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Some of the most common questions Ontario drivers ask us about car insurance
There is no doubt about it; Ontario car insurance is expensive. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), auto insurance rates in Ontario are 45 per cent higher than in Alberta, and about twice as high as the Maritime provinces. One of the main culprits often blamed for the high rates Ontario drivers pay is the prevalence of insurance fraud that drives up claims costs and increases premiums for all drivers. Insurance fraud includes everything from exaggerating the extent of damages, faking collisions, to overbilling on services performed in the event of a claim. It comes from a wide cross-section of contributors, which makes it a complex issue for the province to deal with.
Ontario is the capital of auto insurance fraud in Canada. The provincial government has long vowed to change this, but so far efforts have not reached the 15 per cent reduction in auto insurance rates promised in previous elections. In December 2017, the province announced plans to make car insurance more affordable by introducing the Fair Auto Insurance plan, which includes reforms to address insurance fraud in Ontario. This includes the launch of the Serious Fraud Office to investigate fraud further.
As fraud drives up costs for all drivers, your best defense is to regularly shop around and compare rates to ensure you're still getting the best deal on your auto insurance.
There's no one auto insurance company that offers everyone the best rates. Auto insurance premiums for the exact same coverage can vary substantially between insurance companies for a variety of reasons. It all depends on things like the insurer's claims experience and how they rate you as a driver. The only way to know which company offers you the best rate and coverage is to shop around and compare quotes.
The average monthly car insurance cost in Ontario is approximately $120, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. However, this can vary greatly depending on your personal driving record and insurance history, the vehicle you drive, where you live, and a number of other factors. Drivers who live in urban areas tend to pay more than drivers who live in rural areas, for example.
Car insurance in Ontario varies significantly, and the best way to determine how much car insurance will cost you is to compare rates. Every driver’s situation is unique, and by comparing quotes customized specifically to you, you'll see not only the range of quotes available to you, but also how much you can save on your car insurance!
Most of what you’ll need to get a car insurance quote in Ontario, you’ll know off the top of your head. For example, the make, model and year of the vehicle you drive. Additional information you’ll be asked about includes:
If you don’t know exact dates or details, your best estimate will do initially. But remember, the rates are only as accurate as the details you provide, so if any information changes, your rate may change too.
Yes, car insurance is mandatory in order to legally drive in Ontario. Vehicles must have insurance or else drivers risk serious fines starting at $5,000 upon a first conviction. Drivers must purchase coverage from a private insurance company. The same is true for drivers in Alberta, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Ontario is a no-fault insurance province, and while this might sound like it means no one will be found at fault in the event of a collision, it really means something altogether different.
What no-fault actually means is if you are injured in an accident or your vehicle is damaged, then you deal with your own insurance company when making a claim. By going through your own insurer, you get the financial help you need right away—whether it’s for injuries you sustained or for fixing your damaged vehicle—instead of waiting for your insurer and the other drivers’ insurers to decide who was to blame for the incident before paying out benefits.
In Ontario, drivers must be 16-years-old to obtain a driver's licence. The province operates under a graduated system that has three levels of classification. The first is a G1 licence. This is a written test that drivers must pass. A driver with a G1 class license can operate a vehicle only when driving with a fully-licensed G driver in the passenger seat. A G1 is essentially a learner's permit. Typically people with a G1 license practice driving with someone else's vehicle and would typically be covered under that person's auto insurance policy. To learn more about G1 licence requirements and restrictions click here.
After one year, drivers can take a driving test to obtain their G2 licence. This licence allows drivers to operate a vehicle without accompaniment from a fully-licensed driver. However, there are conditions and restrictions to this licence as well. Depending on the situation, a G2 driver may be added as an occasional driver to an existing policy, or may have their own policy if they own a vehicle. To learn more about what's involved in a G2 licence in Ontario, click here.
Finally, drivers can take further testing to become a fully-licensed G class driver. The graduated licensing process takes about 20 months in total to complete. Whether you have a G2 or a G licence, if you have your own vehicle you must have an auto insurance policy as it is illegal to operate a vehicle in Ontario without valid car insurance. Hot tip: Drivers who take an accredited drivers training program may be eligible for significant savings on their auto insurance. Check the Ministry of Transportation to find out which programs qualify and start saving today!
