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As a new car owner finding the right insurance plan was overwhelming at first, but Brokerlink took the time to make this process easy and enjoyable! After reaching out to a couple other companies, it was clear that BrokerLink had not only the best price and package but also were providing the best customer service.
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There are many options to consider when deciding on auto insurance; some are required by law while some may not apply to you at all. A BrokerLink insurance advisor will walk you through these options; explain everything using clear language, and save you time.
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What’s affecting my rate?
As an insurance broker, BrokerLink does not determine your rates; we work with a number of insurance companies to find the best policy for your specific needs.. However, it is still helpful for you to understand some of the key factors that influence your insurance rates.
Where you live
Age and experience
Marital Status
Driving Record
Extra credit
Different types of car insurance coverage
It may be confusing and overwhelming to shop for car insurance or to deal with a claim, especially when a lot of unfamiliar jargon is used. These feelings become amplified when you’re a new car owner too.
Knowing basic insurance industry terms can help you understand what you may want to include in your policy. While your insurance broker is here to customize a plan that makes sense for your needs, having an understanding of what certain terms mean will help you ask questions and gain a better understanding when purchasing your policy or during the claims process.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance is designed to cover damage to your car caused by events that are out of your control. Think of it as coverage for anything that could happen when your vehicle is parked. The specific details of comprehensive insurance vary, so that’s why we encourage you to talk with your BrokerLink advisor to go over your options.
Here are some non-collision incidents that are covered under most comprehensive policies:
- Theft
- Vandalism, fire, riots and explosions
- Windshield and glass damage
- Falling objects like tree branches
- Weather events such as storms, hail, wind, floods, lightning and earthquakes
- Accidents with animals
Damage from vehicle collisions is typically not part of comprehensive coverage, but in the next section we’ll explain how collision coverage works hand-in-hand with comprehensive insurance.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance covers you when there is a collision with another vehicle, whether you are hit by someone else or if you are the cause of the accident. In some cases, it may also offer protection if your car collides with the ground or an object.
Both comprehensive and collision insurance have deductibles. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium will be. Conversely, the higher your deductible is, the lower your premium will be. Here’s what coverage collision insurance offers:
- A collision with another vehicle or object
- Coverage for your car on its own, in situations like a rollover accident
- Someone crashing into your parked car
- An accident in a car you’ve rented
In most situations, collision insurance does not cover:
- Injuries to other drivers in the event of an accident
- Vandalism or theft
- Accidents with animals
- Losses other than auto damage from a collision
Liability coverage
This is the part of your auto insurance policy that covers damage that you cause to other drivers in an accident. More specifically, liability coverage covers vehicle and property damage. In order to legally drive and operate a vehicle, this insurance is mandatory coverage that must be included on your car insurance policy.
If you’re at fault in a car accident, your liability coverage helps cover the cost of legal expenses arising from damages caused to other drivers, pedestrians or property, up to your policy limit. Some other liability coverages include:
- Bodily injury liability, which covers the financial cost of an injury or death resulting from an accident caused by you. It can cover medical bills, loss of income claims, as well as pain and suffering damages that may come about as a result of legal action.
- Property damage liability, which covers property damage to someone else’s property that was caused by you. This can relate to another persons vehicle, their home and/or landscaping.
Be sure to talk with your broker about the different types of liability coverage for yourself and others should you find yourself in an unforeseen circumstance.
Some of the most common causes of car accidents include:
- High speeds, which can easily turn into a situation where you lose control and cause harm to yourself or others. Accidents due to speeding can cause serious injuries and even death. Stay within the legal limits when driving.
- Impaired driving due to drugs or alcohol, which are some of the top causes for fatal accidents. If you find yourself in a situation like this, calling a taxi or friend is always the safest option.
- Weather, which can influence a number of driving concerns. Wet or icy roads can cause your vehicle to swerve or slide off the road, into other vehicles or even other objects. Switching out your tires to adjust to the season can help with this as does adjusting your driving for whatever the weather conditions are.
- Distractions that keep your eyes off the road for even a few seconds. Distractions can cause harm to yourself and others. Smart phones, changing the radio station and adjusting the temperature, are all things that can be classified as distracted driving.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
If you find yourself in an accident caused by a driver without insurance, uninsured coverage simply means that you’ll be covered for any damage costs. This coverage will help pay for expenses, up to your policy limits, if you are hurt or if your car is damaged.
There are two kinds of coverage built into an uninsured policy:
- Uninsured property damage, which will cover damage to your property, including your car.
