Car insurance is compulsory for every vehicle driven in Ontario, and the rules for what a policy must contain are set by the province and enforced by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA). Every rule, average premium and approved rate change on this page comes from FSRA’s consumer pages, FSRA’s Auto Rate Approvals database or ontario.ca. Insurer features come from each insurer’s own car insurance, driving app or claims pages. All of it was checked on September 30, 2026. This page is general education, not insurance or legal advice; the policy wording decides what a claim pays.
What car insurance is mandatory in Ontario?
Every Ontario auto policy must include third-party liability of at least $200,000, statutory accident benefits for medical, rehabilitation and attendant care, and uninsured automobile coverage, which section 265 of Ontario’s Insurance Act requires in every motor vehicle liability policy. Direct compensation for property damage (DCPD) is part of the standard policy too.
How to read this table: Paraphrased closely from FSRA's consumer pages; the exact wording is saved in the source record.
| Coverage | What it pays for | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party liability | Claims against you when you injure or kill someone or damage their property | Mandatory, at least $200,000; higher limits such as $500,000, $1 million or $2 million cost extra |
| Statutory accident benefits — medical, rehabilitation and attendant care | Your own injury costs after a crash, whoever caused it | Mandatory; for policies entered into on or after July 1, 2026 the other accident benefits are optional |
| Uninsured automobile | Injury or death caused by an uninsured or unidentified driver, and damage to your car by an identified uninsured driver | Mandatory (Insurance Act s. 265); automatically included in every policy |
| Direct compensation – property damage (DCPD) | Damage to your car and its contents in Ontario when another insured driver was at fault | Included in the standard policy; since January 2024 you may elect not to claim it |
Source: What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (liability minimum); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (accident benefits from July 1, 2026); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (uninsured automobile coverage); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (DCPD opt-out since January 2024); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (when DCPD applies); Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 265 (1) — ontario.ca e-Laws (uninsured automobile coverage required in every policy); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (existing policies at renewal); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (who is covered by optional benefits from July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (purchasing or renewing on or after July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (limits of optional benefits); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (benefits that were already optional and remain optional); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (higher liability limit); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (optional accident benefits list); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (physical damage coverages); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (standard amounts and options); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (catastrophic impairment); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (income replacement); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (death and funeral); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (higher liability limits); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (all other benefits optional); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (fines); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (electronic proof of insurance); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (report an accident within seven days); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (FSRA's role); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (shop around); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (older vehicles); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (graduated licence discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discounts); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (winter tires, mature drivers); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (mature driver discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (switching mid-term, missed payments); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (young drivers as occasional drivers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (three quotes, brokers vs agents vs direct writers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (minor at-fault accident rule); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (broker, agent, direct writer); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (rating factors); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (vehicle theft rate); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (age); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (insurer choice); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (theft and repair costs); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (usage-based insurance); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (Take-All-Comers obligations); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (practices found, including drivers new to insurance in Canada); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (delay = declining); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (insurers need approval); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (no obligation to accept renewal); Your auto insurance — FSRA (Regulator Rate Ranger, shopping tips); Your auto insurance — FSRA (licensed sellers only); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (no final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (what FSRA cannot do); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (independent review); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (60 days); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (exchange countries); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (Canadian Armed Forces licences can be exchanged); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (section heading for the experience credit); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (experience credit from July 1, 2026); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (non-exchange jurisdictions); Register and insure a vehicle — ontario.ca (insurance before registration). In effect from July 1, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
FSRA’s wording on liability is direct: by law you must carry a minimum of $200,000 in third-party liability coverage, and you can buy more. Liability pays when you injure or kill someone or damage their property and they claim against you. FSRA notes it costs more to raise the limit to $500,000, $1 million, $2 million or higher, and describes a higher limit as a way to avoid paying out of pocket if third-party damages from an accident exceed $200,000.
Direct compensation for property damage pays for damage to your own car and its contents when another insured driver caused the crash in Ontario. Since January 2024 you may elect not to claim it; FSRA says opting out may not be the best option and points drivers to their insurer, agent or broker before making that decision.
Two other legal points often catch new drivers. Fines for owners, lessees and drivers without valid insurance range from $5,000 to $50,000, and a licence can be suspended and the vehicle impounded. And ontario.ca says you need insurance before you can register as the vehicle’s owner, bought from a private insurance company. Proof of insurance can be shown on a phone if the insurer issues it electronically.
Physical damage to your own car in a crash you caused, or from theft, fire or vandalism, is optional. FSRA describes four options: collision or upset, comprehensive, all perils (both, plus theft by a household member) and specified perils. FSRA also notes it may not be cost-effective to carry collision or comprehensive on a vehicle worth less than $2,000, because a claim would not substantially exceed the deductible.
What changed in Ontario car insurance on July 1, 2026?
