Protect your car with insurance for Ontario drivers

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Driving a car in Ontario? Make sure you’re covered

Are you a rush hour commuter in a suburb like Burlington? Do you travel the scenic roads of northern Ontario towns like Sudbury? Wherever you drive in Ontario, you need the best car insurance. From London to Waterloo, Newmarket to Peterborough, Sonnet has you covered with insurance for experienced or new drivers. Get customized coverage, in language you can understand, at a competitive price – and do it all online. We’ve changed car insurance in Ontario for the better, so your drive is worry-free.

Why do you need auto insurance?

In Ontario, if you own a vehicle, by law you must have auto insurance. Think of insurance as a future investment. The average cost of a car repair claim in Ontario is $8,611. Insurance will protect you from having to pay out of pocket. Plus, if you cause damage or injuries to other people while driving, you’ll be responsible for those costs too. Accidents happen, even to good drivers. Having the best auto insurance in Ontario means you’ll have financial help when they do.

What does car insurance in Ontario cover?

The Ontario government regulates coverage for auto insurance. To make sure everyone has basic protection, certain coverages are required. There are also options to add to or increase your coverage. Here’s a list of what standard car insurance covers in Ontario. The best way to know what’s covered and what’s not is always to review your actual auto policy.

Did you know? Ontario is a no-fault insurance system. This means that you’ll always deal with your own car insurance company to report a claim, regardless of whether or not you’re at fault for a collision. This makes it even more important to make sure you have the best auto insurance in Ontario.

Mandatory auto insurance coverage

Liability

You must have liability coverage in order to drive in Ontario. It protects you and other drivers financially in case of an accident where you’re at fault. Liability covers any damages, injuries or losses experienced by another driver or individual.

Accident Benefits

If you sustain any injuries or damages from an accident, the standard benefits will cover your costs for medical, rehabilitation, and income replacement. In Ontario, there is additional coverage for caregiver and housekeeping or home maintenance benefits. You can also choose to upgrade any of your standard accident benefits coverages or purchase optional benefits.

Collision - Your Fault

If you hit another vehicle or object (like a street sign or fire hydrant) or roll your vehicle, this will cover you for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle.

Collision - Not Your Fault

Also known as Direct Compensation - Property Damage (DCPD). This is the portion of your insurance policy that covers the damage to your vehicle to the extent that you’re not at fault for a collision.

Comprehensive

It’s not just when you’re driving that your vehicle could be damaged. Comprehensive insurance in Ontario has your vehicle covered for damage from things like falling objects, vandalism, fire, theft, lightning, windstorm and earthquake.

Do you lease or finance your vehicle? Having both comprehensive and collision coverage may actually be required by your lender. Find out more about insuring a leased or financed car.

Optional auto insurance coverage

Accident Forgiveness

Clean record for the last 6 years? We won’t increase your rate due to your first at-fault accident and we automatically apply this protection again if after another 6 years you’ve got a clean record.

Ticket Forgiveness

Protect that squeaky-clean history and your rate! When it comes time for renewal, your minor ticket won’t impact your rate. We’ll pretend like it didn’t even happen.

Enhanced Protection Bundle (Ontario only)

Ontario drivers get the benefits of four great coverages and savings to match, all in one convenient bundle.

Rental Costs
We’ll take care of your rental car costs after an at-fault collision or during a comprehensive claim. You’re covered for up to 30 days per occurrence for a rental car comparable to your own. This doesn’t cover loss or damage to a borrowed or rented vehicle.

Non-Owned Vehicle Coverage
We’ll cover you for the loss or damage to a borrowed or rented vehicle comparable to your own.

Roadside Assistance
We’ll reimburse you up to $50 for emergency expenses. This includes tow truck services, battery replacement, or installing a spare tire.

Hit and Run Deductible Waiver
We’ll waive your deductible up to $1,000 in the event of a hit-and-run if it’s reported to the police within 24 hours.

How much does auto insurance cost in Ontario?

Car insurance rates are unique for each driver. Insurance companies look at your personal driving and claims history. They also consider where you live and the type of vehicle you have. Plus, they’ll factor in how you use your car. Here are some examples of the average price of car insurance with Sonnet in Ontario. Get a free online car insurance quote to see how much you would pay.

$156/month avg.

University alumni in Orleans on average can get auto insurance that adds up to about the cost of your daily coffee habit each month.

$176/month avg.

The average person in Waterloo, can bundle their home and auto insurance for less than the average household spends monthly on dining out.

$214/month avg.

The cost of insuring an older vehicle in Newmarket is on average around half of a typical monthly grocery budget for two.

“…I’ve enjoyed the easy customer service and quick responses to all of my questions. I look forward to adding home insurance in the near future.” “From the moment we joined Sonnet, we felt protected. We were fully covered for damages to our vehicle and couldn’t be happier with the repair outcome. The process was a breeze!”
How you can save on auto insurance in Ontario

Engineering & accounting graduates in Ontario

Engineers and accountants can appreciate a well-designed solution. Use our online platform and claim your engineering or accounting graduates discount.

Winter tires

It pays to be safe. Save even more when you put on winter tires from November to April – just make sure they have the three-peak mountain snowflake icon.