- Uninsured bodily injury, which will cover income losses, medical bills and other related costs from a covered accident.
Underinsured coverage helps you pay for any expenses if you’re in an accident caused by a driver with an insurance policy with limits that are not enough to cover the damages. Similar to uninsured motorist coverage, underinsured coverage includes property damage and bodily injury damage.
Both uninsured and underinsured coverage protects you from drivers with little to no insurance. Having this coverage offers another layer of financial protection from irresponsible drivers.
Accident Forgiveness coverage
If you are involved your first at-fault accident, accident forgiveness means your rates won’t go up. In addition, you will maintain your good driving record as long as you stay with the same company. There are many different types of car insurance coverage available. Depending on where you live, certain coverage options are required by law, while others are optional. In order to make sure you have the right insurance in any given province, it’s important to learn the different requirements before selecting your coverage options. With all the options available, make your life easier and trust a BrokerLink broker to find the insurance coverage right for you.
Can you cancel a car insurance claim?
If you’re wondering what the protocol is around cancelling a car insurance claim after filing one, you’re not alone. The claims process can be time consuming, and it’s common to wonder whether you need to go through it at all, especially if the damage is minor.
Once you file a claim, your insurance company reviews the damage and the circumstances to determine reimbursement. At the end of this assessment, you may realize that the cost to repair is less than the deductible and wonder: is it too late to cancel? Keep reading to learn more.
Is it possible to cancel a car insurance claim?
You can cancel an insurance claim, however, it may depend how far along you are in the process and who else is involved. There are many reasons why someone would opt to cancel a claim. The most common one is finding out that the deductible is around the same amount as the damages, so repairing it yourself may make more sense.
Here are some other things that may impact whether or not you can cancel a claim:
Your policy terms
Some polices obligate you to disclose any accident to your insurer. You don’t have to make a claim, but you must let your insurer know. This is important if you’re in an accident involving another party. If the other party reports the accident, your insurance company is likely to find out. Having the accident recorded in the system may help you. Always read the fine print and ask your insurance advisor any questions you have to know where you stand.
If you are the at-fault driver of an accident
If you are at-fault, the claim must stay opened until it’s fully resolved with the other party. This may be a lengthy process, especially if the other side reported injuries and is seeking medical treatment. While you may be able to cancel the claim to repair your damaged car, it will still have to remain open until the other individual has recovered from personal injury.
Filing an insurance claim
Filing a claim may seem scary. At BrokerLink, we always encourage customers to contact us before filing a claim if possible, so that we can explain your policy terms; how filing a claim may impact your rates and we can provide additional guidance. The value a broker provides is that we can give you a professional opinion before getting your insurance company involved, and you can ask us your questions with peace of mind.
Here are a few important tips to know when starting this process:
- Have all the important and relevant information about the accident
- Review your car insurance policy as the insurance company will pay for the specific damages/losses outlined
- Check your insurance polices for the following terms and conditions:
- Any exclusions, losses or events that are not covered
- The specific process that you must follow in the event of a claim
- Any time limits for how long you have to submit your claim
- Your ability to cancel a claim and if there are timelines associated to it
Before filing a home or car insurance claim, consider your options:
- By making a claim, your premiums may increase in the future or when you renew your policy.
- Switching insurance providers will not remove a claim as it’s kept on your file for a number of years.
- Some insurance companies provide discounts to customers who are claims-free, so you may keep this discount by maintaining this status.
- If your claim is around the same cost as your deductible, you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth it to go through insurance or just pay for the loss yourself. If your deductible is $1,000 and the claims is $1,100, insurance will reimburse you for $100. However, in the long term you may pay more than that in premium increases.
If you decide to make a claim, here are some steps that will help:
- Contact your insurance brokerage as soon as possible, to prepare to file the claim.
- Many insurance companies have time limits within which you must submit your claim, so check your terms and conditions for your policy time limit.
- Provide your brokerage with all supporting documents as required. These may include an accident report (auto claim), a death certificate (life insurance claim), photos etc.
Once a claim is submitted, your insurance company will review your policy and let you know if the claim is valid under the terms of your contract. In some cases, the insurance company may look into your claim to ensure there is no fraudulent activity taking place. During a claim investigation, your insurance company may ask you to provide:
- Any medical records
- Police reports
- Other applicable information to verify your loss
From there, your insurance company will use that information to determine if your claim will be paid out.
