Owners of dual sport vehicles are required to purchase an automobile policy because the vehicle is registered and used on public roads. This policy must have the minimum mandatory coverage required by law:

• third-party liability,
• accident benefits, and
• uninsured and underinsured automobile coverage.

You should always check with the vehicle’s owner regarding coverage on any vehicle you operate. And as the owner of an OHV, you should also understand the coverage on your own policy before allowing others to operate your OHV. Your broker / agent can explain any limited coverage on your personal property insurance policy that may apply if you operate an OHV you do not own.

An insurance policy is purchased to insure a vehicle not a specific operator or driver, although insurance companies usually ask who will be operating the vehicle regularly to assess the risk. You would purchase insurance on the vehicle your child operates. Under the conditions and terms of a Standard Automobile policy owner’s form (S.P.F. 1) all operators/drivers who are licensed or eligible to be licensed, which means they are sixteen or older and have the skills to pass a driver’s test, and operate the vehicle with the owner’s permission may be covered under the insurance policy.

Drivers or operators who meet the qualifications in the province where they reside and operate the vehicles may also be covered. In Nova Scotia, OHV drivers/operators must follow the rules for each age group. For example, a youth under the age of 14 operating a snowmobile must have successfully taken the safety training course (by Oct. 1, 2008), must be under the direct supervision of their parent or guardian, and must only be operating the vehicle on private land or a designated trail.

Uninsured and Under-insured coverage protects the operator of your vehicle if involved in an accident with a vehicle that is not insured. This coverage is required under the Insurance Act along with Liability and Accident Benefits.