Insurance -Marine Accidents

[Claude]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to this forum and to the 6X6 world and AATVing. In the process of insuring my new ARGO 650HD 6X6, my insurance company "La Capital" (live in Québec, Canada) said that I was fully insured except for marine accidents. So, if the Argo gets sweep away in a fast current or sinks I'm cooked! They didn't have a solution for me,

Guess that insuring AATV's may differ from province to province or from state to state.

Nonetheless, it would be nice to know if this exception is common, and if there's a solution for insuring marine accidents....

Claude

[Mike]

I'm giving this thread a bump. I'm sure there are others that have experienced the same issue before and hopefully they will chime in. I would think you could insure it as a boat as long as you register it? That may mean having two policies, one for an ATV and one for a boat even though they are the same machine? I have no idea, just thinking out loud. Welcome to the site and congratulations on your new 6x6.

[Twizted1]

I am not sure myself. Reminds me I really need to talk to my insurance agent. But I do know that my pontoon is an add on to my home insurance policy. When we got it we just called them and they added it on. So it'll probably be as Mike said, two policies. I know here in Ohio USA I have to get an ATV license and a boat Id for it. Guess it all come from having a dual purpose machine.

[Noel Woods]

I work in the Insurance Industry. In the U.S. a standard automobile policy will cover the machine for standard risks as long as the machine is the described vehicle. The types of coverage required would be comprehensive and collision coverage, and you might also consider liability as well. Comprehensive covers items like theft, falling objects, vandalism, fire, animals, and flood. Collision coverage covers your damage from impacts with other vehicles and objects. Liability covers you for negligence in case you damage another vehicle, property, or impacts with humans.

Its possible to limit the protection to comprehensive only, and then for limited perils such as fire, theft and flood. This is the least expensive way to go.

[Claude]

Thank you for the insurance information and hope we will hear from somebody in Canada on this issue, better yet if he or she is from Québec.
I also have to insure a pontoon boat towards the end of May and will ask about marine accidents for the Argo. The Argo is licensed like an ATV but not as a boat, at least not yet.

Another interesting question is the need to have in Canada a "Pleasure Craft Operator Card" attesting that one has successfully completed a Canadian Coast Guard accredited test. Luckily, I already have one and its valid forever. Wonder if one is needed or not when floating about in an Argo.

[2014SE]

Go to a different agent. Don't feel obligated to be loyal to a particular agent or company, their not loyal to you!

I live in Alberta and have full coverage same as described by Noel Woods. Seems to me it's just about $450-$500 a year and I'm covered for everything, fire, theft, vandalism, collision, 3rd party, liability, upset, flood, damage by animal or human. I said I want FULL coverage when I got it insured and she shopped around and got it for me. She said some companies cover less than others so be sure your agent is getting you the coverage you want.

[plott hound]

i could not insure mine here in Ontario with any marine coverage.a soon as they here the word "amphibious" doors start closing.

[guyvapeur]

Insurance Ontario

I could only get insurance for the Argo in Ontario by signing a waiver for any water use. No company would insure me so I got a stand alone policy just for the argo. I know that I contacted at least 10 insurance companies and very few contacts had any idea what an Argo was. This I believe is the same waiver that is signed by 4x4 atvs...
Inasmuch as having your competence license for a water craft I believe that if push came to shove, an argo propelled on water would be classified as a vessel and would require not only a qualified operator but it would need oars, rope, bailing device, sounding device and anything else that is in the regulations.

I did not make these up..... a forum in Quebec has addressed this issue before and the consensus was that it was a water craft. A quick review of small vessel regulations would probably confirm this

If I am not mistaken, members of this forum have successfully registered their argo as a watercraft.....in one case so he could use the boat ramps to launch onto the water..

Like a cross over vehicle, the argo is neither one or the other but could be both at once.

[Claude]

Thank for the information re marine-accidents and insurance.... will get on the phone or the internet to see if I can insure it as boat....Registering it as a boat should not be a problem.

Again, thank you for the advice and info.

[Sard]

I'm in the same boat in Alberta, no pun intended. There is no marine insurance available. Of course it's illegal for me to use it in water here anyway so it's not much if an issue when you get right down to it.

[guyvapeur]

Sard................What makes your Argo illegal in the water. Boating regulations are Federal so that what you have in Alberta is the same as all of Canada.

Guy

[Sard]

Division of powers

Now that's an interesting topic! The federal government is responsible for boating across Canada, but the provinces are responsible rivers and lakes in their boundaries which leads to some variation.

Alberta has defined amphibious vehicles as off highway vehicles (OHVs) not boats. The details are here: Motorized | ESRD - Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.

[guyvapeur]

◾Keep wheels out of streams, rivers, and lakes ◾Wheeled or tracked vehicles are not allowed on beds or shores of watercourses, wetlands or waterbodies
◾Driving in these areas produces harmful ruts and erosion problems. In addition, fine sediments stirred up by tires are harmful to fish. See: ◾Riding OHVs Near Water

Now that stinks..... how do you get from point A to point B when hunting.

[Sard]

That's an issue all right, there may be some room under bridges and legal water crossings. I'm trying to figure out what a legal water crossing is but have not gotten a response yet.

[guyvapeur]

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resources Development appear to be a government agency but their page does not refer to any specific statute or law to make it unlawful to cross a body of water. They use big bold letters and state **ITS THE LAW** but a review of the Off Highway Vehicle act of Alberta does not include prohibitions re waterways etc. ESRD may have authority to close off certain areas in time of need, but I can not see where they can create laws..... Unless there is a Provincial Statute or a Municipal By-law prohibiting the crossing of water ways etc..... I don't see where things have changed in the 25 years since I left Alberta.
A visit to the local RCMP Det. or Wildlife office should give you some answers. They should be able to give you an up front answer complete with the Statute and section so that you can act accordingly.

Good luck..... it will be interesting to see what if any answer you come up with.

Guy