Cheap St. Catharines Car Insurance Quotes
St. Catharines drivers save $468* on average by comparing car insurance quotes on InsuranceHotline.com
How does St. Catharine auto insurance work?
Those living and driving in St. Catharines must have valid auto insurance, as is the case in the rest of Ontario. Driving an uninsured vehicle is against the law.
Basic insurance includes third-party liability, statutory accident benefits, and uninsured auto insurance. More coverage can be purchased if desired. However, doing so will increase your car insurance premium.
Insurance in St. Catharines works under a no-fault system and can only be purchased from private insurance providers. If you're looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates in St. Catharines, consider doing some comparison shopping on InsuranceHotline.com.
Changes to Ontario's auto insurance in 2024
Ontario is currently in the process of reforming how auto insurance works in the province. The goal of this is to reduce the amount of coverage drivers are forced to take out, and in turn, lower their premiums.
Some of the proposed changes include:
- Option to remove the caregiver benefit, housekeeping and home maintenance expenses benefit, income replacement benefit, and death and funeral benefits (benefits for medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care will remain mandatory, however).
- Making auto insurance companies the first payer for medical and rehabilitation benefits (at the moment, a person's private medical insurance is the first payer). This change is meant to streamline the claims process and lead to earlier resolution.
- Option to remove direct compensation for property damage (DCPD) coverage (in effect since January 2024).
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Shopping for St. Catharines auto insurance quotes
With more than 133,000 residents, St. Catharines is the largest metropolitan area in the Niagara Falls region. The population is poised to grow over the coming years with more families, students and professionals moving to St. Catharines and the surrounding area for school, work and to raise their children. More cars on the road means an increased likelihood of a car insurance claim, sometimes resulting in higher rates. The best way for drivers to combat this is to compare rates to ensure youre getting the best deal on auto insurance in St. Catharines.
InsuranceHotline.com has been helping drivers save money on car insurance since 1994. Get a quote that is 26% less than the average market rate.*
Find out how much you can save by comparing car insurance quotes today from 30+ insurance providers in less than five minutes. Comparing makes saving easy and fast!
*Based on the difference between the average lowest auto insurance premium and overall average auto insurance premium from our site in 2019.
Who shops for St. Catharines auto insurance?
Anyone looking to find a cheap St. Catharines auto insurance rate should shop around. New drivers, experienced drivers, good drivers and less than perfect drivers-all drivers can benefit by comparing their rates on a regular basis to make sure they're still getting the best deal.
Interestingly, drivers from St. Catharines who visited InsuranceHotline.com come in all shapes and sizes:
- Almost 73.8 per cent of St. Catharines drivers have a clean driving history with no tickets, accidents or licence suspensions
- 10.8 per cent of drivers admit to having at least one traffic ticket
- 7.3 per cent admit to having been involved in at least one collision
- The remaining drivers, 2.3 per cent, have at least one ticket and one accident
If you're a new driver, auto insurance will likely be a bit more expensive than if you have a few years of driving and insurance history under your belt. It takes time to build up your driving history. Over time however, with more experience (and a clean driving record) your car insurance premium should decrease.
TIP: New drivers might be eligible for discounts if they've taken training from an accredited Ontario driving school. The Ministry of Ontario lists all accredited schools on its website.
St. Catharines mandatory and optional car insurance coverage
| Insurance type | Mandatory coverage | Optional/ Additional Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Liability | $200,000 minimum. Provides coverage in the event of a lawsuit resulting from an accident where you are at fault. | Coverage can be increased to $500,000, $1 million, or $2 million, with up to $2 million limit. |
| Uninsured Automobile Insurance | Provides up to $200,000 in coverage if you are injured or killed by an uninsured driver, or if your vehicle is damaged as a result of a hit-and-run by an unidentified, uninsured motorist. | Family Protection Coverage is an optional coverage that includes additional coverage of up to $1 million in the case of a hit-and-run by an uninsured motorist. |
| Statutory Accident Benefits | Provides coverage if you are injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Covers medical expenses that aren’t covered by OHIP. | Coverage limits can be increased. |
| Direct Compensation-Property Damage (DC-PD) | Optional | DCPD is included in all standard insurance policies, but Ontario drivers can apply to remove it. DCPD pays to repair or replace your car if you're in a collision where the other driver is at fault. You lose this coverage by removing DCPD, as well as your ability to sue the other driver for repairs. |
| Collision Coverage (Also Upset Coverage) | Optional | Covers the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle following a collision with another vehicle, an object, or property. |
| Comprehensive coverage | Optional | Covers damages caused by named perils identified under the Specified Perils coverage, as well as losses from other perils like falling or flying objects, theft, fire, hail, windstorms, missiles, and vandalism. |
| Specified Perils Coverage | Optional | Covers damages caused by named perils such as theft, attempted theft, explosions, natural disasters like fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, rising water, earthquakes, and other perils specified in your policy. Specified perils do not cover damages due to vandalism, breakage of glass, etc. |
| All-Perils Coverage | Optional | Combines collision/upset and comprehensive coverage. Also, provides additional protection if a household member or an employee steals your vehicle. |
| OPCF 20: Coverage for Transportation Replacement | Optional | Covers the cost of your transportation replacement and rental car insurance if you were to get into a car accident or if your vehicle is stolen. |
| OPCF 27: Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobile(s) | Optional | Covers if you damage a borrowed or rental vehicle. The coverage limit is usually around $25,000 to $50,000. |
| OPCF 39: Accident Waiver/Forgiveness | Optional | Protect your premium from rising when you have your first at-fault accident. |
| OPCF 16: Suspension of coverage | Optional | This allows you to suspend your insurance coverage for 30 days or more during periods when you aren't using the car. |
| OPCF 43: Waiver of depreciation | Optional | Ensures your insurance company won't factor in depreciation when settling a claim; you will receive the amount you initially paid for the car. |
| OPCF 44R: Family protection coverage | Optional | Ensures your costs are covered if you and your family are involved in an accident with a driver with less liability insurance than you. This endorsement will cover the remainder. |
| OPCF 13C: Limited glass | Optional | For a lower premium, you can limit or exclude any coverage for glass damage that might've been in your policy. |
| OPCF 40: Fire and theft deductible | Optional | Adds a deductible (an amount you must pay before your insurance company chips in funds) for a theft or fire damage claim. |
| OPCF 49: Agreement not to recover for loss or damage from an automobile collision | Optional | Removes DCPD coverage from your Ontario Automobile Policy. You forfeit your right to compensation for physical damage caused to your vehicle by an at-fault driver. You cannot sue for repairs, either. |
St. Catharines auto insurance 101
Car insurance is the most important necessity when it comes to owning a car. It's illegal to drive without it, but that doesn't mean you have to pay a fortune to have it. Read on to learn more about car insurance in St. Catharines and what you need to know.