Canadian University Alumni

Get more from your degree. University Alumni can save on car insurance in Ontario.

More ways to save in Ontario

You could save an average of $474 with Sonnet’s group discount. It’s easy - start an online quote and search for the name of your organization or association. A few organizations that trust Sonnet:

LifeWorks

Learn more

COTAPSA

Learn more

Nissan

Learn more

Questions about car insurance in Ontario? We’ve got answers

Getting an auto insurance quote with Sonnet is quick and easy – with plenty of help along the way. Read through our current blogs or most frequently asked questions about car insurance to get started.

How can I save on my auto insurance?

We give you our best price that’s specifically tailored for you. We’ve come up with a number of ways to help make sure you get the best price on your insurance.

There are a number of ways you could save on your auto insurance:

  • Exclusive Sonnet Savings. Self-service has its benefits! You’ll save just for purchasing your insurance online. How easy is that?
  • Claims Free. If you’re lucky enough to have been claims-free for six years, you could save.
  • Convictions Free. Good driving behaviour deserves to be rewarded!
  • Multi-Vehicle. Insuring more than one vehicle with us? Awesome! You may qualify for a multi-vehicle saving.
  • Multi-Policy (home and auto). You could save when you insure both your home and your vehicle with us.
  • Winter Tires (only in Ontario). They’ll keep you safe and help you save on your auto insurance.

BONUS: Have more than one vehicle insured with Sonnet? No matter which one your drive the most, we’ll automatically assign you as the primary driver to the vehicle that will give you the best price on your insurance.

TIP: Do you live in Toronto? Find out how to get the cheapest car insurance in Toronto.

Do I need insurance for a leased or financed car?

Yes, you’ll still need to get car insurance for your leased or financed vehicle. It’s not included in your lease or contract.

The leasing or financing company may have specific car insurance requirements as a condition of your contract with them. These could include a minimum deductible for collision and comprehensive coverages. You’ll also need to list them on your policy as an additional interest, since they have a stake in your car. And, they’ll require you to provide them with proof of insurance.

Still have questions? Learn more about how leasing vs. financing a car affects your insurance.

Do you live in Toronto? Find out which has the cheapest car insurance - used cars vs. new cars.

How do you buy car insurance in Ontario?

The Ontario government sets out required coverages and approves pricing for auto policies. In some provinces you can also purchase your insurance from the province. In Ontario, you purchase your car insurance through a private insurer. With Sonnet, you can get an auto insurance quote online in 5 minutes. All you’ll need is your driver’s license number, vehicle identification number (VIN) and the answers to a few simple questions – we do the rest of the work for you!

Heads up! Check out these tips on how to get a car insurance quote if you live in Toronto.

How do I know how much auto insurance coverage I need?

There are a couple of things you need to consider:

Liability limits. We'll cover you and the people on your policy for valid claims, and the cost of settling those claims, if you're held liable for injuries or damage to someone else's property as a result of an auto accident. Tip: Minimize how much you could be financially liable for in the case of a major accident by increasing this limit.

In Quebec, we cover the damages to your vehicle as well as those to someone else’s property. However, injuries are covered under the Quebec public insurance plan, SAAQ.

Extra coverages. If your vehicle would cost more than the deductible amount to repair it, you might consider adding Collision: Your Fault and/or Comprehensive coverage. (In Quebec, Collision coverage is called “Collision and Upset”, and Comprehensive is known as “All Perils Other than Collision and Upset”.) If your vehicle is involved in a collision with another object or tips over, Collision coverage will help cover the damage. Comprehensive covers your vehicle against loss or damage other than what's covered by Collision. This includes falling or flying objects, missiles and vandalism, and all the things listed under Specified Perils.

Review our guide on what coverages you should choose when getting a car insurance quote in Toronto.

How do I get the pink slip for my new car insurance?

Once you've purchased your auto policy, we’ll send you an email with a link to activate your Sonnet account. Your car’s pink slip (also known as your liability card or liability slip) and proof of insurance will be accessible directly through your account. From there, you can download and print them out.

Looking for your pink slip in your account? Follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your account and click on your auto policy.
  2. Click Download documents.
  3. Select Download under your Liability Card to get your pink slip.
  4. We’ll also send you a hard copy of your new pink slip through the mail (which takes about 5 business days).

Haven’t received your liability slip in the mail? First, double check the mailing address listed on your account. You can do this by signing into your account and selecting Settings. If your mailing address is incorrect, contact us.

Heads up! Although digital pink slips are now accepted in some provinces, you’ll still need to carry a physical pink slip for your Sonnet auto policy while driving. We do not offer an electronic pink slip option at this time.

Start saving on your car insurance today

Don’t wait for renewal to take advantage of a better price. Find out how much it could cost you to cancel and switch to Sonnet.

The 5 minutes to get insured is based on the average Sonnet customer experience.

Average monthly premiums for auto insurance in Ontario are based on current Sonnet policies as of July 2020, with assumptions made to determine demographic groups.

The average cost of an auto claim in Ontario is based on 2019 claims data from Sonnet and Economical Insurance.