Ontario auto insurance rates to spike this March
Each January, there always seems to be an unpleasant shoe that drops from the year before.
Monday, we discussed the holiday spending hangover – where all the purchases we’d made in December were popping back up in the form of due credit card bills.
And now, Canadian motorists (in Ontario, at least) will have to open their wallets a little wider based on government approvals made in 2009.
News broke today that the cost of Ontario auto insurance is set to spike this March, an increase of as much 15 per cent with some providers.
According to The Star, the authorization granted to 22 insurers last November is set to kick in the month after next, with jacked-up premium rates boosting average costs all across the province.
In what’s another raise from the 5.59 per cent increase in 2008, the Financial Services Commission of Ontario said last year’s approved insurance rate increases will total an average boost of 8.77 per cent when they’re put into action this March.
Providers like Traders General Insurance Co. of Canada, Dominion of Canada General Insurance, Economical Mutual Insurance, Pilot Insurance and Unifund Assurance will levy some of the biggest rate hikes upon customers. Traders, for example, will increase its rates by close to 30 per cent over the next two years.
Now, aside from being just awful, awful news for motorists, two things jump out about this information:
The first, of course, is that drivers in the GTA (an affliction from which I suffer) are primed to be the most susceptible to higher rates.
What’s the second? That people are pissed, that’s what.
“I wish my salary would be increased by 10-15% … as the insurance comps (sic) get,” writes user cherican on Wheels.ca.
“Inflation is low, why are these comps getting 4x, 5x, and some even more than that (of) the inflation rate? This is ridiculous. Average Joe can’t keep up with these increases.”
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: john | Jan 20, 2022 1:42:58 PM
I can see everyons idea's, what we don't seem to realize is everyone gets labelled. your a male 22/yrs old living where ever so "in the Insurance Company's eyes" you will have so many tickets and so many accidents. where do they get off saying this, I am now 41 and have never had a accident, all they'll say is I'm a good driver - Bull___T I'm am excellent driver, if you do the math 23/yrs of driving at lets say $1000.00 year = $23,000 pretty crappy return I say, and my rates have never once gone down only up, every driver needs to be evaluated and billed accordingly, the insurance company's are trying to recoup lost profits due to the recent economy downfall and wait and see next will be your home insurance, we as a hole need to do something instead of the typical Canadian thing and sit and complain but do nothing, start a on-line petition or someting they are the same as the petroleum copanies they have you by the short one.....AND THEY KNOW IT.....
Posted by: Barb | Jan 20, 2022 1:47:23 PM
As a claims adjuster with one of the biggest (and most popular) insurance company in Ontario, I'm not at all surprised to see yet another general rate increase. I agree that the government needs to step in and change or modify the insurance model in Ontario. Too many people are taking advantage of their insurance companies and making claims in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for bodily injuries.
Its no surprise that the accident benefits portion of the premium is usually the most expensive and makes up the bulk of the premium in most areas (especially the GTA). I agree that everyone has the right to make a claim if they get injured in an accident, however, the government really needs to put a CAP on accident benefit payouts so that insurance company aren't losing so much money to bogus/false claims, which are more common than you think. Too many people abuse the system... and they wonder why insurance rates are increase!? A lot of people who get injured in an accident or fender bender will try and get as much money as possible out of their insurance company, some will claim for injuries they may not even have and/or pre-existing conditions... FSCO needs to implement a CAP on some of these payouts, seriously!!
Posted by: bill | Jan 20, 2022 2:03:20 PM
I have a solution, join my revolution, we storm the empty parliament and i occupy the thrown. It should be easy since its empty due to some kind of polish potato stuffed pastry event. While the governor general is on tv for the 5th time making public television paid for pleas to support her home nation, (something I’ve never seen by another Canadian GG for any other country/crisis, but I'm young and probably wasn't paying attention maybe)) She could probably be bribed into accepting my dictatorship as a replacement for parliament, say 250 million in relief efforts, 1% to the GG herself, and of course a 10% obligatory dictator kickback (one time only- As I'll probably be assassinated over this).
