This page contains information related to the Traffic Safety Act that is not currently in effect. This information is provided to help Nova Scotians prepare for the Traffic Safety Act, expected to take effect on 19 October 2026. Continue to follow the Motor Vehicle Act until then.
Insurance and vehicle branding
The Traffic Safety Act (TSA) passed in the Nova Scotia Legislature in October 2025 and will come into effect on 19 October 2026. The Act will modernize the rules of the road and improve safety for Nova Scotians on roads and highways across the province. The Act will replace the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), in place since the early 1900s. The Traffic Safety Act has greater flexibility, enabling government to respond more quickly to modern and evolving transportation needs.
This page highlights the key changes that will affect the insurance industry and explains what these changes mean for your operations. The goal is to provide clear, straightforward information so you can prepare for the transition.
If you have any questions or require clarification, contact the TSA team at tsa@novascotia.ca.
Upcoming changes that will impact insurance and vehicle branding
Damaged vehicle reporting
What is being changed
The following are changes and clarifications found in the Collision Reporting regulations:
- before paying a claim with respect to damage to a vehicle on the basis that the vehicle is a total loss, an insurer must engage a qualified damage appraiser to examine the vehicle to determine all of the following:
- whether the vehicle is a total loss
- if the vehicle is a total loss, whether the vehicle is a salvage vehicle or a non-repairable vehicle
- if a qualified damage appraiser determines that a vehicle is a total loss, the insurer must notify the Registrar as to whether the vehicle is a non-repairable vehicle or a salvage vehicle no later than 5 days after paying a claim with respect to damage to the vehicle
- if damage to a vehicle is serious enough that the vehicle owner presumes the vehicle to be a total loss and an insurance claim has not been paid out to the owner with respect to that damage, the owner must report the particulars of the damage to the Registrar no later than 30 days after the date the vehicle sustained the damage
- an owner of a vehicle who wishes to have the status of salvage assigned to the vehicle must engage a qualified damage appraiser to examine the vehicle and determine whether the vehicle is a salvage vehicle
- a qualified damage appraiser who determines that a vehicle is a salvage vehicle must report that determination to the Registrar within 5 days of making the determination
- if the Registrar has reason to believe that a vehicle is or was a total loss, the Registrar may require the owner of the vehicle to engage a qualified damage appraiser to examine the vehicle and provide a report by a specified date
Action required
No action is required. This is for awareness only.
Definitions
What is being changed
The TSA is introducing new definitions, which include the following:
- total loss – a vehicle that meets any of the following criteria:
- has been damaged or has been stolen and dismantled, so that the estimated cost of repairing it exceeds the difference between the fair market value of the vehicle immediately before it was damaged or stolen and its salvage value
- flood vehicle
- flood vehicle – a vehicle that is meets any of the following criteria:
- has been immersed in a liquid to the bottom of the dashboard or to a level affecting any of the major electrical system components
- has been contaminated with a toxic substance that renders the vehicle unsafe due to the toxic hazard
- qualified damage appraiser – an individual who has at least two years of experience in vehicle repair and vehicle bodywork and who, for compensation or for promise or expectation of compensation, engages in the business of establishing the amount of loss resulting from any damage to a vehicle.
Updated definitions are also being introduced, which include the following:
- salvage vehicle – a vehicle that is a total loss and meets the following criteria:
- is not a flood vehicle
- can be repaired and assigned the status of rebuilt if it meets the criteria prescribed in the Vehicle Document Regulations
- rebuilt vehicle – a vehicle, formerly assigned the status of “salvage” or an equivalent status in another jurisdiction where it was registered, that has been repaired so that it meets the criteria prescribed in the regulations to be assigned the status of “rebuilt”
- non-repairable vehicle – a vehicle that is a total loss that has no resale value except as a source of parts or scrap metal, including, without limitation, a vehicle that meets any of the following criteria:
- has been recovered after being stolen but with most or all the body panels or interior components missing
- has been burned or damaged by heat in 2 or more compartments or burned or damaged by heat to the extent that high-strength steel components are affected
- a full-frame motor vehicle and has extensive damage requiring replacement of both cab and frame
- a unibody motor vehicle and has any of the following types of damage:
- collision or other damage to the passenger compartment floor, cowl and A-pillar
- collision or other damage to the rocker panel and B-pillar extending into the floor
- an opening made anywhere in the unibody as part of a rescue or recovery operation
- a flood vehicle
Action required
No action is required. This is for awareness only.
Motor Vehicle Insurance Regulations
What is being changed
The TSA has introduced a new Motor Vehicle Insurance Regulations that consolidates insurance requirements, including:
- proof of insurance
- insurance certificates
- reports by insurer
- carrier liability policies
- personal vehicle sharing program policies
- transportation network company policies
Action required
Familiarize yourself with the regulation once available.