How you use your vehicle affects your likelihood of having a claim. Therefore, it also affects your premium.
For instance, if you only drive to the grocery store and back, you’re less likely to have a claim than if you drive your car regularly as a courier.
Having the right insurance for how you use your vehicle is very important. With the wrong insurance, you may not be covered. The following vehicle use definitions will help you ensure that you have the correct type of insurance for the way that you use your vehicle.
Pleasure passenger vehicle
A pleasure passenger vehicle can’t be used for any business purposes. It can only be driven to or from – or part way to or from – work or school up to four days in one month, and not more than 1,609 km to or from work or school during an annual registration period. It can be used to drive dependants to and from school, without limits. Students can’t drive a vehicle to school regularly on pleasure use.
All-purpose passenger vehicle
An all-purpose passenger vehicle is used for pleasure driving and for driving to or from – or part way to or from – work or school, or for business purposes [excluding common carrier passenger vehicle (local)].
Common carrier passenger vehicle (local)
A common carrier passenger vehicle (local) is used by a courier or common carrier within a city or municipality, or for any other delivery purposes in connection with a business, trade or occupation, more than four days in one month or more than 1,609 km during an annual registration period.
Farm passenger vehicle
A farm passenger vehicle is one registered by a person who lives on a farm and who farms for not less than 720 cumulative hours in a registration period or is retired from farming. A retired farmer is not one who has quit farming and taken up another primary occupation. A farm passenger vehicle can only be driven to or from – or part way to or from – work or school or used for business purposes, other than farming, up to four days a month and not more than 1,609 km during an annual registration period. It can be used to drive dependent children to and from school, without limits.
Farming all-purpose truck
A farming all-purpose truck is a truck registered and insured by a person whose primary occupation is farming. It can also be a truck owned by a person, corporation or a group of persons who own, rent or lease land for the purpose of one or more of the following operations (which must be for the purpose of sale or marketing of a product) for at least three months or 720 hours a year:
- growing crops or fodder
- raising livestock or poultry
- egg production
- honey production
- raising mink or fox
- milk or cream production
- operating a feed lot on which cattle are kept
A retired farmer, an employee of a farmer, or a person who owns land and leases it to others for the purpose of farming isn’t eligible for the farming/fishing truck insurance rates. Farming truck has three categories based on the truck’s weight.
A fishing all-purpose truck is used primarily for commercial fishing. Fishing truck insurance uses are divided into three categories according to vehicle weight.
Pleasure truck
A pleasure truck has a gross vehicle weight of 4,540 kg or less and can only be used for pleasure driving. A pleasure truck can only be driven to or from – or part way to or from – work or school up to four days a month and not more than 1,609 km a year. It can be used to transport dependants to and from school, without limits. It can’t be used for business purposes.
All-purpose truck
An all-purpose truck has a gross vehicle weight of 4,540 kg or less and is used for one of these purposes:
- To go to or from, or part way to or from, work or school.
- For business use, such as U-drive, but not for more than 1,609 km per year.
- For artisan truck or other truck use, with one of these body styles: chassis mounted camper, crew cab, extended cab, light delivery, light pickup, panel, sport utility, crew cab service truck, extended cab service truck and service truck.
Motor homes
Motor homes are designed and built for driving and permanent living. Specifically, a motor home must have at least one bed and either:
- a stove
- a refrigerator
- a sink and toilet
Any or all of these items, including the bed or beds, must be permanently installed. Motor homes also must have direct access between the driver’s seat and the living quarters.
- A motor home can be insured in one of three categories:
- A motor home in the pleasure category is used for pleasure driving. It can only be driven to or from – or part way to or from – work or school up to four days a month and not more than 1,609 km a year. It cannot be used for any business purpose.
- An all-purpose motor home can be used for pleasure driving, for driving to or from – or part way to or from–work or school and for business purposes.
- Motor homes can also be U-drives.
Motorcycles and mopeds
Motorcycles and mopeds can be insured in one of the following three categories:
- A motorcycle or moped in the pleasure category is used for pleasure driving. It can only be driven to or from – or part way to or from – work or school up to four days a month and not more than 1,609 km a year. It cannot be used for any business purpose.
- An all-purpose motorcycle or moped can be used for pleasure driving, for driving to or from – or part way to or from – work or school and for business purposes.
- Mopeds can also be u-drives.
Trailers
A trailer is a vehicle that is not self-propelled but is towed by a motor vehicle. It is designed for carrying goods. It includes a farm trailer, but does not include agricultural equipment. It must be mobile and capable of being towed on its own wheels by a motor vehicle. In the event of an emergency, a trailer must be able to be towed out by the owner within 24 hours without significant modification or cost.
A trailer vehicle type includes a body style for cabin or house trailers, which includes (but is not limited to) travel trailers and fifth wheels.