For policies entered into on or after July 1, 2026, FSRA says only medical, rehabilitation and attendant care accident benefits are mandatory. All other accident benefits under a new policy, such as income replacement, are optional.
Under a new policy, FSRA describes those benefits as optional coverages that can be added or left off. FSRA’s reform fact sheet lists the benefits that became optional: income replacement, non-earner, caregiver, lost educational expenses, expenses of visitors, housekeeping and home maintenance, damage to personal items, death and funeral. The same fact sheet lists dependant care and indexation as benefits that remain optional, along with supplementary medical, rehabilitation and attendant care coverage above the standard limits.
How to read this table: Amounts are the standard levels and increases on FSRA's coverage page. For the optional benefits, FSRA's 2026 reform fact sheet says available limits vary by insurer.
| Benefit | Status | Standard amount | Options to increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care (non-catastrophic) | Mandatory | $65,000 | Increase to $130,000 or $1,000,000 |
| Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care (catastrophic) | Mandatory | $1,000,000 | Increase to $2,000,000 |
| Income replacement | Optional | 70 percent of gross income up to $400 per week | Weekly limit of $600, $800 or $1,000 |
| Caregiver | Optional | Catastrophic injuries only: up to $250 per week for the first dependant plus $50 for each additional dependant | Extend to all injuries |
| Housekeeping and home maintenance | Optional | Catastrophic injuries only: up to $100 per week | Extend to all injuries |
| Death and funeral | Optional | $25,000 to an eligible spouse; $10,000 to each dependant; funeral up to $6,000 | $50,000 to a spouse; $20,000 to each dependant; funeral up to $8,000 |
| Dependant care | Optional | Not provided | Up to $75 per week for the first dependant and $25 for each additional dependant |
| Indexation (yearly inflation adjustment) | Optional | Not provided | Annual adjustment to the Consumer Price Index for Canada |
Source: What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (liability minimum); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (accident benefits from July 1, 2026); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (uninsured automobile coverage); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (DCPD opt-out since January 2024); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (when DCPD applies); Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 265 (1) — ontario.ca e-Laws (uninsured automobile coverage required in every policy); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (existing policies at renewal); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (who is covered by optional benefits from July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (purchasing or renewing on or after July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (limits of optional benefits); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (benefits that were already optional and remain optional); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (higher liability limit); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (optional accident benefits list); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (physical damage coverages); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (standard amounts and options); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (catastrophic impairment); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (income replacement); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (death and funeral); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (higher liability limits); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (all other benefits optional); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (fines); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (electronic proof of insurance); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (report an accident within seven days); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (FSRA's role); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (shop around); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (older vehicles); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (graduated licence discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discounts); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (winter tires, mature drivers); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (mature driver discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (switching mid-term, missed payments); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (young drivers as occasional drivers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (three quotes, brokers vs agents vs direct writers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (minor at-fault accident rule); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (broker, agent, direct writer); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (rating factors); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (vehicle theft rate); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (age); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (insurer choice); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (theft and repair costs); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (usage-based insurance); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (Take-All-Comers obligations); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (practices found, including drivers new to insurance in Canada); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (delay = declining); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (insurers need approval); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (no obligation to accept renewal); Your auto insurance — FSRA (Regulator Rate Ranger, shopping tips); Your auto insurance — FSRA (licensed sellers only); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (no final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (what FSRA cannot do); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (independent review); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (60 days); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (exchange countries); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (Canadian Armed Forces licences can be exchanged); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (section heading for the experience credit); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (experience credit from July 1, 2026); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (non-exchange jurisdictions); Register and insure a vehicle — ontario.ca (insurance before registration). In effect from July 1, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
The practical effect is that two quotes can now differ because one includes optional benefits and the other does not. FSRA says accident benefits are available regardless of who caused the accident. FSRA’s coverage page gives the standard income replacement amount as 70 percent of gross income up to $400 per week, with options to raise the weekly limit to $600, $800 or $1,000, while its 2026 reform fact sheet says the available limits for optional benefits vary by insurer. FSRA also notes that benefits from an employer, another policy or a supplementary health plan may already provide some level of coverage for some of the optional benefits.
Existing policies are handled differently. FSRA’s reform fact sheet says an existing customer’s policy renews with the same coverage and limits unless the customer agrees in writing with the insurer to decline benefits or change them. It also says who is covered by the newly optional benefits changed on July 1, 2026, regardless of the renewal date: optional accident benefits cover only the named insured, the named insured’s spouse, their dependants and the drivers listed on the policy.
How much is car insurance in Ontario?
FSRA publishes the average annual premium for all private passenger vehicles insured in Ontario over the past 12 months. As of October 2025, it was $2,164 across Ontario and $2,810 in the Greater Toronto Area.
