What an Ontario auto policy includes
Every Ontario auto policy is built on the standard Ontario Automobile Policy (OAP 1). Some parts are required by law and others are choices that change both your protection and your premium.
Required coverage
- Third-party liability if you injure someone or damage their property. The legal minimum is $200,000, and most drivers choose $1 million or $2 million.
- Statutory accident benefits for injuries in a collision. Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits remain mandatory.
- Uninsured automobile coverage if you are hit by an uninsured or unidentified driver.
Coverage you choose
- Collision or upset for damage to your vehicle when you are at fault or there is no other vehicle involved.
- Comprehensive for theft, fire, vandalism, hail, falling objects and similar losses. Vehicle theft has been a serious problem in the GTA, so this is worth reviewing carefully.
- Direct compensation – property damage (DCPD). Since January 1, 2024, Ontario drivers can opt out of DCPD. Opting out can lower your premium, but you would then need collision coverage to be paid for damage when you are not at fault.
- Optional accident benefits, such as income replacement, caregiver, housekeeping, non-earner and death and funeral benefits. From July 1, 2026, these became optional.
- Endorsements such as rental car coverage (OPCF 20), liability for damage to non-owned automobiles (OPCF 27), removing depreciation for newer vehicles (OPCF 43) and family protection (OPCF 44R).
July 2026 changes: many accident benefits are now optional. If you rely on your income, care for family members or have no workplace disability coverage, the choices you make here matter. I’ll go through them with you line by line. Read my plain-language guide to the changes.
What affects your premium
- Your driving record, licence history and any at-fault claims or convictions
- The vehicle: make, model, year, repair costs and theft risk
- Where the vehicle is parked overnight and how it is used (commuting, pleasure, business)
- Annual kilometres driven
- The coverage, limits and deductibles you choose
- Discounts each insurer offers, such as bundling with home insurance, winter tires, multi-vehicle or telematics programs
Insurers weigh these factors differently, which is why the same driver can receive very different quotes. Comparing is the part I do for you.
Who I help
- New drivers and newcomers to Canada building an Ontario insurance history
- Families with several vehicles and drivers
- Drivers whose premium went up at renewal
- Drivers with a past claim, ticket or a gap in insurance who need someone to explain their options
- Gig and delivery drivers, who need to tell their insurer about that use
What to have ready for a quote
- Each driver’s name, date of birth and licence history (I’ll collect licence details by phone, not on this website)
- Vehicle year, make and model, and the VIN if you have it
- Your current policy declarations page and renewal date, if you have one
- Any claims, tickets or cancellations in the last six to ten years
Coverage descriptions are general. Your policy wording, limits and exclusions determine what is covered. Availability and premiums vary by insurer and by your circumstances.