Reasons why people cancel their insurance claims
There are several common reasons why people decide to cancel a claim:
The deductible is high
If the deductible costs more than the damage itself, it doesn’t make sense to pursue a claim. However, sometimes you don’t know the repair costs until after you file a claim.
You cannot pay the deductible
Paying the deductible is often a requirement that many insurance companies have before they issue a full payout for the rest of your claim. If you don’t have enough money set aside for this cost, one option is to cancel the claim and deal with the damages sometime in the future.
The claims process can be stressful and time-consuming
Some claims move forward with ease, others may go back and forth. Whether you have multiple conversations with your loss adjuster, or there are several people or insurance companies involved trying to come up with a mutual agreement, it can be long and drawn out. This may make some people want to cancel their claim, however, you may not be able to as time goes on.
Is there a record of my insurance claim after I cancel?
Cancelling a claim does not remove the incident from your record. Insurance companies will still have a claim logged within their database, even if your cancelled claim resulted in zero payout, as you had a reason to file in the first place. Many insurance companies will not raise your rates for cancelling a claim, but it stays on your file.
Before making a claim, customers are encouraged to contact their licensed insurance broker who will review your policy and provide guidance, including: insights into you deductible, how a claim may impact you in the future and more. Insurance brokers are licensed experts who can walk you through your options so you can decide what works best for you before getting insurance companies involved.
Guide to car insurance when moving to a new province
There are many factors to consider when it comes to moving, such as renting a moving truck and getting packing boxes ready. Insurance is another factor to consider. In addition to protecting belongings from being damaged, moving to another province also means – among other things – getting a new address and licence plate number, which directly ties into insurance.
Insurance regulations differ all over Canada. Some provinces require things that others don’t. Before your move, it’s important to educate yourself on the insurance laws in your new province.
How auto insurance differs between Canadian provinces
British Columbia
Government insurance: Yes
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Accident benefits
- Uninsured automobile protection
- Hit and run
- Inverse liability protection
Alberta
Government insurance: No
Mandatory coverages:
- Third party liability
- Accident benefits
Saskatchewan
Government insurance: Yes
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Property damage
- Personal injury
Manitoba
Government insurance: Yes
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Personal injury
- All perils (collision, comprehensive)
Ontario
Government insurance: No
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Accident benefits
- Uninsured automobile protection
- Direct Compensation – Property damage
Quebec
Government insurance: Yes (accident benefits)
Mandatory coverages:
- Accident benefits
- Civil liability
- Personal injury
- Property damage
Newfoundland and Labrador
Government insurance: No
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Accident benefits
- Uninsured automobile protection
- Direct Compensation – Property damage
PEI
Government insurance: No
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Accident benefits
- Uninsured automobile protection
- Direct Compensation – Property damage
Nova Scotia
Government insurance: No
Mandatory coverages:
- Third-party liability
- Accident benefits
- Uninsured automobile protection
- Hit and run
- Direct Compensation – Property damage
Things to do before you move
Here are a few things you’ll need to do before your move, for a smooth experience when it comes to obtaining car insurance.
Get a claims experience letter
A claims experience letter from an insurance provider details your insurance history. Because a customer is unlikely to have an insurance record in their new home province, a claims experience letter is necessary. Having the letter ready for the insurance provider in the new province allows for a quick and easy transition.
Receiving a claims experience letter usually takes one week. A BrokerLink broker can request the letter on the customer’s behalf or they can directly contact their insurance provider.
Get a copy of your driver’s abstract
Your new insurance company may request a copy of your driver’s abstract so obtain one in advance. It’s a lot easier to get it before you move than once you’ve already settled in.
You should get this in addition to the letter of experience because there are differences between the two documents. A driver’s abstract may include details like your:
- Driver’s license number, license class, license status, and expiry date
- Date of birth, gender, and height
- Present and previous addresses
- Any conditions, restrictions, and due dates for medical exams (for commercial drivers)
- Beginner driver education course completion date
- Date of any convictions and current demerit points total
- Earliest licensed date available as well as replacements, renewals, and class changes
Public vs. private auto insurance
If you are moving to British Columbia, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, your insurance choice is simple. You have to purchase car insurance from the government insurance provider in that province.
If you are moving to any other province or territory, you have options to choose which private insurer you want to provide you with auto insurance coverage. The company that insured you where you lived previously may not provide insurance where you are moving to. They also might not offer you the cheapest rate in your new province. This is why we recommend you take the time to explore your options and compare multiple quotes using a broker.
