If you're trying to make sense of your car insurance coverage and the limits that you need, as a professional Ontario car insurance broker, Scrivens is here help.
Let's talk about the car insurance basics to help you read and understand your car insurance options in Ontario.
Your Ontario Car Insurance Policy
An Ontario Car Insurance policy is designed to provide you with a level of protection against property, liability and medical costs if you are involved in an accident.
Property
Liability
Accident Benefits
Property Insurance
Property coverage pays for damage to or theft of your car.
Collision
Covers damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or other object. Collision pays to repair your vehicle, less the deductible you choose. For older cars, you may want to consider dropping this coverage, since it is typically limited to the cash value of your car. This coverage is not required, but if you have a loan or a lease, the lien holder may require it.
Comprehensive
Covers your vehicle, and sometimes other vehicles you may be driving, for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. This includes damage to your car if it is stolen or damaged.
Liability Insurance
Liability coverage pays for your legal responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage.
Third-party Bodily Injury Liability (BI)
This covers injuries that you, the designated driver or policyholder cause to someone else. Claims for bodily injury include medical bills, loss of income, or pain and suffering. It does NOT cover the cost of damage to your vehicle, or to you or other people on your policy. It is mandatory in all provinces; however, minimums will differ among provinces.
Third-party Property Damage Liability (PD)
Covers you or someone driving the car with your permission if the car damages someone else's property. Typically, the property is another vehicle, but it could be a fence, telephone pole, house, etc. It also provides you with legal defence if another party files a lawsuit against you.
Accident Benefits
Accident benefits pay for the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation and sometimes lost wages and funeral expenses.
Accident Benefits
This coverage can provide medical expenses, income replacement and other possible benefits to you and passengers if you are injured in an accident. This coverage is mandatory in some provinces.
Car insurance is mandated by the Ontario government but there are some ways you can lower the price you pay:
Consider increasing your deductible
Maintain a good driving record
Drive fewer kilometres per year for a low-mileage discount
Drive a vehicle with increased safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, airbags, etc.
Install an ant-theft device
Combine your property insurance with your automobile insurance for mutli-policy discounts
Use a licensed Ontario carinsurance broker! We compare the rates of the best insurance companies.
What is auto insurance? How does car insurance work?
Auto insurance is coverage to protect your vehicle, yourself, and your passengers if you are involved in a vehicle collision. It is a law to have auto insurance. In Ontario it is insured under the Ontario Automobile Policy #1 or OAP1
Auto insurance will replace, reimburse or repair your vehicle if involved in an accident, if you or a passenger are injured in a vehicle collision, or any damage that has affected your vehicle by any accidental or sudden event. In most cases, it will also offer you temporary vehicle replacement.
If you have an auto policy and are hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian or cyclist your auto policy would provide coverage under accident benefits.
It does not cover the cost to repair due to maintenance, wear & tear, rust, etc.
Are car insurance rates in Ottawa going up?
Auto Insurance rates increase due to many factors including, rising costs of repair, and increased claims severity and frequency to name a few. Rates depend on a number of factors – type of vehicle, driving experience, driver age, claims, convictions, territory, etc. If your rates increase, it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways for you to save, such as increasing your deductible.
How much is car insurance in Ottawa?
There is no set rate for auto insurance in Ontario, rates are always changing. It depends on many factors including type of vehicle, driving experience, age of driver, claims, convictions, territory, etc.
Will car insurance cover towing?
Yes. There is an endorsement you can request to add to your policy called OPCF 35- Emergency Roadside Service. Your policy covers a tow from the scene of an accident to the repair shop without the OPCF35 however this endorsement is Emergency roadside assistance without having a claim.
Will car insurance cover repairs?
Yes, it covers repairs to your vehicle if involved in an accident. You’ll need to purchase Collision and Comprehensive coverage as they both provide different coverages to your vehicle. Collison covers repairs if you’re at fault and Comprehensive covers you if there is damage to the vehicle that is not involving a collision – for example, glass repair, vandalism, fire, etc.
Which car insurance in Ottawa is the cheapest?
There is no set insurance company that has the cheapest insurance rates. Every company offers different rates based on your personal rating factors.
What happens when car insurance denies a claim?
If an insurance company denies a claim, you can be responsible to pay for the damages and injuries on your own. It is very important to disclose all requested information to your insurance broker.
Having the wrong information on file can deny a claim.
The Insurance Ombudsman is another avenue of recourse if you’re not satisfied with the reason for declining.
What car insurance in Ottawa do I need?
You have options for your insurance coverage:
Full Coverage – This includes collision and comprehensive coverage
One Way Coverage – Mandatory Liability and Accident Benefits Coverage. This is typical for older vehicles.
You should discuss with your Insurance Broker to see what coverage is best for your insurance needs.
As an Ontario Car Insurance Broker, Scrivens is here to help
Everyone in Ontario must have basic car insurance; however, the specifics will vary by driver and vehicle.
Be sure that, in the event of a serious accident, you have a professional car insurance broker on your side.
You will be contacted shortly to provide more information about you and your vehicle. In the meantime, please complete this form and email it to info@scrivens.ca.
Drivers in Ontario will now be able to provide electronic proof of auto insurance via a mobile device thanks to approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA), which occurred on Sept. 5, 2019.
If you earn more than $30,000, consider increasing the income replacement insurance benefit on your Ontario car insurance to recover lost income in the event of an accident.
Rental car insurance in Ontario can be complicated but having all the information and understanding what car rental insurance you already have will go a long way to ensure you have the right protection.
All insurance companies in Ontario are required by the Ministry of Finance and the Government of Ontario to provide an Ontario winter tire discount—typically 2 to 5 percent—to car insurance policies that install winter tires. The winter tire discount was put into force to not only reduce car insurance rates but also to improve overall roadway safety.
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