When plating and insuring your vehicle in Saskatchewan, whether it be your winter beater or your brand new SUV, it's important to understand your options and what you are getting in terms of coverage and deductible.

When purchasing an Auto Policy, you are not just plating your car, you are getting a customizable insurance policy that protects you and your family from loss not covered by basic plate insurance. You gain several key additions including:

- Increased liability coverage from $1 million to $5 million

- Lower deductibles from $500 to $50

- Waived deductibles if you hit wildlife or have damage due to fire, lightning or theft

- Rental car coverage (which includes protection against damages to the vehicle)

- Increased injury benefits

Additional options:

- Replacement cost coverage on brand new vehicles (must be insured within 120 days of vehicle delivery)

- If your vehicle is totaled in the first 24 months, your deductible may be waived and your vehicle is replaced

- If your vehicle is repairable, only new parts will be used

- If your vehicle is leased your original purchase price is protected, covering the difference between what you owe your leasing company and the actual cash value of the vehicle

- Loss of use coverage for alternative transportation in the event of a claim

- Road hazard glass coverage including chip repair

There are many examples of how an Auto Policy can provide necessary benefits in coverage. For instance, if you injure a high salaried person in a collision and must pay to supplement their lost income, Auto Policy pays for costs not covered by basic plate insurance. You may face significant financial hardship if you're found at fault for damaging someone's property or if someone gets injured.

Getting the right protection is about the best combination of basic plate insurance and an Auto Policy tailored to your needs.

We had a small celebration of our office's 32nd anniversary on Saturday. We would like to thank everyone who past or present had business through our office and to the wonderful community around us that has been home to our business since 1982! Al and Lois (the original owners) even stopped by to visit with everyone and help celebrate.

Congratulations to this year's door prize winners:

- Sydney Sylvetser who won a woman's watch.

- Bert Elder who won the men's watch.

- Shannon Peter who won the sport bag, blanket and water bottle.

Got some new gadgets in your home, maybe a radiant floor or some valuable mobile medical equipment? Wawanesa offers Saskatchewan residents a Special Limits Enhancement that can be extremely useful on your home or condo that not only increases some of your existing coverage limits but adds coverage to key systems you rely on in your everyday life. This Home Equipment Breakdown coverage is extremely handy in covering costly gaps to basic policies, protecting you from expensive repair or replacement to key pieces of equipment and systems.

The Special Limits Enhancement raises limits to these existing coverages:

- $20,000 Jewellery and Furs

- Personal property of a student away at school

- Watercrafts

- $20,000 Building Bylaws Coverages

- $20,000 Fire Department Charges Coverage

- Home Freezer Contents

The Special Limits Enhancement also adds $50,000 Home Equipment Breakdown coverage for equipment, systems, and personal property that includes:

- Central air conditioning

- Boilers, furnaces and heat pumps

- Radiant floor heating

- Pool and spa pumps, heating and filtration

- Electrical service panels

- Home security monitoring and control devices

- Kitchen and laundry appliances

- Home entertainment equipment

- Computers, peripherals and wireless devices

- Mobile medical equipment

- Portable generators and sump pumps

If you would like more information regarding Wawanesa's Special Limits Coverage, please give us a call at 1-800-450-2700 or 306-955-2700.

If you've been out riding the trails or plan on doing some snowmobiling this winter make sure to stop by our office to pick up this year's copy of the Sask Snowmobile Trail Guide. It's a must for every rider, giving a detailed map of the province that includes:

- Trans Canadian Snowmobile Trails

- Primary Trails

- Secondary Trails

- Provincial Trails

- Fuel Stations

- Warm-Up Shelters

- No Snowmobiling Areas

- Arctic Cat, Polaris, Skidoo, Yamaha Dealers and Canadian Tire Stores province wide

- Snowmobile Clubs with trails

- All Sasktel 4G coverage area

- Approved Hand Signal Reference Guide

- Recommended Minimum Ice Thickness Reference Guide for different vehicles

and more.

Copies are free and fold up to fit in a jacket pocket. Please come pick one up from our office before you hit the trails and safe riding!

Are you taking a much deserved trip? Trying to beat the cold? Maybe it's just time to explore? Here's a handy traveler checklist from Travel.gc.ca:

- Carry a Canadian passport that is valid well beyond the date of your planned return to Canada; keep a copy of the identification page separate from the original.

- Leave copies of your passport identification page, itinerary and insurance policy with friends or family.

- Obtain any required visas well in advance.

- If traveling with children, carry documentation proving your right to accompany them (e.g. a consent letter or court order).

- Arrange for travel health insurance and take care of health needs, such as eyeglasses, prescriptions, vaccinations and medical certificates and supplies.

- Anticipate financial needs, such as local currency and departure tax.

- Check whether dual citizenship is an issue for you.

- Obtain an International Driving Permit, if required.

- Visit travel.gc.ca for essential Country Travel Advice, emergency contacts, a directory of Canadian embassies and consulates, safe-travel publications and information on traveling with children, living abroad and returning to Canada.

- Download their Travel Smart mobile app at travel.gc.ca/mobile for essential travel information on the go.

- Sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad service at travel.gc.ca/register.

And our biggest tip: Travel Insurance is for everyone!  Whether you're 25 or 75, make sure to inquire about what options are available to you before your departure to make sure your trip is one to remember.