Did you know that for certain license plate classes there is a legal requirement to carry additional insurance over and above what the Saskatchewan license plate offers? Did you know that failing to meet these requirements can result in your Saskatchewan plate insurance being void in a time of need or even in violation fines?
We have all been asked the questions when we go to register a vehicle or renew our license plates with SGI Auto Fund. Is the vehicle being used for business? Does it go out of province? What weight is required for the vehicle? Do you maintain the required cargo and/or liability insurance? These questions have been carefully crafted to determine what class of license plate is required for the vehicle and what additional insurance requirements are needing to be met. Too often people disregard or misunderstand these questions and as a result fail to meet the legal requirements for operating.
Saskatchewan license plates offer $200,000 in third party liability insurance. This comes with any of the standard Saskatchewan license plates that are issued. Depending on what class of license plate is required on a vehicle there can be additional requirements that must be met in order to maintain the plate coverage.
Vehicles with plate classes A, C and D all carry a legal requirement to maintain additional insurance with a minimum of $1,000,000 third party liability. This is increased to $2,000,000 third party liability for carriers transporting certain types of dangerous goods. These requirements also holds true for vehicles registered in class LV that are used for business and operating outside of the province of Saskatchewan.
Vehicles with plate classes PB, PC and PS are also required to maintain increased limits of third party liability. Vehicles in these plate classes when capable of transporting more than 10 persons (including the driver) have varying limits depending on size. Vehicles capable transporting passengers totalling 15 or less are required to maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 third party liability. When transporting 16 or more the minimum third party liability is increased to $3,000,000.
In addition to the third party liability requirements, vehicles with plate class A are also required maintain minimum limits of cargo insurance depending on their registered weight and what is being hauled. These minimum limits can be as low as $15,000 and go up to $32,000. There are some exemptions to this when hauling owner’s own goods or low value goods.
It is important to keep in mind that these are the minimum insurance requirements. Increased limits are available and should be discussed further with a commercial insurance broker.
For more information on license plate classes, please contact our office and speak with one of our Motor Licensing professionals