From 'pink card' to screen: Experts weigh in on new digital insurance option in N.B.

Electronic vehicle insurance cards can now be used as proof of insurance in New Brunswick, but the announcement sparked debate on social media about the pros and cons of the new option.

According to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, New Brunswick insurers can now issue insurance cards for use on a mobile device, with the policyholder's consent, effective Feb. 1.

The electronic vehicle insurance card isn't required, and the physical copy, commonly known as a "pink card," will still be accepted.

Lyle Skinner, a New Brunswicker currently living in Ottawa and working in constitutional law, weighed in on the topic on social media.

Skinner told CBC News that while the government did a good job outlining possible risks of only keeping a phone copy on hand, like weak cellular service or traveling out of province, there are other risks that need to be addressed.

He said his concern is with the language in New Brunswick's Motor Vehicle Act that says the vehicle's driver would need to "forthwith present and deliver" the insurance card "into the peace officer's hands, for examination in detail by the peace officer."

For Skinner, he doesn't think he will use the digital card option "because of the risks and potential misunderstandings of handing over your phone to a police officer."

Privacy risks

One of these risks, said Skinner, would be if a message or notification popped up if the screen wasn't locked. He said this could potentially cause a misunderstanding between the driver and the officer.

The New Brunswick RCMP confirmed they received a memo regarding the approval, but directed questions about the memo to the Department of Justice and Public Safety.

The department did not agree to an interview, but in an emailed statement said, "A memo was sent to all enforcement agencies stating that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles has approved the use of electronic proof of auto insurance."

David Fraser, a privacy lawyer in Nova Scotia, said he thinks the authorization of the digital insurance card is a positive move by the government, and if the same thing happened in Nova Scotia, he might opt to have it as a backup.

For example, if his "pink card" was expired, the one on his phone would likely be up-to-date and could be presented as proof of insurance, said Fraser.

The Registrar of Motor Vehicles stipulates that the card must be able to be viewed on a locked screen.

But Fraser said some people who go with this option might not know how to activate privacy features like these.

"For those individuals, if they haven't set a PIN code for their phone, for example, then anytime they hand over their phone to anybody, they're handing them an unlocked phone that contains probably their banking app, certainly their email and their text messages and their social media," said Fraser.

The approval also instructs insurers that delivery and access methods of the card must minimize the potential for fraud.

Cybersecurity risk

Saqib Hakak, a computer science professor at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, said having a mobile copy is easy for the customer, but it could also increase susceptibility of social engineering attacks.

He said the person being asked for proof of their insurance would want to ensure the authenticity of who is asking for it.

During a social engineering attack, "a malicious user" could easily exploit the device by installing malware or accessing payment apps, he said.

But Hakak said there are ways to decrease these risks. With iPhones, for example, a guided access feature can be turned on in settings, which would allow the viewer to only see a specific feature or application when activated.

But despite risk controls, Hakak said, "There is nothing secure in the world.… So it doesn't matter how much security you have, there is always some residual risk."

He said as more and more things become digital, cybersecurity attacks are on the rise.

When using the technology that will allow for digital insurance cards, Hakak said the most important thing for users is to keep up-to-date on their device's latest security features.