Who sets car insurance rates in St. Catharines?
The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) regulates rates in Ontario, including St. Catharines. Each quarter, insurers can apply to have rates increased, and in some cases decreased. FSCO either approves or denies the requests and releases the rate changes each quarter.
That means, every three months, rates could be changing--including yours.
If you're looking for ways to save money on car insurance, the best way to save is to compare rates at minimum every year. Car insurance rates are always changing and vary by company. Comparing rates regularly is the best way to ensure you're still getting the best rate on your St. Catharines car insurance.
What goes into calculating my insurance rate?
There are many factors that go into determining your insurance rate, such as:
- The make and model of the vehicle you drive
- Your driving record and history
- Your insurance history, including past claims
- Your average kilometres, including how often and how far you drive
- Where you live (even the specific neighbourhood you live in in St. Catharines can have an impact on your rates)
- Your chosen deductibles (typically the higher the deductible, the lower your monthly rate)
- Any extra coverage options that you add onto your policy, including increased limits, optional coverage and additional endorsements
What optional coverage and endorsements are available?
In Ontario, it's compulsory to have coverages like Liability and Accident Benefits, for example, but there are also optional coverages you can choose to customize your auto insurance policy to ensure it provides you with the protection you need.
Some of the more popular optional coverages include:
- Collision: this covers damage to your vehicle as a result of an impact of collision with another vehicle or object.
- Comprehensive: this protects your car against damage caused by events like theft and vandalism.
- Loss of use: In case you're in an accident, this covers your transportation costs (like a rental car) while your vehicle is being repaired or replaced.
- Rental car: If you frequently rent cars, this ensures that your rentals have both collision and comprehensive coverage.
- Depreciation Waiver: If you have a new car, this endorsement ensures you'll receive the full value of your vehicle in case it ever ends up being considered a total loss.
Does my car insurance cover me if I cross the border into the States?
St. Catharines is located close to Buffalo and Rochester, with other cities such as Detroit, Pittsburgh and even New York City just a drive away.
With the American border so close, it's no surprise that drivers in St. Catharines would want to venture over from time to time. Your car insurance should carry over, but it's advisable you speak with your insurance agent first to confirm. If you're travelling there often for work or play, you may be required to obtain additional coverage to ensure your vehicle is fully protected.
Driving in St. Catharines
St. Catharines drivers indicated that on average they drive about 14,000 kilometres a year and have a daily commute of about 15 kilometres each way.
According to the 2016 census, of those who are of working age, 81 per cent drive to work every day while and 7.6 per cent are a passenger. The rest of the St. Catharines working population, about 12 per cent, either walk, bike, take public transit or another form of transportation to get to their place of employment. The amount of St. Catharines residents who drive to work has increased in the past few years.
Isn't it time to see if you could be paying less for your St. Catharines car insurance?
Compare St. Catharines car insurance quotes today to see if you could join other InsuranceHotline.com shoppers who saved an average of $450 in 2017.
Fun Facts For St. Catharines Drivers
Some trends we've noticed from the thousands of St. Catharines drivers who have completed quotes on InsuranceHotline.com
Average car insurance savings for drivers in St. Catharines: $660*
Most popular vehicles insured by St. Catharines-based married couples: Honda Civic, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Toyota Camry, Kia Spectra
Most popular vehicles insured by singles in St. Catharines: Hyundai Sonata, Volkswagen Jetta, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze
Percentage of St. Catharines drivers who have had no accidents in the past 10 years: 88.22%
Average kilometres driven by St. Catharines drivers annually: 14,444 km
Most common professional association discounts for St. Catharines drivers: Brock University, Brock University Students, Niagara College Alumni Association, Niagara College Foundation, Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Unifor National
Data based on quotes completed by St. Catharines drivers on InsuranceHotline.com between January 1 and December 31, 2018.
*Shoppers in St. Catharines who obtained a quote on InsuranceHotline.com from January to December 2023 saved an average of $468 per year. The average savings represents the difference between the shoppers’ average lowest quoted premium and the average of the second and third-lowest quoted premiums generated by InsuranceHotline.com.