My first act will be to make publically controlled all items and services that impact the basic needs of all Canadians (per my criteria- ruled by Maslow's hierarchy). This includes insurance, utilities/energy, mortgages and food/water. - As these are the basic needs these will be well paying government jobs. After I have instituted these changes I will release absolute control back to the elected officials but I will remain the speaker of the house, with the accountability to ensure government governs properly and efficiently, with absolute power necessary to boot useless and corrupt officials ( I will be accountable in that any member of the public willing to trade the lives of their entire family and potentially themselves, gets one shot with a rifle from a defined distance with ~10% probability of success to take my place .
I of course will retain military control to ensure my power is not compromised.
Who’s with Me?
Posted by: Paranormal Freak | Jan 20, 2022 2:19:10 PM
This is a clear sign and proof that the politicians and the Insurance companies are sleeping in bed together. They are gauging the public and there is certainly nothing we can do about it. These are the signs of the times. Corrupt politicians and organized crime rings controlling the insurance market. I bet you if a REAL investigation is conducted, they can find more than enough proof of insurance fraud by these Insurance companies. I know for a fact that Organized Crime syndicates and their children and relatives are sent to school to get educated so that they can take over the companies their father controls and so that they can find ways to beat the law by circumventing ways around the laws and one way is to get their children also involved in Politics. This country is now controlled by crooks and criminals. And even cops cannot do anything because their hands are tied. Crooked politicians and law enforcement are in bed together so it's time to look for another country where your dollar is worth more.
Posted by: Greg M | Jan 20, 2022 2:26:54 PM
To Robert.
I didn't realize you were looking at the financial records of the insurance companies and knew all about thier investments. The government has strict regulations on what insurance companies can invest in so they don't loose all thier money in equities.
On another note
As of right now they can not use your credit score to determine your auto rate, however on the homeowners insurance most companies are using it now. Apparently there is an incredibly strong correlation to your credit score and the chance you will make a claim.
No fault only means that you deal with your own insurance company and not the other guys, this speeds up claims and gets the money to you quicker.
Posted by: D. Schwab | Jan 20, 2022 3:08:53 PM
I have one reason for everything wrong in Ontario! The Liberals, you suckers vote them in promising not to raise taxes and whats the first thing the scum do? Give all of us in Ontario the single largest tax hike in years. Making us pay for something that was free and not only do we pay for it we get less, no eye exams, etc. And what do the majority of retarded Ontarians do?, vote the criminals back in. What do they get for this loyalty???? Dalton's new "screw us all" tax, the HST
Keep voting Liberal and keep getting screwed!!! I say everyone who voted for Dalton McCriminal and the Liberal Natzi's should pay everyone elses health tax, HST and insurance increases!!!!!!!!!!
Its funny though to listen to people living in Toronto whinning when its the only real city in Ontario you actually don't need a car.
Posted by: Mary | Jan 20, 2022 3:31:24 PM
Come election time remember this and HST and vote accordingly. We need to change a government length of time and office and make them more accountable for spending our money.
Posted by: Greg | Jan 20, 2022 3:43:56 PM
Your insurance rates go up because insurance companies invest premiums in stocks and bonds. This income contributes towards paying accident claims. These investments have traditionally paid very well but during bear markets insurance companies often lose big. They lose on their own investments and sometimes they even lose insuring other people's stock investments. Hence, higher premiums to compensate their shareholders for their mismanagement. It has nothing to do with inflation...
Posted by: AdamTra | Jan 20, 2022 4:26:55 PM
This is absurd...I live 80% of my life in ontario and had a little vw golf...i was paying 130 in ontario, moved to vancouver, and even though government insurance is bullocks, it works, i was paying 95 in Vancouver and every year that i did not get into an accident, they reduced my premium by 5%, now that rewards good drivers, and believe me auto theft and vehicle collisions are more frequent there, however your premiums sky rocket in BC when you do cause an accident, hence drive safe! Time to vote the Liberlas out of office people, conservatives will not be any better, maybe the NDP, how much more in debt can we get even with the NDP, debt does not matter anymore, but I'm sure they would solve this insurane question. I live in the UK now and after relocating and my no claims discount from canada I pay 38 pounds (roughly 57 CAD) full coverage for a decent Renault which almost burns not petrol! Private insurance is good, but why is it so expensive in Canada? UK has private car insurance with atleast 1/2 the cost of Ontario? Oh wait, everyone has to pass a very tough driving test to get a license, oh wait there are no accident collisions here, oh wait there are cameras everywhere to keep the bad drivers off the road, oh wait the roads are a lot better, oh and every car has a chip immobilizer making it the law to have one, hence no one will steal your car, and trust me I don't live in the best area of London. and same thing they reward drivers for good driving every year 5 to 10%, I got 47% discount because they counted my Canadian record. WAKE UP PEOPLE, YOU ARE GETTING SCREWED. How about some people go and protest this? Some of my family members and friends say their premiums sky rocket 20% before Christmas, wow? One thing is now, insurance for vehicles should not be a burden as it is in Ontario. Now I know why i left Ontario.
