The Risks and Consequences Of Driving Without Insurance

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The Risks and Consequences Of Driving Without
Insurance
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• Why you should never, ever, drive without
  insurance, even for five minutes
• Driving without insurance is one of those
  no-brainer kind of situations that always make me
  give my head a shake. Not only are you putting
  yourself at risk in terms of liability, fines and
  possible suspension of your license, but you put
  others at risk too. 

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• Once or twice a year, someone comes into my
  office who did not insure their vehicle and was
  hurt in an accident. Even though they arent at
  fault, they have little recourse to help pay for
  the medical care they need. Sad, isnt it?
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• Now imagine the person who didnt insure
  their vehicle and hit someone else its even
  worse.

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• What Minimum Insurance Do I Need To Carry?
• If youre driving in Ontario, you need to
  have third party liability coverage. This is what
  protects you if you injure someone else or damage
  property, as a result of a motor vehicle
  accident. The standard amount is 1 million,
  though carrying 2 million coverage isnt unusual
  these days, as lawsuits CAN get expensive.

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• You also need to be carrying sufficient
  accident benefits coverage, without which you
  could be in for some very expensive medical
  bills.
• Its always good to look at your coverages
  and make sure they will meet your needs in the
  case of a serious or catastrophic injury.

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• You also need to carry uninsured motorist
  coverage, in the event that you are hit by an
  someone else driving without insurance, and DCPD
  (Direct Compensation-Property Damage), which
  covers your vehicle / property, in the event of
  an accident where are you not at fault.

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• Ive known people who only put comprehensive
  coverage on their vehicle that they arent
  drivingfor example, if its in storage for the
  winteropting to just cover it in the case of
  damage or theft.

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• Heres the problem if you drive that car on
  a road for even just a moment, just to get to the
  next driveway where youre going to store it, for
  example, and you have an accident and get
  injured? You arent covered.

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• I cant stress this enough. If you intend to
  move your vehicle for even a moment onto a public
  roadway, you need insurance.
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• This is true for ATVs and snowmobiles too. If
  its got a key and an ignition switch, it needs
  insurance or it doesnt move except on the back
  of flatbed truck!

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• What Happens If I Dont Have Insurance And
  The Police Stop Me?
• The first time you are caught driving without
  insurance, youre looking at a minimum 5000 fine
  (up to a max of 25,000). Getting caught again
  could result in fines upwards of 10,000 to
  50,000, as well as possible license suspension
  and even vehicle impounding.

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• The risks are simply not worth it. If you
  cant afford your car insurance, then its best
  to take your vehicle off the road until your
  circumstances change. Getting caught driving
  without insurance is bad enough, but if you cause
  an accident? The implications are enormous.

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• What Happens If I Forgot My Insurance Slip
  And The Police Stop Me?
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• As a courtesy, the police can give you an
  opportunity to come to the police station with
  your valid insurance slips to prove you had
  insurance at the time you were stopped.

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• Typically, this is 24-48 hours. That said,
  its a courtesy. Theyre not under any obligation
  to do this and you could be issued a ticket for
  driving without valid insurance, which you will
  then have to spend time fighting in court.

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• Ultimately, the onus is on you to prove that
  you have / had valid insurance.
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• Ignorance of the law is no excuse at the best
  of times but even more so when it comes to
  carrying valid insurance before you turn the key
  in the ignition switch.

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• Its your responsibility as a vehicle owner
  to maintain proper insurance, keep it up to date
  and to always have proof of insurance with you
  when driving the car.
• http//derekwilsonlaw.ca/