AUTO INSURANCE
"You stay covered, mile after mile."
Auto Insurance in Ontario
In Ontario, auto insurance includes mandatory coverages like Third Party Liability, Accident Benefits, and Uninsured Automobile coverage, and offers optional coverages such as Collision (damage from accidents with other vehicles or objects), Comprehensive (non-collision damage like theft or fire), and Specified Perils (damage from a select list of risks). Many insurers also offer additional endorsements to customize coverage.
Mandatory Coverages (Required by Law) These are the minimum coverages every Ontario driver must purchase:
- Third Party Liability: Covers costs if you're responsible for an accident that causes injury or property damage to someone else.
- Accident Benefits: Provides coverage for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and income replacement for you and your passengers, regardless of who is at fault.
- Uninsured Automobile Coverage: Protects you and your family if you're injured or if your vehicle is damaged by a driver who has no insurance or is unidentified (hit-and-run).
Optional Coverages (Can be added for more protection) These coverages are not mandatory but are recommended to protect your own vehicle and other potential damages:
- Collision Coverage: Pays to repair your vehicle if it is damaged from a collision with another vehicle or an object, even if you are at fault.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Covers damage to your vehicle from non-collision events, such as fire, theft, vandalism, falling objects, or severe weather.
- Specified Perils Coverage: Protects your car from a defined list of risks, which may include theft, fire, or hail, but is more limited than Comprehensive coverage.
- All Perils Coverage: This combines Collision and Comprehensive coverages, offering protection against both collision and non-collision damage.
Other Available Add-ons
You can often add further protections to your policy, such as:
- Rental Vehicle Coverage: Helps pay for the cost of a rental car if your vehicle is unavailable due to a covered claim.
- Roadside Assistance: Provides help with services like towing or flat tire changes.
- Replacement Cost Options: Such as those that help your new or used vehicle keep its value after a total or partial loss.
What to do in case of an accident:
https://www.fsrao.ca/consumers/auto-insurance/protect-yourself/what-do-after-accident
Types of auto insurance Stuart Insurance covers:
- personal auto
- Commercial auto
- Fleet
- Leased and financed vehicles
- motorcycles and road legal scooters
- Trailers
More about accident benefits in Ontario
In Ontario, car accident benefits are a "no-fault" system under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS), providing immediate coverage for medical, rehabilitation, and income replacement regardless of who was at fault for the collision. Benefits vary by injury severity, with standard coverage for non-catastrophic injuries including up to $65,000 for medical and rehabilitation, and income replacement for employed persons up to $400 per week. You can also sue the at-fault driver for additional damages not covered by these benefits after two years.
Types of Benefits
- Medical, Rehabilitation, and Attendant Care Benefits: Help cover costs for ongoing medical treatment, therapy, and personal care if you need assistance due to your injuries.
- Income Replacement Benefit: Provides a percentage of your lost income for employed individuals who are unable to work.
- Non-Earner Benefit: For those who were not working before the accident and are now completely unable to carry on a normal life.
- Caregiver Benefit: Helps with the costs of caring for dependants.
- Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Benefit: For catastrophically impaired individuals who need help with these tasks.
- Death and Funeral Benefits: Paid to dependants or for funeral costs in the event of a fatality.
Levels of Injury
- Minor Injury: Standard benefits cover up to $3,500 for medical and rehabilitation.
- Non-Catastrophic Injury: Standard coverage is up to $65,000 for medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits.
- Catastrophic Impairment: Provides the highest level of coverage, up to $1 million for medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits, and unlocks other benefits not available under standard policies.