How to read this table: An average across every insured private passenger vehicle, not a quote. October 2025 is the latest column FSRA shows as of September 30, 2026.
| Region | As of Oct 2025 | As of Jun 2025 | As of Oct 2024 | As of Jun 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario (all) | $2,164 | $2,120 | $2,006 | $1,927 |
| Greater Toronto Area | $2,810 | $2,765 | $2,638 | $2,543 |
| Other urban Ontario | $2,076 | $2,031 | $1,918 | $1,842 |
| Rural Ontario | $1,740 | $1,698 | $1,592 | $1,521 |
Source: Your average premium — FSRA (average annual premium by region); Your average premium — FSRA (what the average covers); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (latest approval per insurer, data feed of autorateapprovals.fsrao.ca; Intact); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Belair); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Security National, TD); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (TD General); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Co-operators General); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Aviva General, the insurer behind RBC Insurance car policies); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Sonnet); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Personal Insurance Company, Desjardins); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Wawanesa); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Certas Home and Auto, Desjardins); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Intact Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Intact Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Belair Insurance Company Inc.); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Belair Insurance Company Inc.); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Co-operators General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Co-operators General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Security National Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Security National Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Aviva General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Aviva General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Personal Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Personal Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (TD General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (TD General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Sonnet Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Sonnet Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (market share year, from the insurer history view); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (column labels); High-risk drivers — FSRA (Facility Association); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (what the database is for). In effect from October 1, 2025; checked September 30, 2026.
As a monthly figure, the Ontario average works out to about $180 a month, the GTA average to about $234 a month and the rural average to $145 a month. The GTA average is $1,070 a year above the rural average. Across Ontario, the average rose $158, or about 7.9%, in a year.
FSRA’s page on market conditions gives context: physical damage costs per claim increased by 22.5% over the past five years and continue to rise about 7.4% a year. FSRA ties that to the rising price of parts and labour, and says rising auto theft can also affect premiums.
For a rough price before shopping, FSRA offers an online tool, the Regulator Rate Ranger, to help drivers understand the approximate cost of insuring a vehicle. Only a real quote for your car, address and record gives your price.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Ontario?
No insurer is cheapest for every Ontario driver. FSRA says each company sets prices for its own risk groups based on its own claims experience, so the insurer with the lowest quote for one driver can charge another driver more than its competitors do.
FSRA lists the factors that move a premium:
How to read this table: From FSRA's page on what determines your auto insurance rate.
| Factor | What FSRA says |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | The type of vehicle; a vehicle with a high theft rate costs more to insure |
| Driving record | Accidents, years licensed, driver training, tickets and convictions |
| Where you live | Usually higher in urban areas where accidents and theft are more frequent |
| Age, gender and marital status | Premiums usually drop after age 25 |
| Distance driven | Kilometres per year and whether you drive to work or school |
| Coverage and deductibles | Extra coverage raises the price; lower deductibles mean higher premiums |
| Insurer | Each company prices its own risk groups from its own claims experience |
Source: What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (liability minimum); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (accident benefits from July 1, 2026); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (uninsured automobile coverage); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (DCPD opt-out since January 2024); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (when DCPD applies); Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 265 (1) — ontario.ca e-Laws (uninsured automobile coverage required in every policy); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (existing policies at renewal); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (who is covered by optional benefits from July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (purchasing or renewing on or after July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (limits of optional benefits); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (benefits that were already optional and remain optional); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (higher liability limit); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (optional accident benefits list); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (physical damage coverages); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (standard amounts and options); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (catastrophic impairment); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (income replacement); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (death and funeral); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (higher liability limits); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (all other benefits optional); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (fines); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (electronic proof of insurance); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (report an accident within seven days); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (FSRA's role); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (shop around); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (older vehicles); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (graduated licence discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discounts); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (winter tires, mature drivers); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (mature driver discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (switching mid-term, missed payments); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (young drivers as occasional drivers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (three quotes, brokers vs agents vs direct writers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (minor at-fault accident rule); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (broker, agent, direct writer); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (rating factors); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (vehicle theft rate); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (age); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (insurer choice); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (theft and repair costs); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (usage-based insurance); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (Take-All-Comers obligations); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (practices found, including drivers new to insurance in Canada); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (delay = declining); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (insurers need approval); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (no obligation to accept renewal); Your auto insurance — FSRA (Regulator Rate Ranger, shopping tips); Your auto insurance — FSRA (licensed sellers only); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (no final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (what FSRA cannot do); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (independent review); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (60 days); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (exchange countries); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (Canadian Armed Forces licences can be exchanged); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (section heading for the experience credit); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (experience credit from July 1, 2026); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (non-exchange jurisdictions); Register and insure a vehicle — ontario.ca (insurance before registration). In effect from July 1, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
Because each insurer weighs those factors differently, sites that name one “cheapest insurer in Ontario” cannot know your price. FSRA’s own advice is not to assume companies charge the same price for the same benefits, and to get at least three quotes from different direct writers, brokers and agents. The section on comparable quotes below shows how to make those quotes line up.
