As the summer winds down many people are starting to look to winter, and that means snowmobile season.
Do they know what common scenarios lead to claims and what can be done to prevent it? We spoke to Shawn McKone, a senior manager with Lifestyle Claims at Aviva for some advice on protecting themselves and their snowmobile from loss or damage.
1. Operating your Snowmobile on Frozen Water
“Every winter, we unfortunately see situations where snowmobiles are being used on frozen water…with some of them ending up going through the ice. Of course this ruins the machines, but most importantly, it puts riders at significant risk”, says McKone.
Last year, one of our customers used their snowmobile on a well-used path over a lake. There was an assumption that it was safe because this was a common area to ride. But the ice had thinned and the snowmobile ended up going through. We see this happen a number of times, every winter.
“Obviously the most straightforward way to prevent issues with thin ice is to not ride your snowmobile on frozen bodies of water. If you have to, there are a lot of factors that can determine if the ice is safe. This can include ice reports, weather conditions, time of year and the physical condition of the ice. Be especially careful around running water like rivers where ice is thinner. As well, avoid ice early or late in the season”, says McKone.
How does the insurance policy respond to this type of situation?
“Our biggest concern is safety of the rider, but when it comes to the machine itself, coverage depends on the situation and what endorsements our customers have. It’s generally known to be higher risk to operate snowmobiles on ice and we don’t want to encourage it”, continues McKone.
A very easy rule to remember is if you don’t know if the ice is safe or not, don’t ride on it.
2. Avoiding Collisions
There are a number of standard safety practices that are important to rider safety, including ensuring the unit is in good working condition, using well known paths, having a buddy to ride with, and travelling at an appropriate speed for the area. But what specific claim scenarios do we see?
“One situation that can be really dangerous is at a crossroads where snowmobiles are crossing a roadway, and are hit by an oncoming automobile. Crossroads are a common place when a group of riders try to overtake another group of riders. With the increased activity, mistakes sometimes happen, and riders might not see the oncoming vehicle. While slowing down and being careful is part of it, there is also an element of courtesy between riders, where people pull over and provide extra room for faster riders. It can go a long way to avoid a rush and congestion when trying to get over the roadway”, says McKone.
Another dangerous situation we see occurs between snowmobiles travelling in different directions.
“If riders are not fully situated on their side, they can collide with another rider coming from the other direction…especially around bends. If you add in a high rate of speed or poor light conditions, there is little reaction time to avoid a collision. Sometimes you just have to slow down and be careful and show respect to others who are out riding as well”, adds McKone.
Be safe, follow local laws and ride within your limits.
3. Theft
With all the attention lately on theft in Canada, what can be done to help prevent the theft of your snowmobile? While there is nothing that be done to 100% eliminate the possibility of theft, there are steps that can be taken to significantly reduce the risk.
“We saw the value of sleds increase considerably over the COVID pandemic, due to supply chain issues, and increased demand. It makes them attractive for theft, so this is something we monitor on an ongoing basis,” says McKone.
“In terms of preventing theft, a really underrated aspect is where they are stored. The more visible they are, like sitting on a pickup truck or located in the yard, the more likely they’ll be noticed and targeted by thieves. In a really visible location, we frequently see the truck being targeted as well, as it’s easier to take that along with the snowmobiles on the back. When not in use snowmobiles should be stored out of sight in a safe location”, says McKone.
While not attracting notice is important, there are also several physical security options that can help prevent theft. This can mean a more secure location with an alarm system and security cameras, or strong locks and chains to secure the unit.
“One of the keys to preventing snowmobile theft is to simply make the sled appear difficult to steal. Thieves prefer a quick getaway, and they don’t like speedbumps. It’s also important to remember that all the locks in world will do no good if the snowmobile is sitting on a trailer that a thief can pull up to and tow away. This is sometimes referred to as stealth towing and can defeat other security measures”, concludes McKone.
As a last resort, you can investigate GPS tracking devices, while they can’t prevent the theft, they can help with recovery.
If you have any questions, please contact your Broker Operations Specialist or your Broker Relationship Manager.
