
Understanding Your Policy
Shopping for auto or home insurance can be a daunting task. To help you better understand your insurance policy we have outlined the different types of coverage available.
We encourage you to speak with your independent insurance broker to fully understand coverage required to meet your personal insurance needs.
Auto Insurance
Mandatory Coverage (varies by province)
- Liability – protects you if you are in an accident and you’re held legally liable for injury or death to other people. It also covers damage to their vehicle or property.
- Accident Benefits – provides compensation for medical expenses, rehabilitation, funeral expenses, and loss of income due to death and disability (not applicable in Quebec).
- Direct Compensation Property – covers you for damage to your vehicle and to property it is carrying when another motorist is responsible (Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia).
You Can Choose Additional Coverage
- Collision – covers the cost of repair or the replacement of your vehicle (up to its actual value less your deductible) if you have a collision with another car or an object (e.g. tree, guardrail, or pothole).
- Comprehensive – covers physical damage to your car (not resulting from a collision) caused by theft, vandalism, fire, falling objects, lightning, explosion and chipped windshields.
- Specified Perils – this is more limited than Comprehensive. It covers physical damage to your car caused by a specific list of perils such as: fire and lightning; theft or attempted theft; windstorm, earthquake or hail; explosion, riot or civil commotion; falling or forced landing of aircrafts or parts of the aircraft.
- All Perils – provides you with the most complete coverage by combining Collision and Comprehensive coverages.
- Loss of Use – reimburses you for alternative transportation (e.g. rental, taxi) if your vehicle is being repaired as a result of damage or theft.
- Damage to a Non-Owned Vehicle – covers you if you damage a car you don’t own such as a rental vehicle.
- Waiver of Depreciation – no depreciation will be applied if your new car (less than 24-months-old) is damaged in an accident.
Property Insurance
Whether you rent or own your home, knowing what is covered will provide you peace of mind.
- your home and other structures on your property (e.g. garage, shed, personal belongings and contents)
- legal liability to other people and their property
- living expenses if your home is being repaired
-
perils such as:
- explosion
- falling objects
- fire
- glass breakage
- lightning
- vandalism
- smoke
- theft
- wind and hail
- water damage
You can choose from three different levels of coverage. Contact your Independent Insurance Broker to discuss the one which best suits your needs.
Comprehensive
- Covers both the dwelling and contents for all risks
- Replacement cost (replaces contents with items of similar value, without depreciation)
Broad Form
- Covers the dwelling for a broad range of risks
- Covers contents for certain perils such as fire and theft
- Replacement cost (repairs or replaces items without depreciation)
Named Perils
- Covers the dwelling and contents only for certain perils such as fire and theft
Additional Coverage (available for purchase)
- Sewer Backup (check with your Broker for availability)
- Personal articles Floater (e.g. jewelry)
- Home Based Business