Some insurers sell straight to drivers online, and some reward buying that way: TD Insurance offers a 5% Digital Discount for buying online, kept at renewal. Whether an online quote ends up lower than a broker’s or an agent’s quote depends on the driver.
How are car insurance rates approved in Ontario?
FSRA says auto insurers need the regulator’s approval to change the rates they use to calculate premiums, and its role is to make sure proposed rates are fair and not excessive. FSRA publishes approved rate changes for every auto insurer in Ontario in its Auto Rate Approvals database.
How to read this table: Rows are ordered by 2024 market share. An approved change is an average across an insurer's whole book, not the change any one driver sees. Market share is the 2024 private passenger direct written premium share shown in each insurer's view of FSRA's database, per insurer company rather than per group. FSRA describes Facility Association as an insurer of last resort for high-risk drivers unable to find auto insurance in the regular market.
| Insurer | Group | Latest approved rate change | Approved | Applies to renewals from | 2024 market share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intact Insurance Company | Intact | -0.15% | April 8, 2026 | June 15, 2026 | 9.748% |
| Belair Insurance Company Inc. (belairdirect) | Intact | 1.41% | October 2, 2025 | December 1, 2025 | 8.26% |
| Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company | Desjardins | -2% | July 7, 2026 | November 28, 2026 | 7.891% |
| Co-operators General Insurance Company | Co-op | 0% | June 5, 2026 | September 11, 2026 | 7.744% |
| Security National Insurance Company (TD Insurance) | TD | 0.57% | January 26, 2026 | May 25, 2026 | 7.237% |
| Definity Insurance Company | Definity | -1.31% | April 28, 2026 | September 1, 2026 | 6.754% |
| Aviva Insurance Company of Canada | Aviva | 0% | September 17, 2025 | January 1, 2026 | 6.145% |
| CAA Insurance Company | CAA | -0.12% | July 30, 2026 | December 1, 2026 | 5.863% |
| Allstate Insurance Company of Canada | Allstate | -1.64% | June 17, 2026 | September 15, 2026 | 4.992% |
| Aviva General Insurance Company (RBC Insurance car policies) | Aviva | -1.64% | April 22, 2026 | September 1, 2026 | 3.907% |
| Personal Insurance Company (The) | Desjardins | -5.3% | July 7, 2026 | November 28, 2026 | 3.528% |
| TD General Insurance Company | TD | 0.1% | January 26, 2026 | May 25, 2026 | 2.993% |
| Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (The) | Wawanesa | 0% | September 17, 2026 | September 17, 2026 | 2.546% |
| Sonnet Insurance Company | Definity | -1.08% | August 8, 2025 | October 30, 2025 | 0.754% |
| Facility Association (insurer of last resort) | FA | 8.7% | July 30, 2026 | November 6, 2026 | 0.279% |
Source: Your average premium — FSRA (average annual premium by region); Your average premium — FSRA (what the average covers); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (latest approval per insurer, data feed of autorateapprovals.fsrao.ca; Intact); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Belair); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Security National, TD); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (TD General); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Co-operators General); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Aviva General, the insurer behind RBC Insurance car policies); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Sonnet); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Personal Insurance Company, Desjardins); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Wawanesa); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Certas Home and Auto, Desjardins); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Intact Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Intact Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Belair Insurance Company Inc.); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Belair Insurance Company Inc.); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Co-operators General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Co-operators General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Security National Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Security National Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Definity Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Aviva Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (CAA Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Allstate Insurance Company of Canada); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Aviva General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Aviva General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Personal Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Personal Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (TD General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (TD General Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (The)); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Sonnet Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Sonnet Insurance Company); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA insurer view, 2024 market share value (Facility Association); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (market share year, from the insurer history view); Auto Rate Approvals database — FSRA (column labels); High-risk drivers — FSRA (Facility Association); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (what the database is for). In effect from October 1, 2025; checked September 30, 2026.
Read the table as FSRA intends. FSRA encourages consumers to use the database “as a signal of a potential rate change coming their way,” and adds that approved changes may not affect all customers and that quotes can vary widely among insurers. A driver whose insurer just had an increase approved may still get a lower renewal after a clean year or a new discount, and the reverse is also true.
The same table answers a different search, “best insurance companies in Ontario”, with the size data FSRA publishes. Among the companies shown, Intact Insurance Company, Belair (belairdirect), Certas Home and Auto (Desjardins group) and Co-operators General wrote the largest shares of Ontario private passenger premiums in 2024. The figures are per company, not per group, and a large market share says nothing about the price or claims service any one driver will get.
