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If you need high-risk driver insurance in Ontario, here’s how to find it—and what you can do to lower your auto insurance premiums in the future.
The cost of auto insurance—which is required for drivers in Canada—can vary widely. Why? Because it’s all about risk. How risky your car is—is it prone to safety issues that could cause an accident? Is it a car-thief magnet? How risky your neighbourhood is—whether you live in an urban or rural area, and other data points. But the main factor that affects vehicle insurance premiums: How risky an insurance company thinks you might be as a driver, notes the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRAO), which regulates property and casualty insurance in the province. And, on top of that, if you’re a particularly risky driver in the eyes of insurance companies—one who they estimate could be involved in a claim—you’ll likely need to be covered by a high-risk driver insurance policy.
Here’s what drivers need to know about getting high-risk driver insurance in Ontario.
If you’ve been found at fault in a number of vehicle accidents, had a serious conviction (like driving under the influence, or a DUI) or a bunch of less serious ones (like traffic tickets), or you’ve missed premium payments and that led to your policy being cancelled, you might have been quoted an extremely high auto insurance rate or been denied insurance altogether.
That’s because insurers likely consider you to be a high-risk driver, because in their eyes there’s a good chance you’ll either file a claim or not pay for your insurance.
The good news is that, according to the FSRAO, “the insurance industry as a whole cannot refuse to sell you basic insurance.” The bad news is that high-risk driver insurance costs significantly more than standard rates. As of October 2024, the average premium rate was $2,006, says the FSRAO. High-risk auto insurance in Ontario can cost thousands more.
In under five minutes, compare personalized auto insurance quotes from Canada’s top providers.
You can still get car insurance if you are deemed a high-risk driver. The first step is to check in with your current insurer, who may offer you insurance, although it will likely be at a higher premium than what you previously paid.
If that doesn’t work out, consider an insurer in Ontario that specializes in insuring high-risk drivers, like Pafco, Jevco and others.
Be sure to use an auto insurance comparison tool to compare quotes. Doing so will cut down the time it takes to research insurers and premiums.
If you hit a roadblock with high-risk insurance specialists, your final option is to reach out to Facility Association, a non-profit association of insurers in Ontario, as well as in Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. If insurers provide auto insurance in those areas, they have to be a member of Facility Association.
The reason that Facility Association exists is to make sure eligible drivers can always get auto insurance in Canada. Insurance obtained via Facility Association is provided by insurers, not the association itself—it simply co-ordinates the process. Learn more about Facility Association and facility insurance.
While it may be tempting to lie to an insurance company about something that might impact your auto insurance application, it’s a terrible idea. If your insurer discovers you’ve lied or omitted information, it can cancel your policy or deny a claim.
The likelihood of an insurer finding out about any issues with your driving is high, since it can order your driving abstract (or driving record) from Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. Your record will list things like demerit points, collisions, convictions, licence status, licence suspensions and more.
The bottom line: Give potential insurers the straight goods when you apply for auto insurance—your coverage could be impacted if you don’t.
All is not lost if you’re deemed to need high-risk driver insurance. You can still find ways to get the best rate for you.
Drivers in Ontario, and the rest of Canada, can get lower auto insurance premiums by doing the following, says the FSRAO:
But when you’re a high-risk driver, one of the main ways to work toward a lower insurance premium is to rebuild your driving record.
Some things that mar a driving record don’t stay on your record forever. For instance, demerit points are removed two years after the offence.
So drive as safely and defensively as possible, and make sure you don’t get any tickets. If you can improve your record, in time, you may no longer need to know the ins and outs of high-risk driver insurance.
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