Table of Contents
- What Is Proof of Insurance?
- How to Obtain Proof of Insurance
- Why Proof of Insurance is Necessary
- What If You Can’t Show Proof of Insurance?
- How to Show Proof of Insurance FAQ
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Before you head out on the road, make sure you have your driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance in your car. All provinces have minimum auto insurance requirements, and your proof of insurance demonstrates you have current and valid auto insurance up to your province’s minimum.
To ensure you have the current and correct documentation with you at all times, here’s what you need to know about proof of insurance.
What Is Proof of Insurance?
Whether you’re registering for a new vehicle, renewing your licence, in a car accident or getting pulled over, you may have to provide proof of insurance. This document, commonly known as a pink slip or pink card, is proof that you have a current and valid auto insurance policy that meets your province’s minimum liability requirements. The document will provide details of your policy, so whoever is checking it can verify the information.
Most insurers will provide some basic information on an insurance slip. This information can include:
- Insurance company’s name and address.
- Broker name and contact number (if applicable).
- Effective date and expiration of the policy.
- Policy number
- The policyholder’s first and last name and address.
- The insured vehicle’s year, make, model and vehicle identification number (VIN), also known as a serial number.
Your proof of insurance generally states that you’re carrying at least the province-required minimum amount of coverage. But the document does not state the types of coverage (such as collision and comprehensive insurance) or the policy limits.
How to Obtain Proof of Insurance
Your insurance company will provide proof of insurance after you buy a policy. Depending on the insurance company, you will receive proof of insurance via mail, fax or email. You may also be issued a temporary pink slip to use until your regular pink slip arrives.
You may also receive your slips electronically. In January 2018, Nova Scotia became the first province to allow for digital insurance slips, officially known as electronic proof of auto insurance or EPAI. Since then, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Yukon and Northwest Territories have followed suit.
If you don’t receive your proof of insurance, make sure you reach out to your insurance company to get the appropriate documentation.
Why Proof of Insurance is Necessary
The police and your provincial ministry of transport aren’t the only ones who may require proof of insurance. If you’re applying for a new auto insurance policy, you may need to provide proof of insurance from a current insurance provider. If you have a gap or “lapse” in coverage, you could pay higher car insurance premiums.
Car insurance companies see a lapse in coverage as a higher risk. In general, the longer you can show you’ve been consecutively insured, the less you can expect to pay for your premiums.
What If You Can’t Show Proof of Insurance?
To legally drive in Canada, you must have auto insurance.
If you’re pulled over and unable to provide proof of insurance, you could face steep fines, depending on the province. For example, in Ontario if you’re pulled over and can’t provide proof of valid insurance, a police office can charge the driver with operating a motor vehicle without insurance or failing to surrender an insurance card. The fine for driving without insurance is $5,000, plus a 20% surcharge for a first offence. With subsequent convictions, the fine doubles each time. The court can also decide to suspend your driver’s licence for up to one year.
If you’re charged with failing to surrender an insurance card, the fine is $65 and the conviction appears on your driving record, which can affect your insurance for three years. You may be given 48 hours to provide proof of insurance to the police before the office files the ticket with the courts, but that’s up to the officer writing the ticket.
If you receive a ticket for not providing proof of insurance, make sure you respond to all correspondence. Generally, you can contest a ticket by attending the court hearing with proof that you were insured on the date the officer pulled you over.
How to Show Proof of Insurance FAQ
Does the proof of insurance show what coverage types I have?
No, the proof of insurance shows that you meet your province’s minimum insurance requirements. It won’t show if you have optional coverages, such as collision and comprehensive insurance.
Your insurance policy will list the coverage types you purchased, the limits and the applicable deductible. If you can’t find your policy, ask your insurance agent for a copy.
What does car liability insurance cover?
Car liability insurance is an essential coverage type that pays for injuries and damages you cause to others. For example, if you cause a car accident, your liability insurance will pay for the other driver’s car repairs and medical bills.
Liability insurance also pays for a legal defence in case you’re sued because of an accident.
But liability insurance does not pay for damage to your own car. You’ll need collision and comprehensive insurance if you want coverage for problems like car accidents and car theft.
Can I show proof of insurance on my phone?
It depends. If your insurance is issued in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, then you can request an electronic pink slip from your insurer. This digital insurance has its benefits—the paper copies can be easy to lose, damage or update when you get your slips in the mail. But if you forget your phone at home, or your phone battery dies and you don’t have a charger, you won’t be able to access your proof of insurance when needed. There are also concerns over privacy: If you get pulled over, how comfortable are you handing your phone over to a police officer? Digital or paper is largely a personal decision, but it’s not a bad idea to keep a paper backup in case your technology fails.
