Trusted Regina Insurance experts at Campbell and Haliburton Insurance Inc have been in the community for over 50 years. They know it is customer service and knowledge that counts when you are in need of an insurance company in Regina. Campbell & Haliburton Insurance, myCH.ca, dedicated insurance brokers in Regina, can assist you with finding the plan that works best for you. In their latest Campbell & Halliburton Regina Home insurance tip, they talk about going on vacation and your home insurance. 

Vacation and Your Home Insurance

Trusted Regina Insurance experts at Campbell and Haliburton Insurance Inc have been in the community for over 50 years. They know it is customer service and knowledge that counts when you are in need of an insurance company in Regina. Campbell & Haliburton Insurance, myCH.ca, dedicated insurance brokers in Regina, can assist you with finding the plan that works best for you. In their latest Campbell & Halliburton Regina Home insurance tip, they share the October 2022 Talk To The Experts Regina Home Insurance Show. Hear what happened when Dave's house blew up! 

Talk To The Insurance Expert - When Your House Explodes!

Trusted Regina Insurance experts at Campbell and Haliburton Insurance Inc have been in the community for over 50 years. They know it is customer service and knowledge that counts when you are in need of an insurance company in Regina. Campbell & Haliburton Insurance, myCH.ca, dedicated insurance brokers in Regina can assist you with finding the plan that works best for you. In their latest Trusted Regina Insurance Tip, they explain all the ins and outs of auto insurance.

Auto Insurance Explained by Daryl at Campbell & Haliburton

So you’ve moved to Saskatchewan. Fantastic! From one transplant to another let me say “Welcome!”  It is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. But can I be honest? Sometimes our auto insurance can seem just a little confusing. When I moved here years ago I was confused... and I’m in insurance! Let me walk you through what auto insurance terms you will hear most often as well as what they mean.

Auto Insurance Terms

SGI

One of the most common terms you will hear in the world of Saskatchewan auto insurance is “SGI.”  SGI stands for Saskatchewan Government Insurance. This is our provincial auto insurance company. They started back in 1945 and are still going strong! Through the SGI Auto Fund, they are responsible for things such as issuing driver’s licenses and providing you plate insurance and registration. They are also the ones you will turn to if you have an insurance claim. In order to get a driver’s license or to plate your vehicle, you will need to go through SGI. To do this you will normally need to go to a Motor License Issuer. Okay, so what is an issuer?

Motor License Issuer

There are motor license issuing offices in virtually every city, town, and village in Saskatchewan. Larger centers such as Regina or Saskatoon actually have quite a few. But even most smaller towns and villages have at least one. To find the office nearest you go to: https://www.sgi.sk.ca/issuer.

The issuer's office is where you will go to actually renew your driver’s license or to register the plate for your vehicle and to get insurance. Issuing offices are run independently, each having its own staff, hours of operations, and locations, however, each one has the same strict guidelines that they need to follow. SGI clearly spells out what can and cannot be done and how it is to be done. They also provide training and ongoing support to their issuers. This protects you because it means the advice that you receive at one issuer's office should be the same as what you receive at another no matter where you are in the province.

You will occasionally hear people referring to their issuing office as “SGI” as in “I’m at SGI getting my plates renewed.” That’s not strictly true, but issuers are certainly agents of SGI and acting on SGI’s behalf.

Driver's License

In order to operate a motor vehicle in Saskatchewan, you need to have a valid Driver’s License. The license you use to drive. It also spells out what type of vehicle you can drive. Your license will show if you are able to drive a car or light vehicle, a motorcycle, school bus, or large transport truck. In order to obtain a driver’s license, you will need to pass a test that has both a written and a driving component. Obtaining a license for a higher class of vehicle requires higher requirements still. More specialized driving training is required in order to operate semi-trucks and motorcycles. People, such as myself, who have moved to Saskatchewan from other provinces or countries may be eligible to have their driver’s license transferred. Your motor license issuer will be able to tell you exactly what documentation you need in order to do this.

Plates

When you register a vehicle in Saskatchewan you also purchase insurance, often called “plate insurance.” This is different from other provinces. In most cases, Saskatchewan’s plate insurance provides you with $200,000 of third-party liability and with $700 deductibles. There are exceptions to this, such as trailers, snowmobiles, and some large trucks have different limits. But for most cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans this is what the plates will provide.   

Deductibles

A deductible is an amount that you need to pay in the event of a claim. If you are at fault in an accident, if you are the victim of a hit and run, or if you have the misfortune of a hail claim or have your vehicle vandalized, you would be responsible to pay your deductible. In most cases, the deductible that you get with your plate insurance is $700. Your vehicle registration will show what your deductible is.

Auto Insurance: Liability 

Your plate insurance also provides you, in most situations, with $200,000 of coverage. Liability insurance provides coverage if you cause damage to someone else’s property or if you injure someone else. For example, if you were driving and hit another vehicle, your $200,000 of liability would pay to cover their damages. $200,000 is the minimum required by law in Saskatchewan.

