Insurance when flying to Canada

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Tommar98

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Tommar98
Asking for a friend. It appears one of the documents required to fly into Canada is proof of insurance with specific liability limits. What happens if you have wrong limits? Is this checked every time you arrive?


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I don’t think this is checked unless say you crash etc and I don’t think here’s a specific limits for private AC.
 
SebIp said:
I don’t think this is checked unless say you crash etc and I don’t think here’s a specific limits for private AC.
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No. It applies to all planes flying in Canada.

The CARs require pilots to carry proof of liability insurance on board their aircraft when operating in Canadian airspace. This applies to all aircraft, including private, amateur-built and ultralight aircraft. The type of coverage is based on the aircraft’s gross takeoff weight per CAR 606.02.


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Tommar98 said:
No. It applies to all planes flying in Canada.

The CARs require pilots to carry proof of liability insurance on board their aircraft when operating in Canadian airspace. This applies to all aircraft, including private, amateur-built and ultralight aircraft. The type of coverage is based on the aircraft’s gross takeoff weight per CAR 606.02.


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When’s the last time a peace officer or “The Minister” checked yours?

The question is if it’s checked. Sure you need to have it to be legal. When it’s checked I haven’t been checked yet.
 
I’ve never been asked to see proof of insurance, although we always had it. Call your insurance broker and let them help guide you.
 
They probably won't ask for it at customs, unless you get ramp checked by transport Canada. In fact, they didnt even send a customs officer to meet me in Kelowna where i entered Canada, nor did they ask about insurance on any of the online apps/forms or multiple phone conversations.

If you are unlucky and do get ramp checked, I'm sure the trans. Canada feds would then ask for it, and if you don't have it they could impound your aircraft and/or fine you thousands. I have no idea if they'd do that just for wrong limits, but I'll bet they could if they wanted to. A lot of Canadians do not hold US citizens in high regard, and I'm sure there would be no shortage of government officials there who would love to take down some US based pilot and put them in their place. I bought liability insurance for my airplane just to fly it through Canada while I ferried it to where I live in Alaska. Even the liability only policy cost me $3,000, but I couldn't accept the risk of getting caught, not to mention I comply with all regulations, even obscure ones, when I know about them (even the financially painful, and in my opinion stupid ones like this).

I was flying a cub solo through very remote areas, the odds of me damaging anything other than a tree or a rock if I crashed was extremely remote. I still bought the insurance. Then again I drive around town in my car at the speed limit, and carry insurance there too, dodging the hoards of uninsured speeding maniacs, so maybe I'm the weird one.
 
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To answer OP's question: I don't know if I was just unlucky in that regard as I've heard many times that most pilots don't even see an officer and instead just get cleared by phone, but last time I flew back from the U.S. to Canada, we were met by two officers and they did check for aircraft registration AND proof of insurance among other, mostly COVID related stuff (testing, ArriveCAN). Also, some airports/FBOs will ask you for proof of insurance before they let you park/tie down, especially if you're asking for hangar space. It doesn't always happen but I've been asked to show proof of insurance on two occasions.
 
Here is the full regulation for privately owned aircraft and the minimum liability coverage they need. I had the wrong link in my original post earlier:
  • (2) Subject to subsection (3), none of the following aircraft owners shall operate an aircraft unless, in respect of every incident related to the operation of the aircraft, the owner has subscribed for liability insurance covering risks of injury to or death of passengers in an amount that is not less than the amount determined by multiplying $300,000 by the number of passengers on board the aircraft:
    • (a) an air operator;
    • (b) the holder of a flight training unit operator certificate; or
    • (c) the operator of a balloon in which fare-paying passengers are carried on board pursuant to Subpart 3.
  • (3) The insurance coverage referred to in subsection (2) need not extend to any passenger who
    • (a) is an employee of an owner referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c), if workers’ compensation legislation governing a claim for damages against the owner by the employee is applicable; or
    • (b) is carried on board the aircraft for the purpose of conducting a parachute descent, where the air operator has posted a readily visible notice to inform passengers, before embarking, that there is no insurance coverage for parachutists.
  • (4) No aircraft owner not referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) shall operate an aircraft of more than 2 268 kg (5,000 pounds) maximum permissible take-off weight unless the owner has, in respect of the aircraft, subscribed for liability insurance covering risks of injury to or death of passengers, other than passengers carried on board that aircraft for the purpose of conducting a parachute descent, in an amount not less than the amount determined by multiplying $300,000 by the number of passengers on board the aircraft.
  • (5) No aircraft owner referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) shall operate an aircraft unless, in respect of every incident related to the operation of the aircraft, the owner has subscribed for liability insurance covering risks of public liability in an amount that is not less than
    • (a) $1,000,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is not greater than 3 402 kg (7,500 pounds);
    • (b) $2,000,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 3 402 kg (7,500 pounds) but not greater than 8 165 kg (18,000 pounds); and
    • (c) where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 8 165 kg (18,000 pounds), $2,000,000 plus an amount determined by multiplying $150 by the number of pounds by which the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft exceeds 8 165 kg (18,000 pounds).
  • (6) No aircraft owner referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) shall, in order to comply with subsections (2), (4) and (5), subscribe for any liability insurance that contains an exclusion or waiver provision that reduces the insurance coverage for any incident below the applicable minimum determined pursuant to those subsections, unless that provision
    • (a) is a standard exclusion clause adopted by the international aviation insurance industry that applies in respect of
      • (i) war, hijacking and other perils,
      • (ii) noise, pollution and other perils, or
      • (iii) radioactive contamination;
    • (b) is in respect of a chemical drift;
    • (c) includes a statement that the insurance does not apply in respect of liability assumed by the owner under any contract or agreement unless the liability would have attached to the owner even in the absence of such a contract or agreement; or
    • (d) includes a statement that the policy is void if the owner has concealed or misrepresented any material fact or circumstance concerning the insurance or the subject thereof or if there is any fraud, attempted fraud or false statement by the owner touching any matter relating to the insurance or the subject thereof, either before or after an incident.
  • (7) An aircraft owner referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) may comply with subsections (2), (4) and (5) by subscribing for comprehensive single limit liability insurance that consists of a single policy or a combination of primary and supplementary policies.
  • (8) No aircraft owner not referred to in paragraph (2)(a), (b) or (c) shall operate an aircraft unless, in respect of every incident related to the operation of the aircraft, the owner has subscribed for liability insurance covering risks of public liability in an amount that is not less than
    • (a) $100,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is 1 043 kg (2,300 pounds) or less;
    • (b) $500,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 1 043 kg (2,300 pounds) but not greater than 2 268 kg (5,000 pounds);
    • (c) $1,000,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 2 268 kg (5,000 pounds) but not greater than 5 670 kg (12,500 pounds);
    • (d) $2,000,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 5 670 kg (12,500 pounds) but not greater than 34 020 kg (75,000 pounds); and
    • (e) $3,000,000, where the maximum permissible take-off weight of the aircraft is greater than 34 020 kg (75,000 pounds).
  • (9) Subject to subsection (10), no owner or operator of an aircraft shall operate the aircraft unless there is carried on board the aircraft proof that liability insurance is subscribed for in accordance with this section.
  • (10) A balloon may be operated without the proof of insurance referred to in subsection (9) being carried on board if that proof is immediately available to the pilot-in-command
    • (a) prior to commencing a flight; and
    • (b) on completion of a flight.
 
I had Avemco and had a simple card I kept in the plane that had the coverage limits, but never was requested for it.
 
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