Absolutely. Licensed G2 drivers can legally drive another person’s vehicle in Ontario, but it’s important to remember that when you lend your vehicle, you lend your car insurance coverage too. This means that if the G2 driver gets in an accident or another claim, it is the lender’s insurance that is affected.
This incident also goes on the borrower’s driving record, so when that G2 driver goes to get their own car insurance they will likely see this reflected in their premiums too.
If this G2 driver is your child or someone who drives your vehicle regularly, they may have to be added to your policy as an occasional or secondary driver. Always consult with your insurance provider to ensure you have adequate coverage.
When lending your vehicle to a novice driver, it’s good practice to make sure it’s someone whose driving you trust.
The standard auto insurance policy in Ontario is comprised of four different types of car insurance that are mandatory coverages. Every Ontario auto insurance policy includes the following types of car insurance coverage:
There are also several optional coverages that you can add to enhance your auto insurance coverage.
Collision and comprehensive are the two most common optional coverages drivers choose to add to their auto insurance policies. Both types cover costs associated with fixing your vehicle if damaged. Collision covers damages resulting from an accident, while comprehensive coverage covers damages caused by vandalism, theft, hail and similar named perils.
When determining your auto insurance rate, insurance companies look at a number of variables, including:
Ontario car insurance rates often change, and it usually boils down to the insurance company’s claims costs. When claims costs go up (or down), typically premiums will follow. There are other factors too, like the introduction of new discounts (e.g. Ontario’s winter tire discount) or when benefit coverages or options change, to name just a few recent examples.
Ontario auto insurance companies cannot increase, or decrease, their rates on a whim. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), a regulatory agency of the Ministry of Finance, must approve changes to auto insurance rates. Every three months, FSCO releases the rate changes they’ve approved, and while sometimes only a handful of insurers change their rate, other times many do.
“Consumers are urged to shop around for auto insurance,” says FSCO every quarter in its report. “Ontario has a very competitive marketplace.”
Any time Ontario auto insurance rates change is an opportunity to save money on your premiums. Rates do not uniformly increase, or decrease, across the board. That’s why it’s important to compare rates regularly. Don’t wait until it’s time to renew to see if you could be saving money. Compare rates, at minimum on renewal, but also when your marital status changes, you move, or buy a new car.
When it comes to auto insurance, especially auto insurance in Ontario, many people question whether or not there’s really a way to save money on it. There is! While there are many ways to save, none are more effective than shopping around. How can we be so sure? Well, on average, InsuranceHotline.com shoppers save $427* after comparing car insurance quotes on our site in 2018. And, all it takes is a few minutes to compare quotes from our network of over 30 insurance providers.
We know you'd rather spend your time with your family than calling around to get quotes, so our service does it for you—and fast! See for yourself and compare car insurance quotes today.
Dominion of Canada | $1615 |
Gore | $1654 |
Chieftain Insurance | $1800 |
SGI Canada | $1880 |
Range of quotes $265 |
Western Assurance Company | $1278 |
Scottish and York | $1348 |
Royal & SunAlliance | $1483 |
Aviva | $1585 |
Range of quotes $307 |
Pembridge Insurance Company | $1643 |
SGI Canada | $1737 |
Allstate | $1868 |
Zenith Insurance | $1951 |
Range of quotes $308 |
Dominion of Canada | $1845 |
Zenith Insurance | $1888 |
Royal & SunAlliance | $1889 |
Chieftain Insurance | $1992 |
Range of quotes $147 |
Each quarter, insurers can apply to have their rates increased or decreased. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), which oversees insurance regulation in the province, approves or denies these requests. Most of the time, insurers request rate increases due to changes in a particular coverage. For example, an insurer experiencing an increased prevalence in payouts resulting from car accidents might apply to have rates increased to help offset the costs of increased claims.
FSCO can also order insurers to apply to adjust their rates, such as in the event of auto reform. According to FSCO, proposed rate changes must be just and reasonable; not excessive; and "not going to impair a company's financial solvency."
