What is seasonal motorcycle insurance in Canada?

Do you ever find yourself counting down the days till the snow melts and it's finally motorcycle season? If you’re a motorcycle enthusiast in Canada, you know there’s nothing like that first warm-weather ride after a long winter. But with our harsh and long-lasting Canadian winters, your bike has to sit still for several months a year, which may make the thought of paying for full motorcycle insurance year-round when your bike is parked for half the time kind of feel like a raw deal.

That’s where seasonally rated motorcycle insurance comes in. It gives you the coverage you need while your bike is both on and off the road, while adjusting your premiums so you’re not overpaying during the months your bike is in storage.

Motorcycle ownership in Canada is growing. In 2024, Statistics Canada reported there were just under 830,000 licensed motorcycles and mopeds registered in Canada in 2022, up 1.6 % from the year before. That’s nearly a million two-wheelers on the road, though most only see action from March through October in much of the country.

In this blog, we’ll dive into what seasonal motorcycle insurance is, how it works throughout Canada, and why you may not want to cancel your coverage completely during the off-season.

How does seasonal motorcycle insurance differ from year-long coverage?

The truth is that seasonal motorcycle insurance doesn't vary much from regular year-long auto coverage. The main difference is how your premiums are calculated. Here's what you need to know:

A seasonal rating model

Motorcycle insurance in Canada is generally a 12-month contract that’s priced to reflect when you're actually able to be on the road. Insurance providers use a seasonal rating model (similar to boat insurance), where you pay more for your motorcycle insurance premiums during peak riding season and less during the winter months, which generally last for four to six months in Canada.

Insurance companies choose to reduce your premiums during winter storage because they know that when your bike is stored safely in a storage facility, garage, or shed, the risks of theft, damage, or collisions drop significantly.

On the other hand, premiums are higher during the riding season because these risks significantly increase. For example, while the number of motorcycles makes up just a small fraction of vehicles on the road in Canadian roads, and they're even off the road for several months in a year, riders still accounted for almost 12% of all road fatalities in 2024, including 229 motorcyclists killed, according to Statistics Canada.

Is motorcycle insurance mandatory in Canada?

Yes. Motorcycle insurance is legally required across all Canadian provinces and territories if you ride on public roads. You must carry at a minimum the mandatory coverage required by your province or territory, which will include some variation of:

• Third‑party liability coverage

• Accident benefits coverage

• Uninsured motorist coverage

• Direct compensation-property damage (DCPD) coverage

Contact BrokerLink to learn more about the various coverage options for your motorcycle.

How does lay-up coverage work for motorcycles in Canada?

You've likely heard the term "lay-up coverage" used for auto insurance, but when it comes to motorcycles, motorcycle insurance policies in Canada generally don't allow you to suspend coverage mid-policy.

Unlike lay‑up coverage for automobiles, which lets you temporarily suspend some of your car or truck's protection, like liability and collision coverage, while still maintaining comprehensive coverage, motorcycle insurance most often uses the seasonal rating model we explained earlier. This approach keeps your coverage continuous, helps you maintain insurance history, and ensures you're still protected while your bike is stored.

How does seasonal coverage vary across Canada?

Seasonal coverage may look a little different depending on your province and insurance provider. Here's a quick overview of how seasonal motorcycle coverage works throughout Canada:

To learn more about how seasonal or storage coverage works in your province or territory, you can contact its insurance regulatory body (e.g., FRSA, AIRB, ICBC, SAAQ, etc.) or reach out to a local insurance broker.

Can't I just cancel my motorcycle policy while my bike is in storage?

Well, sure, you can always just cancel your motorcycle insurance in the off-season, but in most cases, keeping your seasonally-rated coverage is the better move for several reasons, including:

Your bike is still at risk even while in storage

Just because your bike’s off the road doesn’t mean it’s completely safe. Things like fire, theft, vandalism, a tree falling on your shed, or even water damage from a burst pipe or heavy snow melt can still happen. If your policy is cancelled and your motorcycle is damaged during storage, you’ll be left covering the damage yourself. Remember, while home insurance typically covers personal property, it specifically excludes motor vehicles.

You'll likely have to pay a cancellation fee

Most insurance companies charge a short-rate cancellation fee if you decide to cancel your policy before the end of the term.

It could affect your insurance history

When you cancel your motorcycle insurance plan entirely, you’re not just stopping your payments. You’re also erasing your continuous insurance history, and this gap in insurance coverage can come back to haunt you later. Here in Canada, auto insurance companies look at your insurance history when setting your future rates. Even a short break in coverage can make you seem like someone who's riskier to insure, which could mean higher motorcycle insurance rates when you're ready to ride again.

You'll miss out on valuable discounts

While this can vary between insurance companies, many offer discounts based on how many consecutive years you've been riding with continuous insurance coverage.

For example, Allstate offers an Elite Rider Discount of up to 30% for touring bike or cruiser riders with a clean riding history. But to qualify, you need at least five consecutive years of uninterrupted motorcycle insurance coverage.

Your motorcycle may not requalify in the spring

Cancelling means your motorcycle must requalify for coverage before being added back to your policy come spring. If your insurance provider tightens its rules or changes its underwriting guidelines, your motorcycle might not meet the new requirements, and you could be left scrambling to find new coverage right when riding season starts.

Your motorcycle is currently leased or financed

If your motorcycle is leased or financed, most contracts will require you to carry and maintain full-year insurance. This means that cancelling mid-term could be a breach of your agreement, leading to extra fees, or worse, the lender pulling your financing altogether. Also, keep in mind that this may also mean you won't be allowed to temporarily suspend your coverage, either.

If you're thinking about cancelling your policy to cut costs, reach out to BrokerLink to learn about other ways to save without giving up your coverage.

What happens if I need to ride my motorcycle during the off-season?

Whether you can legally ride your motorcycle or not during the off‑season will depend on how you or your insurance company handles your coverage.

Obviously, if you have cancelled your coverage or removed your motorcycle from your car insurance policy, you cannot legally ride it until you either re-add it to your car insurance or purchase a new motorcycle policy. Riding without insurance can lead to hefty fines, license suspension, and the impoundment of your vehicle.

But even if you have seasonally-rated coverage and maintain it all year, whether you can still ride it will depend on your insurance company. Some insurance companies remove all road coverage in the winter, so you cannot ride, while others continue your coverage all year, so you can still ride whenever the weather is good. Always make sure to check with your insurance company first to find out whether they keep or temporarily remove your coverage in the winter.

Do any Canadian insurers offer short-term policies?

While most insurance companies prefer to stick with 12-month policies, there are two provinces (with public auto insurance systems) that do offer short-term policies:

It's important to note that other Canadian auto insurance companies may also offer six-month policies, but not all of them do. If you're looking for a six-month policy in any other province or territory, contact a local insurance broker to help you find which providers offer them (if any).

Get in touch with BrokerLink today

Learn more about how to get motorcycle insurance coverage today by getting in touch with BrokerLink. Our licensed insurance advisors are ready to assist you on your motorcycle insurance journey. We can help with anything from purchasing a new motorcycle policy to filing an insurance claim to helping you save money while renewing motorcycle insurance. We can also advise you on whether to cancel your motorcycle insurance policy for part of the year or maintain minimal coverage to ensure you’re protected.

Learn more about BrokerLink’s motorcycle insurance services by contacting us today. You can reach us by phone, email, or in person at any of our locations throughout Canada. You can also receive a free motorcycle insurance quote online in minutes by using our free online quote tool.

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