Out of province insurance question

[jhughes]

Hello all,

I am looking for some advice on how to get motorcycle insurance when my motorcycle will be out of province for an extended period of time.
The back story:
My riding pal and I want to check an item off our” bucket list” and ride our adventure motorcycles from our homes in Toronto area to the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, NT, then over into Alaska and south into BC. This will be a 3-to-4-week trip, departing July 11, 2026. At the end of the trip, rather that ride our bikes home, we want to put them in storage in Vancouver and fly home. The bikes will be in storage for about 10 months, at which time we will fly back to Vancouver in 2027, get on the bikes and continue the adventure south into Washington and California, then meander west and homeward bound.
The problem I must overcome is that my insurance company (Aviva) is telling me my bike will not be insured once it is over 6 months out of province. They are telling me this is a provincial government insurance rule and that no one will insure the bike in this situation.
Is this true ?
Does anyone have any suggestion how I might solve this problem and have my bike insured for the duration of the extended trip ?

 

[Al st1100]

Hello all,

I am looking for some advice on how to get motorcycle insurance when my motorcycle will be out of province for an extended period of time.
The back story:
My riding pal and I want to check an item off our” bucket list” and ride our adventure motorcycles from our homes in Toronto area to the Arctic Ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, NT, then over into Alaska and south into BC. This will be a 3-to-4-week trip, departing July 11, 2026. At the end of the trip, rather that ride our bikes home, we want to put them in storage in Vancouver and fly home. The bikes will be in storage for about 10 months, at which time we will fly back to Vancouver in 2027, get on the bikes and continue the adventure south into Washington and California, then meander west and homeward bound.
The problem I must overcome is that my insurance company (Aviva) is telling me my bike will not be insured once it is over 6 months out of province. They are telling me this is a provincial government insurance rule and that no one will insure the bike in this situation.
Is this true ?
Does anyone have any suggestion how I might solve this problem and have my bike insured for the duration of the extended trip ?

Get a storage insurance policy, then cancel the bike insurance for 10 months. Also your health insurance does not cover you in the US. I found a $1,000,000 at a reasonable cost for my 3 weeks in Canada. Ya never know. Sitting for 10 months after a long trip, tires, oil change, battery?

 

[TPadden]

Hello all,
Does anyone have any suggestion how I might solve this problem and have my bike insured for the duration of the extended trip ?

... continue the ride round trip to home. Shouldn't be a problem with your 4 week window. Washington and California will still be there for another ride.

Tom

 

[STFlips]

John, might be worthwhile to have the bikes shipped back and then out again in '27?

 

[Andrew Shadow]

The problem I must overcome is that my insurance company (Aviva) is telling me my bike will not be insured once it is over 6 months out of province. They are telling me this is a provincial government insurance rule and that no one will insure the bike in this situation.

Ask them to show you that law, or a link to it. I have learned not to believe everything that I am told. Call another insurance company and ask, see if they say the same thing.

 

[Joeywhat]

Ask them to show you that law, or a link to it. I have learned not to believe everything that I am told. Call another insurance company and ask, see if they say the same thing.

It's probably legit, a lot of states in the US have similar laws, typically to avoid people registering and insuring their cars in different states where they may be able to prove residency (legitimately or otherwise...) and get lower insurance costs.

Just remember, the corporations actually make all the rules. Wouldn't want to the lowly insurance company to make a little bit less money this quarter.

 

[SMSW]

I'm with Andrew - verify this independently of your insurance company. You might also discuss your trip with an insurance agent and see if they can write a special policy. You will be riding for only 4 weeks, then putting the bike in storage - little to no liability for most of a year. I'd check with another company about this special policy, if your current insurer got wind of this trip they might think up reasons to raise your rates or even cancel the policy. You can always get back to them after you get other prices.

 

[dwalby]

The bikes will be in storage for about 10 months, at which time we will fly back to Vancouver in 2027, get on the bikes and continue the adventure south into Washington and California, then meander west and homeward bound.

Does anyone have any suggestion how I might solve this problem and have my bike insured for the duration of the extended trip ?

what exactly are you worried about when its locked up in storage?

ride it out, store it, pick it up later in 2027, pay your premiums like its back home, who will know?

Back in the '80s I had a one-year job transfer to TX. I had a legal CA registration with a Dallas Tx address. go figure.

Also, I'm assuming you're aware of it, but if you meander west from either WA or CA, you're going to be in the Pacific Ocean, not heading back towards Ontario (even the one in CA)

 

[RaYzerman]

My thoughts exactly...... who is gonna know it's in storage........... my bike is in storage all winter, who's to say where I store it, home or elsewhere..........

 

[Al st1100]

My thoughts exactly...... who is gonna know it's in storage........... my bike is in storage all winter, who's to say where I store it, home or elsewhere..........

Storage facilities typically don't carry any type of insurance. If it's stolen, stripped or damaged what happens then?

 

[SMSW]

Storage facilities typically don't carry any type of insurance. If it's stolen, stripped or damaged what happens then?

Lost in a fire? I think the type of storage facility might make a difference in the insurance premium. Think storing the bike in an unheated garage (one of those rent an empty garage type storage facilities) vs at a motorcycle dealership's storage w/ battery maintainers, etc.