Posted by: Ambu Lance Chaser | Jan 20, 2022 4:44:15 PM
I have many friends that work in the industry and I know of many issues that have resulted in the increase of rates of many. Just look at the tow industry and medical rehab clinics.
I bet you many of you didnt know that when a tow truck driver hooks up your car and takes it to his facility, he makes
A) commision on the job which varies from 5% to upto 20% and you will be surprised to know how they cover it...not doing what the insurance company has authorized.
B) the biggest attraction is.... the rehab clinics are paying upto $3000 per person that is signed up with them.
If you want statistics... approx 15 cents of every insurance dollar collected go towards the actual repair of the vehicle. Over 40 to 50 cents of every dollar goes towards rehab costs and these are very professional run offices incharge over inflating an accident claim for their benefit. Most people in an accident only suffer.
it is time we as the people capped the rehab rates and payouts this will inturn drive claim costs down and no more rate increases ....
by the way I am not an ambulance chaser...rather a honourable tow truck drive
Posted by: Lisa | Jan 20, 2022 4:50:08 PM
Thank you very much, Barb, for your information. Greatly appreciated!!
So, how do we get the government to "cap" these unnecessary claims?
I DO realize that many of the "common" people are just underhanded manipulators. However, I had never before thought of this particular way in which the individual could, once again, screw over the system. It's getting ridiculous!
Thanks Barb.
Posted by: Joseph K | Jan 20, 2022 5:36:27 PM
This message is in response to Greg M Well I have a first hand experience in making a claim after behing hit from behind at a red light back several years ago. I have had Auto insurance since the age of 16 and am 36 years of age at the moment. My driving record is perfect with no tickets and at fault claims. This makes me a 6 * insurance rated driver.
After my insurance company paid my health care costs. I sued the other driver who was insured. They decided to defend the case all the way threw the ontario court of justice and hired a $500 per hour firm to fight me on a $30,000.00 claim. Is this what we pay insurance for? So insurance companies can try to make a point, and pay over a $100 thousand dollars in legal costs to fight a $30 thousand dollar pay out. Greg insurance companies are not a business they are a scam. Remember Greg I have first hand experience fighting threw a jury trial against a billion dollar insurance company. The laywers at the court house that work on both sides of the line during a lunch break one day during trial all laughed, and said that insurance companies are all scammers in this province. There is not been one auto insurance company in ontario that has declared bankruptcy as far as I am aware. This increase as a pay off to Government its that simple.
Posted by: Kruk | Jan 20, 2022 5:49:22 PM
Province of Ontario is run by bunch of loosers - it is scam after scam - whatever our Liberal morons do is for benefit of their friends eg. e-Health, OLG, tax scam, education system - list goes on and on - there is no recession for government
Posted by: Danno | Jan 20, 2022 6:17:12 PM
I work in the aftermarket replacement parts business, Fenders, lights, hoods, etc....the insurance companies are not only paying the body shops the list price on products, they also pay the repair labour, paint, body filler etc.......look at the list price on a 2002 Honda Civic cover...List Price or Manufacturers suggested is $214.29, the supplier delivers it to the body shop, the shop pays on average $154.29, our imported cost including taxes etc is $32.07, that is for a Insurance industry approved replacement cover. Now, I don't mind making money but the Industy has a history of turn turning a repair into MSRP situation. Sooooooo...this little repair is worth on average, $1800.00.... Primer, Paint, Fasteners, Man time, Shop Rate.......Actual cost..........$350.00..........