Ontario car insurers compared: discounts, driving apps and claims
The seven insurers below all sell car insurance to Ontario drivers, and each has an approved rate on file with FSRA. They are listed in alphabetical order. The table compares what they publish; none of them publishes a price.
| Feature | How you buy (as stated) | Discounts and protections the insurer names | Driving app (telematics) | Claims or contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate Canada | an online quote in 3 minutes | Optional add-ons: no surcharge for one minor Highway Traffic Act conviction every 3 years (Ontario only); Disappearing Deductible: deductible drops by $100 for each claim-free year | Drivewise: up to 30%; Drivewise score is not used to increase your premium | claims through myAllstate or the Allstate app |
| Aviva Canada | through an Aviva broker or Aviva Direct | Journey sign-up discount (see driving app) | Journey: 10% for signing up; up to 25% off, or up to 25% more for riskier driving, at renewal | Claims line 1-866-692-8482 |
| belairdirect | a personalized quote in minutes, then checkout online | Home and car bundle: up to 20% off car insurance when combined with home insurance; multi-vehicle up to 15%; hybrid or electric up to 10% | automerit: safe driving could lower the premium, and risky drivers could see their premium increase; a 10% activation discount for new customers who activate automerit, for the first policy term | claims online or in the belairdirect app, 24/7 |
| Co-operators | an online quote and purchase, or a Co-operators financial representative | Employer group auto insurance: up to 40% for group members who switch; clean record: automatic discount possible with no convictions or licence suspensions in 3 years | Not recorded from the auto page | 1-877-682-5246 (24-hour claims centre) |
| RBC Insurance | a free quote and car insurance purchase online, or quote line 1-877-749-7224; underwritten by Aviva General Insurance Company | Optional Accident Rating Waiver: first at-fault accident does not affect your record or premium after 6 claims-free years licensed; optional disappearing deductible: deductible reduced by 20% for each claims-free year | Aviva Journey (same program as Aviva's): up to 25% off at renewal, or up to 25% more for riskier driving | Claims: claims advice without affecting your policy or premium |
| Sonnet | fully online home and auto insurer; buy car insurance online in minutes | Optional accident forgiveness: no rate increase for a first at-fault accident after 6 clean years | Sonnet Shift: up to 35%; after at least 20 trips and 300 km; the result can be a discount or a surcharge | claims reported online 24/7 through your account, or by phone |
| TD Insurance | Online, with a discount for completing the purchase online | 5% Digital Discount for buying online, kept at renewal; hybrid or electric 10%; over 30 ways to save on home and car insurance | TD MyAdvantage: up to 30% off, or a surcharge of up to 30%, on the driver's portion of the premium; score-based discount or surcharge, applied mid-contract | claims in the TD Insurance app with photos and status tracking |
Sources: each insurer's own car insurance, driving app or claims page, checked September 30, 2026. 'Up to' figures are maximums the insurer advertises, not what a typical driver receives. 'Not recorded' means the page checked did not state it.
The table in sentences, insurer by insurer. Allstate Canada offers an online quote in 3 minutes. Its Ontario page lists two optional add-ons among others: ticket forgiveness, with no surcharge for one minor Highway Traffic Act conviction every 3 years (Ontario only), and a Disappearing Deductible where the deductible drops by $100 for each claim-free year. It handles claims through myAllstate or the Allstate app.
Aviva Canada sells through an Aviva broker or Aviva Direct. Its Journey app gives 10% for signing up, and Aviva’s claims line is 1-866-692-8482.
belairdirect offers a personalized quote in minutes, then checkout online. Its Ontario page lists up to 20% off car insurance when combined with home insurance, a multi-vehicle discount of up to 15% and a hybrid or electric vehicle discount of up to 10%, and handles claims online or in the belairdirect app, 24/7.
Co-operators offers an online quote and purchase, or a Co-operators financial representative. It lists up to 40% for group members who switch through employer group auto insurance, an automatic discount possible with no convictions or licence suspensions in 3 years, and lists its claims contact as 1-877-682-5246 (24-hour claims centre).
RBC Insurance car policies are sold by RBC Insurance Agency and underwritten by Aviva General Insurance Company. Its Ontario page offers a free quote and car insurance purchase online, and the quote line is 1-877-749-7224. Its optional Accident Rating Waiver means a first at-fault accident does not affect your record or premium after 6 claims-free years licensed, and its optional disappearing deductible is a deductible reduced by 20% for each claims-free year. On claims, the Ontario page offers claims advice without affecting your policy or premium.
Sonnet describes itself as a fully online home and auto insurer; buy car insurance online in minutes. Its optional accident forgiveness coverage means no rate increase for a first at-fault accident after 6 clean years, and it takes claims reported online 24/7 through your account, or by phone.
TD Insurance applies a 5% Digital Discount for buying online, kept at renewal, offers 10% off for insuring a hybrid or electric vehicle, and says it has over 30 ways to save on home and car insurance. Claims run through the app: claims in the TD Insurance app with photos and status tracking.
Which Ontario driving app can raise your premium?
