Get the cheapest car insurance quotes in Ottawa

Car insurance in Ottawa

Ottawa vehicle owners or lessees must get mandatory auto insurance as it’s required by law in Ontario. Automobile insurance in the province is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA), a regulatory arm of the Ministry of Finance.

Even though the price of a premium may vary depending on the insurance provider, all auto insurance policies will include the following mandatory coverages:

• Third-party liability includes a $200,000 minimum mandatory coverage that is provided in the event of a lawsuit resulting from an accident where you are at fault. Additionally, the coverage can be increased to $500,000, $1 million or $2 million, with up to $2 million limit.

• Direct compensation-property damage covers damage to your car, or loss of use of your vehicle, if someone else is at fault in the event of a collision. The other party must be an insured vehicle in this case.

• Uninsured automobile insurance provides up to $200,000 in coverage if you are injured or killed by an uninsured driver or if your vehicle is damaged because of a hit-and-run by an unidentified, uninsured motorist. Family Protection Coverage is optional that includes additional coverage of up to $1 million in the case of a hit-and-run by an uninsured motorist.

• Statutory accident benefit provides coverage if you are injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. This helps cover medical expenses that aren’t covered by OHIP.

Optional auto insurance coverage in Ottawa

Ottawa roads are considered among the safest in the country despite a huge increase of drivers in the city over the past 30 years.

But to ensure you are extra protected, you can opt for additional car insurance beyond the mandatory requirements under Ontario’s automobile insurance law.

You can add different kinds of coverages that protect you from other types of risks. Here are some of the optional coverages you may choose to purchase:

• Extra third-party liability coverage: The standard coverage amount is $200,000. However, legal damages can exceed this amount if you are found to be at fault in a collision in which another person is seriously injured or killed. For more protection, insurance companies encourage drivers to purchase at least $1 million to $2 million in third-party liability coverage.

• Additional accident benefits coverage: You can increase the coverage amounts for medical and attendant care expenses in the event you are injured in an auto accident. Standard coverage is $65,000 for serious injuries and $1 million for catastrophic injuries. It will raise your premium, but it's recommended to increase your benefit to as much as $1 million and $3 million respectively.

• Greater coverage for damage to your vehicle: Optional collision coverage protects you from losses if your vehicle is involved in an accident with another vehicle, building or other objects, or if it rolls over. You can also choose coverage for additional causes of damage, or perils, such as falling tree limbs, fire, theft, and more.

• Stronger coverage for collisions with uninsured or hit-and-run drivers: You can purchase a higher level of protection for you and your family in the event you are injured or killed, or your vehicle is damaged by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. You can boost the coverage amount up to the level of your third-party liability coverage by adding OPCF 44R, the Family Protection Endorsement, to your policy.

• Loss of use coverage: This optional insurance type covers a rental car while your vehicle is repaired or replaced due to a covered accident or other insured damage. The endorsement OPCF 20, Coverage for Transportation Replacement, adds loss of use coverage to your policy.

• Borrowed and rented vehicles coverage: You can extend your auto insurance coverage for the vehicle you own to also cover any vehicles you rent or borrow on a short-term basis. You'll need to add OPCF 27, Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobile(s), to your coverage to gain this protection.

• Leased vehicle coverage: If you drive a leased vehicle, you will need to add an endorsement to your auto insurance: OPCF 5, Permission to Rent or Lease Automobiles and Extending Coverage to the Specified Lessee(s). This is for long-term leases rather than short-term car rentals.

• New vehicle replacement: This coverage type provides temporary protection for new vehicles, usually for the first two or so years you own a new car. This type of protection means that if your new vehicle is damaged in a covered event, your insurance provider won't factor its depreciated value into your compensation. This could more easily allow you to replace the vehicle with another new vehicle. The Removing Depreciation Deduction endorsement, OPCF 43, offers this type of protection.

Auto insurance providers offer other optional coverage types as well. If you have questions about your coverage, request a car insurance quote using LowestRates.ca's free online quote tool. We make it easy to find the cheapest car insurance that meets your needs, and a licensed broker will connect with you to answer any questions you have and secure your rate.

How much does the average car insurance cost in Ottawa?

According to our user database, the price of car insurance in Ottawa is about 20% higher than what the Insurance Bureau of Canada places the provincial average at. This number represents the average of all Ottawa quotes completed on our site, excluding drivers deemed high-risk due to previous traffic convictions.

Ottawa has some of the most affordable auto insurance rates in Ontario, a province where affordability — for insurance, housing, and transportation — is notoriously bad. Here are the cities in Ontario with the lowest car insurance premiums, from cheapest to highest.

The Ontario cities with the cheapest car insurance are:

• Ottawa

  Kingston

  Pembroke

  Cornwall

  Brockville

Many Ontario residents pay far more than Ottawa residents for auto insurance. Brampton residents pay the highest car insurance premiums in the province, followed closely by North York, Mississauga, Scarborough and Toronto.

Just because Ottawa’s average price is among the lowest in the province, that doesn’t mean cheap car insurance is easy to find. Car insurance buyers in Ottawa should keep in mind that where you live is just one factor in determining how much you’ll pay in premiums. Other factors your auto insurance provider will consider include your personal driving habits, your insurance history and how much you drive every day. If you have driving convictions and a spotty insurance history, you can expect to pay higher rates.