What happens if you don’t report a car accident?
Driving is a privilege that comes with many responsibilities. As soon as you’re licensed and know the rules of the road, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. Unfortunately, accidents happen every day. If you are involved in a collision, you should report it to your insurance company. Depending on how much damage there is, you might have to report it to the police as well. Failing to report accidents can result in serious consequences. The rules vary from province to province, but no matter where you live, you should understand what you need to do in the event of an accident, big or small.
When do I have to report my collision or car accident to the police?
You don’t need to report every accident to police. For example, a small fender bender in a parking lot doesn’t require police. Each province has rules that will guide you on when police are necessary. Here are some common instances where you’ll need to call 911 immediately:
- Someone is injured.
- Government vehicles were involved.
- There is property damage, other than the cars involved.
- There was a criminal offence committed, such as driving under the influence.
- One of the drivers was uninsured.
If the accident is minor you don’t need to call emergency services to the scene. However, if the damage is significant (e.g. over $2,000), you must report the accident to the police or your local collision reporting centre, depending on your province. (Check online to learn where to report a minor accident in your province.) For example, in Ontario, you are supposed to file a collision report within 24 hours after the accident, at your nearest collision centre.
Don’t forget to exchange information with the other drivers involved:
- Drivers’ license.
- Insurance information.
- Ask witnesses for their names and contact information as well.
Consequences of failing to report a car accident
There may be serious consequences for failing to report a car accident, including:
- Fines.
- Demerit points.
- License suspension up to two years.
- A charge for leaving the scene of an accident.
Failure to stop after an accident is in Canada’s Criminal Code, which means it could result in you having a criminal record. If you are unsure about what to do, err on the side of caution! Call your local police station just in case.
How long do you have to report a car accident to police?
Being involved in an accident is extremely stressful. You might be tempted to delay reporting the accident because it’s overwhelming. However, you should report it as soon as possible! There are time limits on how long you can wait before reporting an accident to your local collision centre. The exact time limit may vary depending on where you live, but generally, you should report an accident to police or a collision centre within 24 hours.
When do I have to report a car collision to my insurance company?
If you’re involved in an accident, you should notify your insurance company as quickly as possible after you’ve made sure everyone is safe, notified police or filed a report with the collision centre. The best way to protect yourself is by documenting everything! Even if you don’t plan to file a claim, you should still notify your insurer. They can offer advice and walk you through the process.
Here are a few of the benefits of notifying your insurance broker of an accident as soon as possible:
- They can help you arrange for repairs and alternative transportation right away.
- You might discover damage or injuries days or even weeks after the accident occurs. If your insurance company is aware of the accident immediately, they’ll be able to help with any issues that appear later on.
- Insurance companies and insurance brokers are experts! Dealing with an accident can be scary – having an expert in your corner who has seen this before will help you deal with a stressful situation.
Car insurance FAQs
Looking for answers to some frequently asked questions about car insurance? Here's our answers:
Are there car insurance cancellation fees?
How can I save on my car insurance?
What are the consequences of driving without insurance?
Am I covered under my parent’s car insurance?
I only drive on weekends, does this impact my car insurance rate?
How long does a car insurance policy last before needing renewal?
Is car insurance coverage transferable from province-to-province in the short-term?
What happens if my damaged car can be repaired for less than the paid amount from the insurance company?
How do insurance companies determine car value?
If your car is totalled in an accident, your insurance company may choose to write off the vehicle and give you the Actual Cash Value (ACV). Insurance companies have sophisticated processes in place to determine the value of a car, which are informed by research and data, as well as actuarial expertise. Considerations include the vehicle’s market value, age, prior accidents and more. Don’t forget that cars depreciate in value the moment you drive them off the lot. That means the ACV will be much less than the price of vehicle when it was purchased.
If you don’t agree with the ACV your insurance company has determined, you may dispute it. You’ll have to do some research to prove your car is worth more than what they’ve determined. If you can put together a case with strong examples, you may be able to negotiate for more.
Make sure you have the right comprehensive and collision insurance in case you are involved in a serious accident and your vehicle is damaged beyond repair.
Do you need a license to get car insurance?
Yes, you need a driver’s license to get car insurance. To get car insurance, the car needs to be registered in your name. To register a car and get license plates, you need a valid driver’s license. In addition to a driver’s license, you’ll need the following information to get car insurance:
- Vehicle registration
- Driver abstract – available online, or your insurance broker can help with this
- Information about other people who will be driving your car