Car insurance in Bonavista

Many insurance companies in Newfoundland offer winter tire discounts to policyholders, as a way of incentivizing them to install snow tires on their cars during the winter months. Snow tires improve traction, making it safer to drive on icy or snowy surfaces. Thus, when you have snow tires on your car, you may be less likely to get into an accident. As such, your insurer may reward you with a discount. If you are interested in a winter tire discount, contact an insurance broker near you to find out which companies offer them and what conditions need to be met to qualify.

If you want to renew car insurance in Bonavista, we recommend reaching out to your insurance provider directly. Different insurance companies have different renewal processes, so you will need to contact your provider to find out the next steps. Typically, renewing a car insurance policy is easy. You simply have to inform your insurer that you would like to renew it, which can usually be done over the phone, on the internet through your online account, or in person. If your policy has expired the process may be slightly different. For expired car insurance renewal, you will still need to notify your insurance company, and it should be done as soon as possible, as the longer your gap in coverage, the higher your rates may be.

A collision could impact your car insurance premium, though it depends on the circumstance of the collision and the coverage included in your policy. For example, if your Bonavista car insurance policy contains accident forgiveness coverage, then your insurer is not allowed to raise your rates following your first at-fault accident. So if this accident was your first at-fault one, then your rates will not increase due to the accident. However, this does not mean that your rates will not change based on new rating criteria year over year. Further, if you weren't at fault for the collision, then your rates are unlikely to change. They generally only increase if you caused the accident in question. Please note that if you get into an at-fault accident in Newfoundland, the incident may remain on your record for up to six years.

No. Car insurance does not cover personal belongings that are stolen from your car. If you add comprehensive coverage to your policy, you can receive money to replace your vehicle if it is stolen, but it won’t cover you for specific items that are stolen from your car. Your car insurance plan can also reimburse you for the cost of any necessary repairs to your vehicle following a break-in, such as a broken window. It may be worth looking into whether another type of insurance would cover belongings stolen from your car. For instance, depending on the terms and coverage in your home insurance plan, your property insurance may cover you.

Paying for your policy annually instead of monthly, bundling insurance policies, picking high rather than low policy deductibles, swapping your summer tires for winter tires, installing an anti-theft device on your car, buying a safe and reliable car, and keeping your driving record clean can all result in lower premiums. Find more safe driving tips here.

No. An insurance company will ask for a copy of your Newfoundland and Labrador driver’s licence when you go to purchase insurance. If you do not have a valid driver's licence, you will not be able to purchase auto insurance coverage. The same goes for registering your vehicle. You can only do this if you have a driver’s licence.

Most likely, yes. Assuming you gave your friend permission to drive your car, they are not listed as an excluded person on your Bonavista car insurance policy, and they were not doing anything illegal at the time of the act, your car insurance coverage should extend to them. If they caused the accident, it is your third party liability coverage that would kick in. However, if they caused the accident, then that driver’s liability insurance might pay for any applicable costs.

Yes, so long as you are only driving your car outside the province temporarily. For example, if you are travelling for work or going on a vacation, you can drive your car in another Canadian province and your coverage will follow you. However, if you are leaving Newfoundland permanently, such as to move to a new province, you will need to notify your insurer as your existing coverage is unlikely to protect you. If your current provider offers coverage in your new province, you may be able to keep your policy, though it will likely need updating to ensure it complies with the minimum coverage requirements where you are moving. If your current provider does not offer coverage where you are moving, you will need to cancel your policy and purchase a brand-new policy.

If you are caught driving without insurance in Bonavista, you could face serious penalties. Why? Uninsured driving is illegal everywhere in the province, which means that if you engage in this behaviour, you would be committing an illegal act. In Newfoundland, penalties range from fines of between $1,000 and $5,000, the cancellation of your vehicle registration, the impoundment of your car, and up to six demerit points. As you can see, driving without insurance is not worth the risk. Make sure you purchase car insurance coverage that complies with the province's minimum coverage requirements.

They can be. Many insurance companies and brokers offer free car insurance quotes to customers. Do some research to determine which insurers in your area offer complimentary quotes. From there, choose your preferred way to contact them. You can usually get a free quote by phoning the insurance company or visiting them in person. Some even have free online quote tools on their website, allowing you to receive your estimate on the internet.

Newfoundland car insurance rates are below the national average and typically hover around $1,100 per year. That said, rates change all the time, with insurers constantly underwriting behind the scenes. Plus, insurance rates are different for every policyholder as they are dependent on so many factors that are unique to each person. A few factors that an insurance company will use to calculate your premium include your age, annual mileage, gender, location, the type of car you drive, how you use your car, and more.

Bonavista drivers are legally required to have a minimum of $200,000 in third party liability insurance. This means that before getting behind the wheel, you must purchase a car insurance plan that includes no less than this amount of liability insurance. That said, many drivers opt to purchase extra, like $500,000 or $1,000,000 in liability coverage, due to the many benefits it provides. Remember that if you do not purchase auto insurance or purchase less than $200,000 in third party liability, you are breaking the law and can be subject to serious penalties.

Your personal credit score has the ability to affect your Bonavista insurance premium, but it isn’t guaranteed. Not all insurance companies will look at your credit score. However, if they do, they will likely be doing so to gain a better understanding of your overall financial responsibility, which in turn, helps them assess your risk level. If credit score is considered, typically higher credit scores result in lower premiums and lower credit scores result in higher premiums. It is important to note that even if an insurance company asks for your credit score, it will be one of many factors they consider when calculating your premium. Several other factors are likely to be ranked more heavily, like your age, location, insurance claims history, the type of car you drive, etc.