Six of the seven insurers on this list name a driving app on the pages checked, and those six cover five distinct programs, because RBC Insurance’s app is Aviva Journey. Four of the five can lower or raise a premium based on how you drive; Allstate says the Drivewise score is not used to raise it. FSRA says usage-based insurance can possibly save drivers with good habits more, which is also why the terms matter for everyone else.
| Program | Maximum saving advertised | Can driving data raise the premium? | Minimum use before it counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate Drivewise | up to 30% | No: Drivewise score is not used to increase your premium | Not stated on the Ontario page |
| Aviva Journey (Aviva, and RBC Insurance’s driving app) | Aviva: up to 25% off, or up to 25% more for riskier driving, at renewal; RBC Insurance’s Ontario page: up to 25% off at renewal, or up to 25% more for riskier driving | Yes, at renewal | at least 120 days and 1,000 km on the app before renewal is processed |
| belairdirect automerit | No maximum stated for Ontario; a 10% activation discount for new customers who activate automerit, for the first policy term | Yes: safe driving could lower the premium, and risky drivers could see their premium increase | 500 km of recorded driving before the renewal adjustment applies |
| Sonnet Shift | up to 35% | Yes, the result can be a surcharge | after at least 20 trips and 300 km; the result can be a discount or a surcharge |
| TD MyAdvantage | up to 30% off, or a surcharge of up to 30%, on the driver's portion of the premium | Yes: score-based discount or surcharge, applied mid-contract | at least 30 trips before the first driving milestone date, to keep the activation discount |
Two patterns stand out. The “up to” figures are ceilings, not averages; a driver with a low score may get no discount and, under four of the five programs, can pay more. And the timing differs: TD Insurance applies the score mid-contract, while Aviva Journey and belairdirect automerit adjust at renewal after a minimum amount of driving. RBC Insurance says the driving app is Aviva Journey, for principal drivers in Ontario and Quebec, and RBC Insurance’s car policies are underwritten by Aviva General Insurance Company. TD MyAdvantage is open to drivers listed on a TD Insurance auto policy in Ontario and Quebec.
What discounts do Ontario insurers have to offer?
FSRA says every insurer must offer a winter tire discount, and drivers moving through Ontario’s graduated licensing system should receive a 10% reduction on all coverages for one year at each step if they have no chargeable convictions or at-fault accidents. FSRA lists other discounts that some or most insurers offer.
How to read this table: Only the winter tire discount is described by FSRA as one every insurer must offer. Ranges are FSRA's typical ranges; each insurer applies discounts differently.
| Discount | What FSRA says |
|---|---|
| Winter tires | All insurers must offer one |
| Graduated licence (G2 and G) | Should receive 10% on all coverages for one year at each step, with no chargeable convictions or at-fault accidents |
| Multi-policy (home and auto) | Some insurers offer one; typically 5% to 15% |
| Multi-vehicle | Typically 5% to 15% |
| Renewal (loyalty without at-fault accidents) | Typically 5% to 20% |
| Mature driver | Over age 50 with a good record may be eligible |
| Driver training | Most companies offer one to new drivers who completed a recognized course |
| Group, retiree, low mileage, alarm | Offered by some insurers; each company applies discounts differently |
Source: What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (liability minimum); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (accident benefits from July 1, 2026); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (uninsured automobile coverage); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (DCPD opt-out since January 2024); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (when DCPD applies); Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 265 (1) — ontario.ca e-Laws (uninsured automobile coverage required in every policy); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (existing policies at renewal); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (who is covered by optional benefits from July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (purchasing or renewing on or after July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (limits of optional benefits); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (benefits that were already optional and remain optional); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (higher liability limit); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (optional accident benefits list); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (physical damage coverages); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (standard amounts and options); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (catastrophic impairment); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (income replacement); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (death and funeral); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (higher liability limits); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (all other benefits optional); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (fines); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (electronic proof of insurance); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (report an accident within seven days); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (FSRA's role); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (shop around); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (older vehicles); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (graduated licence discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discounts); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (winter tires, mature drivers); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (mature driver discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (switching mid-term, missed payments); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (young drivers as occasional drivers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (three quotes, brokers vs agents vs direct writers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (minor at-fault accident rule); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (broker, agent, direct writer); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (rating factors); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (vehicle theft rate); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (age); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (insurer choice); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (theft and repair costs); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (usage-based insurance); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (Take-All-Comers obligations); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (practices found, including drivers new to insurance in Canada); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (delay = declining); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (insurers need approval); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (no obligation to accept renewal); Your auto insurance — FSRA (Regulator Rate Ranger, shopping tips); Your auto insurance — FSRA (licensed sellers only); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (no final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (what FSRA cannot do); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (independent review); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (60 days); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (exchange countries); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (Canadian Armed Forces licences can be exchanged); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (section heading for the experience credit); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (experience credit from July 1, 2026); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (non-exchange jurisdictions); Register and insure a vehicle — ontario.ca (insurance before registration). In effect from July 1, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
The insurer pages on this list add their own. belairdirect’s bundle discount is up to 20% off car insurance when combined with home insurance, a maximum above the typical 5% to 15% range FSRA gives for multi-policy discounts, and its multi-vehicle discount is up to 15%. Co-operators offers up to 40% for group members who switch. For renters, the second policy in a bundle is tenant insurance, which the tenant insurance guide compares insurer by insurer.