All Saskatchewan plated vehicles are insured through SGI and carry basic plate coverage. You are able to have your driver’s license or plate insurance renewed at any SGI issuing office in the province.

Extra Insurance

Some people choose to purchase additional insurance. For many people driving with $200,000 of liability insurance, while sufficient to satisfy the law, is just too low. They want to increase that to $2,000,000, or $5,000,000 or even more. Others want to lower their deductibles. For them, while paying $700 is not enough to bankrupt them, it is enough to be an inconvenience. So they purchase an additional policy to lower their deductible. Others travel distances on gravel roads and are concerned about damage to their windshield. Still, others who purchase a brand new vehicle and want to protect their investment with replacement cost.

These are all additional coverages that are available. However, lower deductibles, higher liability, or replacement cost coverage are not part of your basic plate insurance coverage. For these, you need a separate policy. While you are able to renew your plates or driver’s license at any SGI issuing office, your extra insurance would be renewed only through the location it was originally purchased from.

Terms, Terms, Terms

Here is where you will hear a number of terms thrown around. Auto Pak, Package Policy, or Auto Extension Policy are among the most common. Some of them are specific names that specific insurance companies use. Auto Pak, for example, is a term that is specific to SGI CANADA.

Wait? What? SGI CANADA? I thought you said SGI?

SGI through their Auto Fund is responsible for basic plate insurance. SGI CANADA is an entirely separate company from SGI Auto Fund. SGI CANADA is a private insurance company that provides home insurance, commercial insurance, and additional auto insurance. While it shares part of the name and is a sister company, it is nonetheless, a separate company from SGI.

Auto Insurance, So Many Choices

Consumers have a choice of if they want additional insurance or not and if so, which insurance company they want to use to provide it to them. While the basic plate insurance is always through SGI and is a mandatory requirement in order to operate a motor vehicle, the additional insurance can be from one of a number of companies. While you can go to any motor license issuer to plate your vehicle or renew your driver’s license, you purchase any additional insurance through an insurance agent or broker.

Broker or Motor License Issuer?

Insurance offices often have two separate functions. Many of them have a motor license issuer designation. This means that you can do the majority of your SGI transactions there. But they also have an independent broker component. While that might sound confusing, it can actually make your life easy with one-stop shopping.

How Does Auto Insurance Work?

Say you purchased a vehicle and need to insure it and you come to our office at Campbell & Haliburton. The first thing that you will do is speak with one of our motor license issuers to assist you in plating the vehicle. Once that is done you have purchased the basic insurance required to drive. There is no need to go any further if that is all you are wanting... However, you may want to head down the hall to one of our brokers who can talk with you about any additional coverages that you might need, whether lower deductibles, replacement cost, or higher liability. They will provide you with a quote and if you agree you can purchase the additional insurance without ever need to leave the building.

Now as you walk out the door, you do so with the assurance that you are covered for what auto insurance you need. If you don’t have an insurance broker and want to talk to someone who is truly passionate about your insurance, contact us at Campbell & Haliburton Insurance. We would love to talk to you.

- Daryl Arendt, Office Manager & Licensed Insurance Broker

Our Trusted Regina Insurance Agents at Campbell & Haliburton have your best interests and safety in mind and our commitment to customer service is one of the pillars of our business. We also know insurance inside and out, so please contact us for all of your insurance needs and we will be more than happy to help ensure what you value most is protected.

Campbell & Haliburton's doors opened in 1957. Since then, they have seen run-away inflation, recessions, and now, a global pandemic. Through it all, their doors have remained open as they are committed to providing outstanding service to you. No matter what the next years and decades bring they have committed to continue to stay open to serve you.

Campbell and Haliburton Insurance are a Trusted Regina Insurance provider.

They offer many different insurance policies to protect the most important areas of your life including:

• Home Insurance

• Auto Insurance

• Condo Insurance

• Tenant Insurance

• Farm Insurance

• Commercial Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Travel Insurance

Campbell & Haliburton is a Trusted Regina Insurance Provider.

It’s an exciting time – the old house is sold, the new one is ready, and all that’s left is the move…..oh wait – not quite yet! There’s all that legal “stuff” to deal with now….signatures….titles to be given…and pages and pages of documents that need to be signed before the key is in your hand!!! And to top it all off – who really knows a good real estate lawyer?

MacKay & McLean provides the professional services of a large Regina law firm, with the intimate attention of a small firm. The legal process can be daunting and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. MacKay & McLean is with you every step of the way.

MacKay &  McLean are TRUSTED REGINA LAWYERS

Title fraud is approximately a C$1.5 billion dollar a year industry and growing. This has given rise to new products being made available to you to help protect yourself. One such product is title insurance.

Initially, title insurance was used in Saskatchewan only when a surveyor's certificate was not available. This is because it insures against any defects that would have been revealed if a surveyor's certificate or real property report had been obtained. People opted for title insurance because it cost less than a new survey. However, title insurance protects you against much more and it is especially good for people buying used residential real estate, rental properties or commercial real estate.

