BirdTalk Dear Bird Talk, I am travelling to the U.S. in August withmy truck and travel trailer and vacationing for three weeks in different states. I amplanning on being in Tennessee at the end of the three weeks and then storing the truck and trailer for the winter and flying back to Canada. I am planning to return the following year and continue touring the U.S. and do the same thing over and over for a few years, with the truck and trailer being stored in a different state each year until finally ending in Florida. I realize that my Canadian insurance is only good for six months and that I will have to legally import and register the truck and trailer in the U.S. due to being there for more than one year. Can you give me some direction on how/where I should register the truck and trailer and maybe an insurance company that can provide me with insurance for this type of situation?? Gerald Templeman Gander, NL Ed.: What a great few years lie ahead! The insurance issue is fairly easy to solve as Allstate, State Farm and others will love to underwrite your insurance. You will need to suspend coverages, except for comprehensive coverage (fire and theft, basically), each time you return to Canada. Your main problem will be...”Where do you live?”...on the insurance application. You will need a mailing address or a friend in the state in which you register the vehicle. The best state to register in would be in a non-border state, preferably rural in nature, and not beside those big rivers that flood or those big cities with crime. Insurance costs vary dramatically, by state, so get a few quotes first. Dear Bird Talk, Our Roadtrek 2008 is owned equally by an American citizen and a Canadian citizen. It’s licensed in Arizona and fully insured for both of us and for both countries. My question: do I have to import it into Canada when it spends about six months in each country (as do I). The approx. time intervals in the U.S. – 100 days; four trips to the U.S. over the summer of about five days’ duration each, then another 60 days until year end. While in Canada, it is not used on a daily basis, perhaps a few hours a week only. Thank you for your opinion on this question. BL Archibald Gabriola, BC Ed.: Yes, it would need to be imported into Canada. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) looks at your residency, as opposed to your citizenship. If your permanent residence is in Canada, it would be necessary to import the vehicle into Canada. According to CBSA, you are only allowed to bring temporarily into Canada a vehicle for the purpose of transporting your household or personal effects into or out of Canada (for up to 30 days). In all other circumstances, if you buy, lease, rent or borrow a vehicle while outside of Canada, Transport Canada and border services legislation does not allow you to bring a vehicle into Canada for your personal use, even temporarily, unless it meets all Transport Canada requirements and you pay the duty and federal taxes that apply. One other thing of interest is that, if you tried to cross into Canada with a U.S.-registered vehicle, they may not allow you entry and could seize the vehicle. I had a U.S.-registered car, which I personally owned, stalled at the border for two weeks in exactly those circumstances. Dear Bird Talk, Section C, question 6b on the Medipac Travel Insurance Application asks if you have been prescribed three or more medications for hypertension. One of my medications is a combination of Ramipril/ Hydrochlorothiazide in one pill. To answer that question correctly, is this considered one medication or two when applying for travel insurance? Patrick Lynch Huntsville, ON Ed.: We made the conscious decision to allow one pill to have more than one medication in it. It is only counted as one pill (medication). We felt that many people, especially seniors, would not be aware of the exact content of their medications and wanted people to travel with certainty of their coverage. One of many, many reasons to buy Medipac Travel Insurance. Dear Bird Talk, Just trying to understand the Form 8840 submission requirements. We’re first-time snowbirds and will be spending several months in the U.S. this fall and winter. Is there a submission requirement prior to leaving, or will we just have to file in 2017 for the 2016 U.S. tax year? Karl Piercey Newfoundland Ed.: Congratulations! You will love the snowbird lifestyle and meet many new friends. Try and make it to our Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland, Florida in late January (it’s free). The Form 8840 is a voluntary form to avoid possible U.S. taxation by showing that you are really a Canadian. I would file the form in May or June next year and annually thereafter. Dear Bird Talk, We just learned today that the company (Certas) that purchased State FarmCanada WILL NOT insure your vehicle for more than 180 days in the U.S. This was told to me at the renewal of our policy, by our local agent, and confirmed by a call to the company underwriters. In the past, with State Farm Canada, this was not an issue. I suggest that any snowbird with this coverage immediately check with their agent. Wayne Fairman Trenton, ON Ed.: The reality is that no insurance company wants to insure your vehicle for more than 180 days outside of Canada. Most insurers have limits such as a maximum 30-day absence; other insurers will charge you an additional premium to stay away for a month, or two, or six. Some will even tell you to buy your insurance elsewhere. Every snowbird should ask their agent or insurer for confirmation of coverage for the period for which they are away, preferably in writing. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
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