FSRA adds a few ways to lower a premium that are not discounts: raising the deductible, dropping collision or comprehensive on an older car, and listing a young driver as an occasional rather than principal driver when that is true, since FSRA notes premiums for young occasional drivers are much lower.
How do you get comparable car insurance quotes in Ontario?
Quotes are comparable only when every seller prices the same coverage, limits, deductibles and drivers. FSRA advises at least three quotes from different direct writers, brokers and agents.
FSRA explains the three kinds of seller. A broker sells for many insurance companies and must tell you which ones it represents if asked. An agent generally represents one insurer. A direct writer is an insurer selling straight to consumers; belairdirect, TD Insurance and Sonnet sell online this way, according to their own pages. FSRA also reminds drivers that only a licensed broker, agent or insurance company can sell insurance in Ontario.
A checklist that makes quotes comparable:
- The same liability limit on every quote. The legal minimum is $200,000; a higher limit such as $1 million or $2 million only compares fairly if every quote uses it.
- The same accident benefits. Since July 1, 2026, quotes can differ in which optional benefits they include, especially income replacement.
- The same deductibles for collision and comprehensive, or the same decision to drop them on an older car.
- Every driver and the correct principal driver for each vehicle.
- Accurate annual kilometres and whether you commute to work or school.
- Your full record: licence dates, convictions and accidents in the insurer’s look-back period.
- Every discount named: winter tires, bundling, multi-vehicle, group or employer plans, graduated licence and driving apps.
- Driving app terms: whether it can add a surcharge and when it applies.
- Payment method: FSRA notes insurers are not required to offer monthly payments to someone whose policy was cancelled more than once in three years for non-payment.
- Timing: FSRA says you are under no obligation to accept a renewal offer, and it suggests waiting until renewal to switch insurers to avoid cancellation penalties.
Ontario’s Take-All-Comers obligations back this up. Insurers, agents and brokers must provide the lowest rate available, offer all eligible consumers a quote or a renewal, and accept business from anyone who meets the insurer’s approved rules. FSRA says a delay in providing a quote is effectively declining coverage.
A minor accident may also matter less than drivers expect. FSRA says insurers cannot use a minor at-fault accident that occurred on or after June 1, 2016 to raise premiums if no insurer paid, nobody was hurt, damage to each vehicle and property was under $2,000 and the at-fault driver paid, limited to one minor accident every three years.
A car payment and an insurance premium land in the same monthly budget. The car loan calculator shows the payment and interest on a car loan before you buy, and the emergency fund calculator shows how much savings would cover a deductible and a few months of costs. Drivers who spend a lot on fuel can compare gas credit cards in Canada.
What is the best car insurance for newcomers in Ontario?
No single insurer is best for every newcomer; a key question for a newcomer is how much driving history an insurer will recognize. Ontario’s licence rules and FSRA’s quoting rules set the starting point.
The licence rules come from ontario.ca. A newcomer can drive in Ontario on a valid licence from another province, state or country for 60 days, then needs an Ontario licence. Drivers from other provinces and territories, U.S. states and a list of countries including Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and Ukraine can exchange their licence. Drivers licensed in a jurisdiction without an exchange agreement take the vision, knowledge and G2 road tests, then wait at least 12 months before the G road test. For licences from countries without an exchange agreement, ontario.ca says that effective July 1, 2026 a valid, original foreign licence with an authentication document can earn credit for up to one year of driving experience.
Insurance history is a separate question from licence experience. FSRA found some insurers avoided quoting people with less than one year of insurance history in Canada, and it treats avoiding or delaying quotes outside approved rules as declining coverage. Insurers also differ on foreign experience: Co-operators says whether experience outside Canada counts depends on the country and licence type. Two questions separate insurers here: what proof of foreign driving and insurance history each accepts, and how much of that history each will recognize.
Newcomers setting up money in Ontario at the same time can use the best bank accounts for newcomers guide to open an account for premium payments, and credit cards for people with no Canadian credit history to start building credit. The newcomer money guides cover the rest of settling in.
What happens after an accident or a dispute in Ontario?
FSRA says you must file an accident report with your broker, agent or insurance company within seven days of the accident.
How to read this table: FSRA checks whether an insurer followed the rules it oversees, but it cannot issue a refund or get compensation for you.
| Where | What happens |
|---|---|
| Insurer's complaint officer | File first and get the insurer's final position letter |
| Independent review | General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) or Mutual Insurance Companies OmbudService (MICO) |
| FSRA | Checks whether the insurer followed the rules FSRA oversees; needs the final position letter or proof of attempts to get it; cannot issue a refund or get compensation for you |
Source: What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (liability minimum); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (accident benefits from July 1, 2026); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (uninsured automobile coverage); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (DCPD opt-out since January 2024); What is in a standard auto insurance policy? — FSRA (when DCPD applies); Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.8, s. 265 (1) — ontario.ca e-Laws (uninsured automobile coverage required in every policy); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (existing policies at renewal); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (who is covered by optional benefits from July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (purchasing or renewing on or after July 1, 2026); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (limits of optional benefits); FACT SHEET 2026 Accident Benefits Reforms — FSRA (benefits that were already optional and remain optional); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (higher liability limit); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (optional accident benefits list); Optional and extra coverage — FSRA (physical damage coverages); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (standard amounts and options); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (catastrophic impairment); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (income replacement); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (death and funeral); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (higher liability limits); Customize your liability and accident benefits coverage — FSRA (all other benefits optional); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (fines); It's the law — what you need to know — FSRA (electronic proof of insurance); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (report an accident within seven days); Auto Insurance — FSRA consumer hub (FSRA's role); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (shop around); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (older vehicles); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (graduated licence discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (multi-policy, multi-vehicle, renewal discounts); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (winter tires, mature drivers); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (mature driver discount); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (switching mid-term, missed payments); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (young drivers as occasional drivers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (three quotes, brokers vs agents vs direct writers); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (minor at-fault accident rule); Purchasing auto insurance — FSRA (broker, agent, direct writer); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (rating factors); How to save on auto insurance — FSRA (vehicle theft rate); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (age); What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA (insurer choice); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (theft and repair costs); How market conditions affect rates — FSRA (usage-based insurance); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (Take-All-Comers obligations); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (practices found, including drivers new to insurance in Canada); Getting an Auto Insurance Quote — FSRA (delay = declining); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (insurers need approval); Auto Insurance Rate Approvals — FSRA (no obligation to accept renewal); Your auto insurance — FSRA (Regulator Rate Ranger, shopping tips); Your auto insurance — FSRA (licensed sellers only); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (no final position letter); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (what FSRA cannot do); Submit a complaint to FSRA — FSRA (independent review); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (60 days); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (exchange countries); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (Canadian Armed Forces licences can be exchanged); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (section heading for the experience credit); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (experience credit from July 1, 2026); Exchange an out-of-province driver's licence — ontario.ca (non-exchange jurisdictions); Register and insure a vehicle — ontario.ca (insurance before registration). In effect from July 1, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.
If a claim or quote goes wrong, FSRA’s complaint tool starts with the insurer’s complaint officer. For a driver who is not satisfied with the insurer’s decision, FSRA lists two further options: an independent review by an ombudservice (the General Insurance OmbudService or the Mutual Insurance Companies OmbudService), or a complaint to FSRA about a possible breach of a regulatory requirement. FSRA requires the insurer’s final position letter, or proof of attempts to get one, before it will review a complaint.
Common mistakes Ontario drivers make with car insurance
- Accepting the renewal without checking. FSRA’s database shows whether your insurer had a change approved, and FSRA says you do not have to accept a renewal offer.
- Comparing quotes with different accident benefits. Since July 1, 2026, a lower quote may simply leave out income replacement or other optional benefits.
- Assuming a telematics app can only help. Of the five distinct driving apps above (Aviva Journey counted once, although both Aviva and RBC Insurance offer it), four can add a surcharge: Aviva Journey, belairdirect automerit, Sonnet Shift and TD MyAdvantage.
- Keeping collision on a car worth under $2,000 without checking. FSRA says it may not be cost-effective, because a claim would not substantially exceed the deductible.
- Forgetting winter tires. Every Ontario insurer must offer a discount for them.
- Leaving optional physical damage choices on autopilot. Collision, comprehensive, all perils and specified perils each cover different losses, and FSRA lists all four as optional.
- Driving on a foreign licence past 60 days. ontario.ca says an Ontario licence is needed after that.
- Waiting more than seven days to report an accident. FSRA sets the seven-day reporting window.
Drivers weighing an insurance bill against take-home pay can check the Ontario income tax calculator, and anyone carrying a balance can plan it with the debt payoff calculator.
How this list was put together
YieldMaple read each insurer’s own car insurance, driving app and claims pages on September 30, 2026 and recorded only the features, discounts, driving app terms and contact details stated there, with the exact wording saved for each fact. Each insurer’s latest approved rate change and market share come from FSRA’s Auto Rate Approvals database, read the same day. The insurers were chosen because they sell car insurance to Ontario drivers, publish their terms on a readable Ontario or car insurance page, and have an approved rate on file with FSRA; other large Ontario insurers, such as Intact Insurance, Desjardins and CAA, were left out because their pages were not checked for this version, not because of a judgment about them. The seven are listed in alphabetical order. No insurer supplied information or paid to be listed, and there are no affiliate links on this page. Prices change constantly, and a quote for your car and address is the only price that applies to you.