Nice mark up when the Insurance Compay will pay the Body Shop about $1400.00 but will applie the charges to your account as an Insured person of the $1800.00//////////Nice ay... I BET YA DIDN'T KNOW THIS.............HAVE A HAPPY EVENING
Danno
Posted by: Dante | Jan 20, 2022 7:27:16 PM
TAX TAX TAX ... THEN HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUM. How do they expect us to keep up. How do we vote for these people anyway to run the country and the provinces. Iam at a loss. I very much understand that the Insurance Companies want to project for the future. I really don't blame them bcos being corporations as we know it, they are always going to want to get as much as they can from customers ... it will not stop here. What baffles me is the govt that keeps thinking that the answer to these issues is to throw more money at them. Just TAX the people more. They don't mind anyway bcos they are so gullible. I wonder who these voters are. Any issue that comes up they just throw more money. I sometimes feel it is a Waste of time to vote ... bcos in Canada there is not that much differece btw the Liberals and the Consertives. They all think alike. To make things worse the average voter has no clue.
Posted by: Terry LeClair | Jan 20, 2022 7:37:55 PM
I think the high price of insuracne the average Ontario should boycott the insurance industry and stop paying the preminums.The auto insurance is a rip off.The pc provincial government put the payout dedcutable on a settement from 5.000.00 the Ndp had it at to 30,000.00 off a settement.The liberals said they would roll it back about six years ago ,instead they left it at 30,000.00.The ontario government also told the courts on the insurance behalf they are being to genourous with the settlement..What a joke.Also if you got to court and win a settlement of 25,000.00 dollare ,you get nothing and are allowed to tell the jury or judge.I believe the auto insurance in Ontario last year made about 6 billion dollars and not for paying out.Our liberal government I wonder how much kick back did they get.I recommend boycottiong the insurance and government acrooss Onario.If the insurance pays nothing they should not be making billions.We are too aparthetic to let the Liberals continue this outragious behaviour.I can afford the fine rather than the insurance and we all should bring the insurance and government to their kness,It is a government by the people for the big buisness.I wish my disablility pension went up like that.
Posted by: carl thompson | Jan 20, 2022 7:50:26 PM
Auto insururance to increase 15% in Ontario is only partly true , the Ontario Government is adding 8% July 1st for a total of 23%. It is the law we have ot have insurance on our outmobiles by Government mandate and the insurance companies are taking advantage of this . Therefore the governt of Ontario is not protecting the consumers in this situation.
Some of these insurance companies are American based and I think are looking to bolster there losses by increasing Canadian premiums. Maybe as Canadians we need to look at Canadian base insurance companies and I would hope Canadian based insurance companies are not jumping on the band wagon as well.
Posted by: Dave | Jan 20, 2022 8:04:12 PM
Mark , you are full of it , i also live in BC and pay the Government car insurance , and its 3times more expensive than what i was paying in Ontario 4 years ago I would like the option of going to other insurance companies it is gettin far too expensive to live in BC what with the carbon tax as well and here comes another the Harmonised tax ,
Posted by: Davida and Yulia | Jan 20, 2022 8:17:23 PM
This just reinforce our decision to go back hiome to Ukraine. We come here 5 yrs ago on promise from Canada govt that you offer low tax and fair wage for all. But Im sure like so many other immigrants to this countrie that we get betrayed . Our land was not so good years ago but it is getting better then the life we had here. The Canada govt change so many times and every time we lose more pay!!!. Is this what FREE country is about?? Think about it! We go back and we give our cars away!.
Posted by: jim | Jan 20, 2022 8:44:29 PM
heres one for yous, my job changed , and I was working in burlington, with my change in job came a relocation for my wife and I. neither her nor I have anything on our records, we are both 9 star drivers and over fiftie. after we moved 18 kilometers to hamilton, our insurance rates went up 1600 dollars, on top of what we were paying, and now I am being told that they are raising the premiums again in march??? I am sorry , but we are getting shafted by the insurance companuies, the governments and
the banking institutions , since they own hlf the insurance companies. and there isnt a damn thing we can do about it. we never got no raise but evertything else goes up , and heres another thing, how does someone on a fixed income cover all these increases when they cannt get an increase. I like a government official to answer that.