {Ontario}, $1100. Same bike with full coverage, Alberta price $390 per year.
And they insure any age , 17 year old with GSXR1000 pays less than $1000 per year, no motorcycle experience , new rider Alberta rates are more than half of what we pay in Ontario
Still likely insurance will sniff it out if it's insured in Alberta but you spend all your time in Ontario. They're ruthless, not stupid.
 
@Scuba Steve can you explain more please?...my step kids have dual citizenship (Canadian and American) but they currently live in Florida...the one son is planning on moving here next summer once he's finished university with his girlfriend...he just purchased a new to him vehicle and it's obviously plated and insured in Florida for now...does that mean if he moves here he can't bring his car with him?...do you know where I can find this in writing so I can show hubby?...TIA

The trick is getting a specific answer in writing to a complex situation.

FWIW My brother moved to Panama taking a house full of furniture and three vehicles.

IIRC he got off light because they were emigrating to Panama. They hit a snag with the furniture because it somehow got labeled used furniture. When they got it clarified as settlers goods things went better.

It used to be that if your car was wrecked in the USA you could buy and import a similar replacement vehicle with minimal cost. That may have changed due to abuses.

Abuses include the manufacturers pricing 30% higher here. People buying outside of Canada to save the 30% and the government not getting their share.
 
Yay! Insurance fraud! Woohoo!
Says who? Nobody is doing nothing illegal here. I think Insurance Companies have made you dumb with their fake morality. This is like an income tax loophole what the OP has posted. I love how they want us to play by the rules while they raise the prices to the sky with B.S. excuses, yeah right.
 

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