This table featuring FSCO's approved quarterly changes shows how often rates change and highlights why regularly comparing car insurance rates is so imperative to saving money on your Ontario auto insurance. These rates can be found at fsco.gov.on.ca.
Quarter | Overall Rate Change |
Biggest Rate Decrease |
Biggest Rate Increase |
||||
Q4 2018 | +3.35 | -0.00 | +34.87 | ||||
Q3 2018 | +2.06 | -0.00 | +11.60 | ||||
Q2 2018 | +1.1 | -0.69 | +8.15 | ||||
Q1 2018 | +2.23 | -1.26 | +9.96 | ||||
Q4 2017 | +1.03 | -12.67 | +9.43 | ||||
Q3 2017 | -0.10 | -8.90 | +5.90 | ||||
Q2 2017 | +0.76 | -1.07 | +8.97 | ||||
Q1 2017 | +1.24 | -3.33 | +7.08 | ||||
Q4 2016 | -0.14 | -3.13 | n/a | ||||
Q3 2016 | +1.50 | -5.37 | +12.03 | ||||
Q2 2016 | +0.33 | -6.83 | +3.70 | ||||
Q1 2016 | -3.07 | -25.51 | +8.99 | ||||
Q4 2015 | -0.15 | -8.43 | +11.86 | ||||
Q3 2015 | -0.50 | -4.13 | +3.79 | ||||
Q2 2015 | +0.60 | -2.80 | +15.68 | ||||
Q1 2015 | -0.95 | -7.25 | +2.99 | ||||
Q4 2014 | -0.54 | -6.44 | +0.38 | ||||
Q3 2014 | -0.11 | -4.88 | +5.13 | ||||
Q2 2014 | +0.22 | -1.26 | +4.19 | ||||
Q1 2014 | -1.01 | -13.60 | +2.27 |
As a driver, you can't control these particular changes, but you can control maintaining a clean driving record. Next to comparing rates, this is the best way to keep your auto insurance rates down. However, note that your rates can also increase or decrease if you move, change your commuting time, get a new vehicle, add another driver to your policy, and so on.
There are numerous variables at play, but comparing rates is hands down the easiest way to get cheaper Ontario car insurance.
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Ontario paved the way for ride-share insurance in Canada by becoming one of the first provinces to introduce insurance products specifically for Uber drivers, and now for Lyft and other ride-sharing platforms. Several insurance companies now offer this type of coverage as ride-sharing increases in popularity, especially in dense urban areas such as Toronto.
These policies are unique because ride-share drivers are in a unique position. You use your personal vehicle for business purposes, blurring the lines between commercial and personal auto insurance coverage. Ride-share insurance was created to fill that gap. To learn more about insurance for Uber drivers and similar ride-sharing programs, visit our ride-share insurance page here.
Savings: $894
Driver: Female, 28 and Male, 29
From: Ajax, Ontario
Driving: 2012 Toyota Corolla
Savings: $692
Driver: Female, 47
From: Toronto, Ontario
Driving: 2007 Jeep Patriot
Savings: $483
Driver: Female, 29
From: Guelph, Ontario
Driving: 2010 Nissan Versa
Savings: $833
Driver: Male, 27
From: Whitby, Ontario
Driving: 2011 BMW 328i
Savings: $418
Driver: Female, 42
From: Newmarket, Ontario
Driving: 2014 Toyota RAV4
Savings: $582
Driver: Male, 24
From: London, Ontario
Driving: 2016 Mazda 3i Sport
Average savings unlocked by Ontario drivers in 2017: $145
Average premium paid by Ontario drivers in 2017: $1,952
Most popular vehicle for married couples in Ontario: 2017 Toyota Corolla
Most popular vehicle for single people in Ontario: 2017 Honda Civic
Percentage of Ontario drivers that have not had an accident in the past 10 years: 88%
Compare car insurance quotes and start saving today. Ontario drivers can save millions of dollars on their auto insurance rates. For consumers who saved on IH, the average savings from Jan 2018 to Nov 2018 was $427.
The average savings amount represents the difference between the consumers' recorded current premium and the lowest premium generated by InsuranceHotline.com.