Quebec has the cheapest car insurance rates in Canada, according to a report commissioned by Ontario’s Ministry of Finance, making them the envy of drivers outside of the province. In fact, Quebec drivers, along with New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan drivers all pay less than $800 a year for coverage on average.
Ontario - $1,505
British Columbia - $1,832
Alberta - $1,316
Newfoundland and Labrador - $1,168
Manitoba - $1,080
Northwest Territories - $974
Nunavut - $968
Yukon - $806
Nova Scotia - $891
Saskatchewan - $1,235
New Brunswick - $867
Prince Edward Island - $816
Quebec - $717
Car insurance in Quebec is unique. It blends both a public plan that’s provided by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) and a private plan that is purchased from Quebec car insurance companies.
The public portion is included in the fees you pay for your driver’s licence, while the private Quebec insurance plan requires that you shop around for the best deal.
With Quebec's unique car insurance system, we get a lot of questions. Here are answers to some of the most common inquiries.
It’s estimated that the average Quebec automobile insurance costs about $724 per year . However, every driver’s situation is unique and the best way to see how much it will cost you is to shop around and compare quotes for the cheapest rate. Even if you pay the “average” rate or less, there is always room to save more; your Quebec car insurance can be cheaper.
No matter where you live in Quebec, or for that matter Canada, auto insurance is mandatory.
It is the law. Under the Quebec Automobile Insurance Act, you must carry at least $50,000 in civil liability insurance coverage. This amount however, is the bare minimum, and generally drivers have at least $1 million in coverage.
According to the Groupement des assureurs automobiles and the Bureau d’assurance du Canada having at least $1 million in civil liability coverage is advisable because it protects you for:
Your Quebec auto insurance quote will include the compulsory civil liability coverage that you are required to carry. Usually, quotes include $1 million of civil liability coverage; however, you can change this amount to $2 million.
There are also optional coverages to consider as well, with the most common being collision and comprehensive. Both of these optional coverages will pay to fix your vehicle if damaged. Collision, for example, will pay for damages resulting from an accident, while comprehensive will cover damages caused by things like hail, theft, or vandalism. You can choose to include, or exclude, these optional coverages when reviewing your list of quotes.
According to the Groupement des assureurs automobiles and the Bureau d’assurance du Canada there are 5 main things you can do to reduce your Quebec car insurance premium:
Year | Average annual premium | Average monthly premium | Year over year change |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | $715.00 | $59.58 | 1.13% |
2010 | $720.00 | $60.00 | 0.70% |
2011 | $712.00 | $59.33 | -1.11% |
2012 | $712.00 | $59.33 | 0.00% |
2013 | $716.00 | $59.67 | 0.56% |
2014 | $717.00 | $59.75 | 0.14% |
2015 | $716.00 | $59.67 | -0.14% |
2016 | $661.00 | $55.08 | -7.68% |
2017 | $685.00 | $57.08 | 3.63% |
2018 | $717.00 | $59.75 | 4.67% |
2019 | $798.00 | $66.50 | 11.29% |
Data source: Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA)