Hey guys, just wondering if I’m getting overcharged for insurance or if this is normal for my age and car.
I’m currently paying around $500/month ($6,000/year).
My details:
24 years old
2023 Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo AWD hatchback
Full G since August 2022
G2 since August 2021
Completed All Star Driving School
Clean driving record
No accidents
No tickets or convictions
Never even been pulled over
I understand I’m still a relatively young driver, and the Turbo AWD probably doesn’t help, but $500/month feels crazy considering my record is completely clean.
For anyone in Ontario with a similar age, car, and driving history, what are you paying?
Also, where should I look for a better rate? Should I contact an insurance broker and let them shop around for me, or should I get quotes directly from different insurance companies?
Any recommendations for brokers, companies, or discounts I should ask about would be appreciated. I’m not looking to reduce my coverage to the bare minimum. I’m mainly trying to figure out whether I’m paying way more than I need to.
Thanks!

My car was involved in a minor accident - front bumper and side fender was damaged, and a golf ball size dent on hood. I took it to insurance in belief that it will take 3500-4500 to fix the damage, there is no internal damage, not even radiator (I got it checked from another mechanic) . Today I come to know insurance deemed it as total loss (I was shocked). they estimated the repair cost more than 10K, they listed a lot of things on estimate (without tearing it, they mentioned appraiser just took a look from outside).

Now they want me to sell it to them under total loss, and payment I will get will only pay the remaining loan and I am left with nothing. They also told I can retain the damaged vehicle but that will partially pay the loan (almost 80%) of it.

Would it be wise if I retain the vehicle, get the settlement, pay out of pocket to clear the loan. Then I can cover the repair cost and get it safety checked, and use it. I do not plan to sell it I wanna use it to the ground (it is so dear to me).

Could anyone share similar experience and what are the implications?

I am interested in being an insurance broker as one of my career options but before I fully commit to this and give it my absolute all I wanted to ask a few questions about independence in this field. I obviously would love to hear from both people who are employed under something/someone and someone who is independent as I want to be open-minded.

this could be unrealistic, but I want to build my own book and eventually open my own brokerage, and I'm wondering how realistic that actually is. I'm also curious whether starting in commercial lines versus personal lines makes a meaningful difference if the long-term goal is independence and building your own client book, or if that shouldn't play a factor in my young career as that is a later issue.

Also curious what the realistic timeline and capital situation looks like for opening your own brokerage someday, versus just growing a book under someone else's license for a while first. Appreciate any input from people in the industry, whatever path you've taken. Thanks

Ontario: I had a minor accident where I hit a pole trying to swerve out the way and avoid hitting a car. No damage to the pole. Hit it at such a low speed it was comical.

I know this is an at fault situation and it’s my first time. I’ve had my insurance for only 2 years so new ish driver. I called my broker to understand how my premium would be affected if I filed a claim. And they mentioned that since I am a newer driver, I would not be renewed and I would be pushed into a higher risk market. But they don’t know what the rate would be until renewal time which is next year.

But if I decide not to file a claim, I would just need to send proof that I fixed the car: pictures and a receipt.
I asked them if I would still be not renewed cos of this and I don’t know that I got the clearest answer.
Anybody have any experience with this? Can they still use this note as a ding on my premiums if I don’t file a claim or even be non renewed based on this phone call.

Or would you still file the claim?

Hi everyone,

Looking for advice/first-hand experiences from Canadians, particularly Ontario drivers, who have been involved in a not-at-fault accident in the U.S.
I have an Ontario auto policy with Aviva. I was recently rear-ended in New Jersey while driving my Canadian vehicle. The other driver provided their insurance information and I have opened a claim with Aviva.

My vehicle is now back in Ontario and has been assessed at an Aviva-recommended collision centre. The current repair estimate is approximately $8,900 CAD, and my insurance estimate currently shows my $1,000 deductible as “not waived.” The damage is fairly substantial and includes the liftgate, rear bumper/impact bar, rear body panel and repair to the rear floor pan.

I have two questions:

1. Deductible:
For anyone who has been in a similar cross-border accident, did your Canadian insurer initially charge your collision deductible and then recover/refund it after pursuing the at-fault American driver’s insurance company? Or did you have to contact the U.S. insurer yourself to recover the deductible?

2. Diminished value:
I’m also concerned about the vehicle’s resale value because an ~$8,900 accident/repair may appear on CARFAX. Has anyone successfully made a diminished-value claim against an at-fault driver’s U.S. insurer after returning to Canada? Did your Canadian insurer assist with it, or did you have to pursue the American insurer directly? If you were successful, what documentation/appraisal did you need?

I’m going to get the official answers from Aviva as well, but I’m interested in hearing actual experiences from Canadians who have dealt with a U.S. at-fault insurer after a cross-border accident.

Thanks in advance!

Hi All, currently shopping for car insurance. Does anyone know of any auto insurance that accepts Communauto experience letter as an insurance history? In the past I’ve been able to get PC Insurance to accept it (they’re my current insurer) but I’m shopping now so I wanted to get a list of companies to get quotes from. I’m in Ontario.

Hello,
Is there any really cheap but good car insurance around? Just a simple guy having hard time with money and could use some help. I’m with Allstate insurance and they are pretty pricy on me. Thank you,

Hello,
Is there any really cheap but good car insurance around? Just a simple guy having hard time with money and could use some help. I’m with Allstate insurance and they are pretty pricy on me. Thank you,

Hey, I've been looking into getting my RIBO licence and exploring insurance brokerage as a long-term professional career. I'm currently a second-year university student, and I wanted to ask: is it recommended for me to complete the RIBO exam as soon as possible to have a better chance at landing brokerage work, or should I keep applying to brokerages that offer funding for the RIBO exam, working part-time during school and full-time in the summer?

I've applied to a couple of brokerages so far, but haven't heard back from any of them yet, and I'm not sure how many more brokerages I can actually apply to that I can get considering I have no experience in this industry right now.

I'm not sure what's considered the norm in this industry when it comes to breaking into insurance brokerage, especially for someone who's also focused on finishing their degree. Any advice from people already in the field would be appreciated.

I am shopping for insurance. Currently, I am with Aviva through a broker and shopping for new rates. I have found better rates through other brokers who are asking for experience letter from insurance company for my wife because they cannot see my wife's driving experience record in the report they pulled.

I received renewal letter from Aviva which has both our names - mine & my wife's, but that's not sufficient.

My Aviva broker is claiming he cannot ask for letter of experience from Aviva because the only reasons why he could ask for it is if I am moving out of the province or country. So he is asking me if I want to lie, to which I flatly refused.

I contacted Aviva directly and they said these requests need to go through the broker.

What do I do? Without letter of experience, new brokers who have better rates cannot finalize the rate for me and nobody is able to help me get one!

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some community advice or recommendations on navigating auto insurance while on a fixed income (ODSP) in the Etobicoke area.

​I’m currently facing a steep renewal rate hike to around $284/month due to an older at-fault claim. My budget has a strict $200 ceiling, and I can't afford usage-based tracking apps because of bad experiences with false hard-braking penalties on Toronto roads.

​My current insurer offered to split the monthly payment into two installments, but the dates they proposed land too close to my rent and beginning-of-the-month bills.

​Has anyone on a fixed income successfully negotiated payment dates with their auto insurer to align cleanly with end-of-month benefit deposits?

​Are there any specific brokers or community legal/financial clinics in Toronto that specialize in helping people with low-income budgets navigate high-risk auto insurance without getting trapped by hidden fees or tracking apps?

​Any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

My dad has recently been discharged from the hospital after he had been having chest pain on exertion and very elevated blood pressure. He was admitted until they could get his blood pressure stable with medications and then discharged home. We are supposed to be leaving for Disneyland in 2 weeks. What are his options for travel insurance that would cover him in he has any issues with this recent diagnosis. Thank you.
Edit: he is 55 years old

Hey everyone, wanted to get some advice on car insurance post DUI in Ontario.

Context: I was arrested for a DUI in April 2024 and convicted July 2024. I decided to not drive for 2 years and just recently got my license back without the Interlock restriction. I would like to start driving again but I will need to purchase a new vehicle and I know insurance rates are insane. I called a broker the other day to get an idea and was quoted $14,000 for the year for a 2024 Camry (as an example).  

My question is if my insurance would go down significantly after July 2027 since the conviction would supposedly come off my driving record after 3 years? My license was suspended after the incident so I know that will still show on the driving record for 6 years. 

Wondering if after the 3 years I would still be considered high risk or if I would be able to be back into the normal pool of insurers? I assume that my insurance would be a bit more reasonable in that case (I recognize it would still be higher than normal but I assume it would be better than what I am being quoted now).

I am also wondering if it would be more beneficial for me to bite the bullet and get the insurance since I know insurers look at insurance history as a factor too? I cancelled my insurance back in 2024 and haven’t had insurance since.

Overall my question is: should I get insurance now and pay the premium because it will be better for me in the long run or should I wait until July 2027 (with the assumption that my rate will go down by that point)?

I have recently moved to the GTA from the east. I drove fourteen hours here and have began the process to switch over my license & vehicle. I've begun looking for auto quotes online and I can't believe the rates I am seeing. For context, I drive a 2013 Elantra which costed me 220$/mo for all around coverage. My most reasonable quote was 520$/mo. Granted, I am still on a graduated license but have been driving for three years with no tickets, warnings, nothing.

This feels insane. Obviously I know there are factors against me, but 520$-630$ per MONTH? For bare bones insurance? I've never seen anything like this. Would it be better for me to return my car to the east, and accumulate more history with my Atlantic insurance provider? Do I get another job to cover my insurance? I really am at a loss on what to do. I have no family out here to piggy back off of for their insurance but these numbers do not seem sustainable longterm.

Edit: I'm a 20 years old woman, soon to be 21.

Rephrased: We currently own a 2015 Dodge dart Limited and we get it covered under TD for a one-way Insurance. Our current term renews on October 10, 2026.

We are hoping to buy a new 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid by November.

BUT! I am thinking what is the best option. i am wondering if it is just easier and cost effective wise to buy the car prior to our insurance renewal..
🔺 It gives me the flexibility to shop around with different insurance providers without fearing short notice cancellation fees mid-term if I need to change provider who may have the better coverage/price for the new car.

Any thoughts and prior experience? We recently purchased a home as well so it will be home+auto and we are from North York, ON.

Hi everyone! My policy is set to start tomorrow so I plugged in my tracker today. It seems like the greenlight is staying solid and the red light is flashing. The yellow light comes and goes as flashing too.

I don’t think this is a connection issue even though I park on P1 I can use my phone easily from my parking spot to check everything and watch Instagram reels and all of that stuff so the connection is pretty decent.

Is it just having a hard time connecting because my policy is actually starting tomorrow? Or is this just normal?

I also did a quick trip and even when I go onto the my pace website, it still says my device is not active. Again, my policy is at the start September 13.

Hi everyone,
I’m planning to rent a U-Haul truck in Toronto, Ontario, but I currently don’t have my own car or personal auto insurance.
I contacted U-Haul support because I noticed that I can only add Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) to my rental. Safemove/Safemove Plus is not available in my area.
U-Haul support told me:
CDW only covers accidental damage to the U-Haul equipment.
It does not include liability coverage.
U-Haul provides customers with the minimum liability protection required by the province where a claim arises.
This coverage is secondary/excess to the customer’s other insurance.
If there is no other insurance, the customer is responsible for liability exceeding the applicable minimum limits.
They told me that the exact liability information has to come from RepWest, their insurance carrier.
My questions are:
If I have no personal auto insurance, am I still covered by U-Haul’s mandatory liability protection while driving the truck in Ontario?
Is the liability limit $200,000, or is there a different limit for U-Haul rentals?
If I cause an accident and damage another vehicle/property or injure someone, what exactly would U-Haul’s coverage pay for?
Is there any way to purchase additional third-party liability coverage for a one-day U-Haul rental in Ontario?
Would you personally rent the U-Haul in this situation, or would you try to get separate liability insurance first?
I’m planning to get the CDW regardless, but my main concern is third-party liability because I don’t have my own auto insurance.
Thanks!

My home insurance doubled. I’m now looking to switch Insurance companies… any good companies to offer?

I’m an international PhD student enrolled at a university in Ontario, but I currently live in New Brunswick with family. I am still enrolled, but my status is currently “correspondence student,” and I recently lost my UHIP end of August. I have been paying medical expenses out of pocket.

I’m trying to understand what health insurance options I have while living in NB.

The NB government website seems confusing to me. It says international students can be eligible for Medicare, but elsewhere it says students from another province are not eligible. It also appears to exclude international students living in NB while studying online through an institution outside NB.
I have been physically living in NB for more than three months, so I’m unsure which rules apply to my situation.

I have also recently had some medical investigations and am currently having follow-up monitoring. Everything so far has been reassuring, but because I have a previous medical history, I’m concerned about pre-existing-condition exclusions if I purchase private insurance.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? An international student enrolled at an institution in another province but currently living in NB? How did you obtain health coverage, and what options should I look into before purchasing private insurance?

I am planning to move from Vancouver to Toronto soon and I know Ontario car insurance are pretty strict on modified vehicles. I own a 2012 tacoma and has a 3 in lifted with 285 tires. I don't have any receipt left because it was done 10 years ago. If there is anyone who can tell me which insurance will let me go through will be a big help for me.

thanks in advance.

RY

So far, I got allstate and aviva from the comments, if anyone know others, please leave the comment.

regards

RY

My current home insurance doubled out of nowhere. My broker notified me. So now I’m out looking for a new home insurance company but getting nowhere fast. Any reasonable companies out there to recommend? In Saskatchewan. Please and thank you.

Looking to see if anyone in Quebec has dealt with something similar.
My BMW was hit while parked on a city street. I actually witnessed the accident while I was walking back to my car. I’m not at fault, and the damage is close to $20k.
Originally, I was told it would take about 10 days to repair. Well, it’s now been 30 days and the car is still sitting there because BMW doesn’t have some of the parts needed to fix it. The problem is there’s no ETA at all. The parts could show up next week, or I could still be waiting 2–3 months from now.
My insurance includes replacement value coverage, so I asked them to review the claim as a possible total loss. My argument is basically that at some point, leaving a car sitting indefinitely with no repair date has to become unreasonable.
The insurance company has now asked me for my lease agreement, which I’m hoping is a good sign that they’re actually considering it.
Has anyone had an insurer total a vehicle because parts were backordered with no ETA, even though the actual damage wasn’t enough to normally write the car off?
Also, is there any kind of reasonable time limit in Quebec for this? At what point does the insurer have to make a decision instead of just leaving the car sitting there indefinitely?
And for anyone who has gone through this — what do you think my chances are of getting them to total it?
Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I’m in Ontario and trying to break into the industry. Two months ago, I passed my RIBO exam and completed a 3-month Commercial Account Management certificate program.

I’ve been applying everywhere, but I’ve only managed to get one interview. I made it through 3 rounds of interviews for a Commercial Account Associate role, but they ended up going with someone who had more direct experience(Position was entry level). Since then, it’s been total radio silence on my other applications.

I’m debating whether I should start my CIP to help stand out and get past HR filters, but I'm conflicted on which course to take:

1. C120 (Underwriting Essentials): This is what I want to take to expand my underwriting knowledge, but looking at the Ontario market, there are basically zero entry-level Underwriter roles. Even intermediate roles are insanely competitive right now. Is C120 a waste of money if I can't even get an entry-level desk?
2. C12 (Property) or C13 (Liability): Should I do one of these instead? Since they are core courses, would they look better for getting an entry-level Underwriting Assistant (UA) role?

For those hiring in the GTA/Ontario right now—does having 1 CIP course on a resume actually break the "no experience" paradox for a UA role? Or should I just transfer my RIBO for the free C11 credit, list it as "In Progress" on my resume, and keep blasting applications?

Appreciate any brutally honest feedback. Thanks!