Like other insurance products, you pay a premium to the insurer. Usually, this is a one time fee. Different insurers structure their pricing differently and there are policies for owners and policies for lenders, so rates vary. The premiums for condominiums are usually less. The fees for commercial transactions are typically greater.

For the one time premium you get protection for as long as you own the property and it protects your estate in the event of death. The amount of protection is up to twice the fair market value of your property, at the time the insurance was obtained.

Lawyers will usually charge an administration fee of $75 to $150 to provide the appropriate data and information to the insurer.Typically, title insurance is obtained through your lawyer's office when you buy a property.  "Existing Home Owner's" insurance is also available at any time.  Some insurers in Saskatchewan, like Co-Operator's, are now providing the product.

It is important to remember that lawyers do not receive any compensation from the title insurance companies for recommending or assisting you with obtaining title insurance, i.e. we are not sales people for the title insurers and we do not receive trailer fees or commissions from the insurers.

In fact, a lawyer's failure to discuss title insurance with you may constitute professional negligence and that lawyer may be liable to you if you suffer damages from something that title insurance would have protected you against. In other provinces, for example, Ontario, lawyers are obligated by their professional code of conduct to thoroughly discuss title insurance with you.

I recommend title insurance because I believe that most times it is in your best interests to have it. At the very least, you should have the opportunity to make an informed decision.

The four main title insurance companies in Canada are: (1) First Canadian Title Insurance, (2) Stewart Title Guarantee Company, (3) Title Plus, and (4) Chicago Title Insurance Company. For more information on title insurance, its cost and benefits, visit the following websites: First Canadian Title; Stewart Title Guarantee Company; Title Plus; and, Chicago Title.

Some things are better to have and not need, than need and not have. Title insurance is one those things.

*Always check with the insurer to see what they cover and what they do not. Make an informed decision.

For advice, Robert MacKay's team provides professional, personalized service and with their assistance, you can rest assured that your real estate transactions will be handled with the utmost consideration and care.

They  provide a full range of legal services including:

• Real Estate & Mortgages
• Wills & Estates
• Family Law & Divorce
• Commercial & Corporate Law
• Litigation & Personal Injury

At Great Canadian Oil Change, they will always do their best to keep you travelling safely, in a cleaner environment. At Great Canadian Oil Change, they guarantee that they will always value your business. Great Canadian Oil Change is your Trusted Regina Oil Change expert. In their latest helpful oil tip, they share how frequently you should change your oil.

How Often Should You Change Your Oil?

If you ask three shops how often you should change your oil you may get six different answers.  But we feel confident with our recommendation.

Follow the service intervals recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle

We recommend to our customers that they follow their manufacturer’s recommended oil change intervals.  This means that the manufacturer will recommend that you have your oil changed every so many kilometres.  Depending on your specific vehicle, this may mean having your oil changed every 5000 km, 7500 km, 12000 km or some variation thereof.

What are some exceptions to following the service interval recommendations of the manufacturer?

There is one exception to using the service interval recommended by the manufacturer and that is: driving conditions.  Here are some examples of driving conditions that justify changing the oil earlier than recommended:

Short trips in the winter, where the engine fails to meet operating temperature for ten minutes or more, are tough on oil.  All of that condensation has no place to go but into the crankcase.

Unusually dusty conditions.  (Did you ever follow a combine at harvest?)

These two scenarios justify changing the oil before the recommended service interval.

Should I always follow the oil change needed an indicator on my dash?

Yes, you should follow the oil change indicator in your vehicle.  Unless you’ve received a recall from your manufacturer, we recommend following the oil life indicator on your dash, if your vehicle has one.

How critical is it to change my oil at exactly the time that is recommended by the manufacturer?

Several years ago we sent engine oil samples to a lab.  These were samples of engine oil that were changed before, near and after the recommended interval.  Each report indicated that the oil had life left.  Therefore, although it may not be absolutely critical at the exact odometer reading, we recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines as closely as possible for the best maintenance of your vehicle.

What are the benefits to changing my oil according to the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer?

There are many benefits to changing your oil according to the service interval recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle.  Clean engine oil lubricates the engine, keeps it cool, and minimizes the metal-to-metal contact of the parts inside the engine.  Over time the oil starts losing its ability to flow well (becoming less “viscous”), thus losing its ability to protect your engine as it is meant to.  By regularly changing your oil, you prevent problems that can occur over time.  Some of these problems include overheating and undue wear on the engine due to the friction of parts when lubrication is not optimal.  Regular oil changes will also extend the life of your vehicle and help keep it in optimum running condition.

At Great Canadian Oil change in Regina, we follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of your vehicle.  We will verify that your vehicle is due for an oil change before performing it.  We look forward to seeing you for an oil change or for one of the many other services we offer!  

  Great Canadian Oil Change is your Trusted Regina Oil Change expert