August 13, 2026 Billy Walker
E-bikes and e-scooters are everywhere in popular vacation destinations. They’re convenient, relatively cheap and can be a great way to explore. But before you hop on, there’s something Canadian travellers need to know: the rules can change dramatically from one country to another — and breaking them could potentially create problems with your travel insurance.
A recent Canadian Paediatric Society survey found 57 cases of severe injuries involving e-scooters, e-bikes and other powered personal mobility devices among Canadian children in 2025. 10 Children died, 6 in the province of Ontario.
Another 12 were admitted to intensive care and 26 spent more than two days in hospital. Head injuries were the most common, and roughly one-third of the cases required surgery.
What happens if you get hurt riding one on vacation?
And, more specifically, will your travel insurance actually cover you?
A shocking example for readers is that E-scooters are illegal to ride in public in the City of Toronto. Details here. The City has deliberately chosen not to participate in Ontario’s e-scooter pilot program. That means electric kick-scooters cannot legally be operated on Toronto streets, bike lanes, cycle tracks, sidewalks, trails, paths or in parks. They also cannot legally be left, stored or parked on public property. Suffice to say you wouldn’t be insured in the event of an accident or injury while riding an e-scooter illegally in the streets of Toronto. ( Check with your insurance provider )
What exactly are you riding?
What we casually call an “e-bike” or “scooter” can have very different legal definitions depending on where we’re travelling.
One country may consider a particular e-bike essentially a bicycle. Somewhere else, depending on its power or maximum speed, a similar-looking vehicle could fall into a different category with different rules.
There can be minimum ages, speed limits and helmet requirements.
You may need a driver’s licence, motorcycle endorsement or International Driving Permit for some types of vehicles. There can be restrictions on passengers and rules about whether you’re allowed on a sidewalk, bike lane or roadway.
And those regulations can change not only between countries but between cities and regions.
That’s why there’s one assumption travellers should avoid:
If someone is willing to rent it to me, I must be allowed to ride it.
Not necessarily.
A rental company accepting your credit card isn’t the same thing as confirming that you comply with every local licensing and operating law.
Then comes the really important question: are you insured?
This is where things can get complicated.
Travel insurance policies aren’t all the same. Neither are the emergency medical benefits that come with many Canadian credit cards.
Policies contain terms, conditions and exclusions, and the circumstances surrounding an injury can matter when a claim is assessed.
If local law says you need a particular licence to operate the vehicle, do you have it?
If helmets are mandatory, were you wearing one?
Were you riding somewhere the vehicle wasn’t legally permitted?
Was the vehicle modified to travel faster than local regulations allow?
Were you drinking?
These aren’t questions you want to be asking for the first time from a hospital bed in another country.
The Government of Canada advises travellers to research the risks when renting motor vehicles abroad and specifically recommends wearing a helmet and protective equipment when riding scooters and bikes — even in destinations where a helmet isn’t legally required.
It also recommends having travel health insurance in case you’re injured abroad.
But simply having insurance doesn’t mean every possible activity is automatically covered.
Don’t assume your credit card has you covered either
This is particularly important for Canadians who rely on the emergency medical insurance included with a credit card.
Having a premium travel card in your wallet can create a reassuring sense that you’re covered when you leave Canada.
But credit-card travel insurance is still an insurance policy.
It has definitions, eligibility requirements, limitations and exclusions.
So before renting a motorized bike or scooter abroad, pull up the Certificate of Insurance that came with your card.
If you can’t tell whether you’re covered, call the insurance provider or administrator.
And don’t simply ask:
“Am I covered for an e-bike?”
Be specific.
Tell them where you’re going and what you intend to rent.
Ask:
“If I rent this type of e-bike or e-scooter in this destination and I comply with all local licensing, helmet and operating laws, am I covered for emergency medical expenses if I’m injured?”
And if a special licence or International Driving Permit is required, find that out before you leave home.
Five minutes of homework before you ride
We’re certainly not suggesting Canadians stop renting e-bikes and scooters when they travel.
They’re fun. They’re convenient. And they can be a terrific way to see a destination.
But treat them with the same respect you’d give any other motorized transportation.
Before riding, check the local rules covering your specific type of vehicle.
Check the minimum age. Check the speed and power restrictions. Find out where you can legally ride. Determine whether helmets are mandatory and whether you need a licence, permit, registration or insurance.
Then check your travel insurance.
If you’re relying on a credit card, check that policy too.
And if you’re travelling with teenagers, don’t assume the rules that apply to adults apply to them. Age restrictions can be very different.
The bottom line
Travel has a wonderful way of encouraging us to do things we might never do at home.
That’s part of the fun.
But hopping onto an e-scooter in Barcelona, an e-bike in Italy or a motorized scooter at a beach destination shouldn’t be completely spontaneous.
The Canadian statistics are a stark reminder of just how serious injuries involving these devices can be.
The insurance question makes doing a little homework even more important.
Know what you’re riding. Know the local laws. Wear the helmet. And know what your insurance covers before you turn the throttle.
Because discovering that you broke a local law is bad enough.
Discovering it while you’re injured thousands of kilometres from home — and wondering whether your insurance company will pay the bill — is considerably worse.
Canadian Travel News always recommends that travellers utilize the services of a professional Travel Advisor, confirm current local laws at their destination and review their individual travel insurance or credit-card insurance policy before renting or operating an e-bike, e-scooter, moped or other motorized vehicle. Coverage varies by policy and circumstances.
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