There are things you can do to avoid paying high auto insurance rates in Ottawa, like practicing defensive driving on the roads and comparing auto insurance quotes. The best way to get a personal estimate for car insurance in Ottawa is to compare quotes from multiple car insurance companies.

Ottawa car insurance rates by postal code:

The Ottawa postal code with the highest average car insurance premiums is the K1T area. This postal code is located in the Nepean region, which is situated between Kanata and Gloucester. The area encompasses Blossom Park, Greenboro, Leitrim and Findlay Creek.

The Ottawa postal code with the lowest average premiums is the K1B region, located inside the suburb of Gloucester and situated along the Trans-Canada Highway. The region encompasses the Blackburn Hamlet, Pine View and Sheffield Glen districts.

Factors that determine car insurance rates in Ottawa

There are several factors that can impact the cost of car insurance in Ottawa. Here are some things your insurance company might factor in when determining your rate:

Your mileage: If you’re using your vehicle to run a few errands (between 6 km and 9 km per day), your mileage won’t influence your insurance premium. On the other hand, if you use your car frequently and your daily mileage is over 25-30 km per day, your premium will likely be higher than someone who drives less.

Your driving record: If you have an accident or a string of traffic tickets on your driving record when you sign up for car insurance, your car insurance premiums will be higher than someone with no incidents in their history. Having a clear record, on the other hand, will likely get you a lower rate. And don’t fret — parking tickets won’t directly impact your insurance.

Your age: Car insurance companies will give you higher insurance rates until you’ve built up enough of a track record as a safe driver. The good news is you’re not alone. Young people all over Ottawa, and Canada, pay higher rates for auto insurance than their older, more experienced peers on the road. Like many things in life, your premium gets better with age.

We can help you find cheap car insurance quotes in Ottawa.

Car insurance rates in Ontario historically rank among the highest in Canada, and finding cheap auto insurance in Ottawa can be an uphill battle. That’s where we come in.

LowestRates.ca shops the auto insurance market in Ottawa for you. We’ve helped some Ottawa drivers save up to hundreds of dollars per year by comparing quotes with us.

In just 3 minutes, you can compare auto insurance quotes from multiple car insurance companies serving Ottawa.

All you have to do is type in your postal code and a bit of information about the vehicle you’d like to insure. We’ll find the cheapest available quote and connect you with the Ottawa car insurance broker that can secure your new rate.

We’ve got your car insurance needs covered, whether you’re taking a quiet drive through Rockcliffe Park or you’re right in the middle of Central Ottawa.

Ottawa car insurance rates: how they compare to other Ontario cities

Ottawa has some of the most affordable auto insurance rates in Ontario, which is notorious for having some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country. Here are the cities in Ontario with the lowest car insurance premiums, from cheapest to highest.

The Ontario cities with the cheapest car insurance are:

• Ottawa

• Kingston

• Pembroke

• Cornwall

• Brockville

Many Ontario residents pay far more than Ottawa residents for auto insurance. Brampton residents pay the highest car insurance premiums in the province, followed closely by North York, Mississauga, Scarborough and Toronto.

Just because Ottawa’s average price is among the lowest in the province, it doesn’t mean cheap car insurance is easy to find.

Car insurance buyers in Ottawa should keep in mind that where you live is just one factor in determining how much you’ll pay in premiums. Other factors your auto insurance provider will consider include your personal driving habits, your insurance history and how much you drive every day. If you have driving convictions and a spotty insurance history, you can expect to pay higher rates.

Ottawa car insurance for seniors

Adults between the ages of 50 and 70 get some of the lowest car insurance rates in Ottawa. If you belong to this demographic, you probably have a long history of being insured and you might even have bundled your home insurance policy with the same provider of your auto insurance.

After age 70, you might see your rate begin to climb. People in this age group require more resources to recover from injuries. They maybe even drive a nice car. Both lead to inflated claim settlements. If you do see your rates begin to rise, it may be time to shop around for new automobile insurance in Ottawa.

Ottawa car insurance for students

Car insurance for new drivers in Ottawa is expensive. Teenagers pay the highest insurance premiums of any demographic (adults with driving convictions notwithstanding). For drivers insured since the age of 16, rates start declining in the mid-twenties. The downward trend accelerates the closer they get to their thirtieth birthday.

It is possible for new drivers to find cheaper car insurance in Ottawa. Here are some ways young drivers can trim their car insurance premium:

• Avoid getting your own car, if you can. Instead, opt to get listed as the secondary driver of your parents’ car. It’s cheaper than paying insurance as the primary driver on your own car.

• If you need a car, get a beater or a hand-me-down. Older, used cars are cheaper to insure. And don’t drive too often — use public transportation or other forms of travel when you have the option.

• If you’re in school (high school or post-secondary), insurance companies offer discounts to students who maintain a certain GPA.

• Take a driver’s education course and make sure you get a certificate of completion. Showing that to an insurance company will lower your rate.

It can be challenging for new drivers to find affordable car insurance in Ottawa. However, we’ve found that the demographic that finds the most savings on LowestRates.ca are young drivers — the more you’re expected to pay, the more dramatic the savings you can find when you compare Ottawa car insurance quotes.

Ottawa car insurance for new immigrants

If you’ve recently immigrated to Ottawa, you cannot drive without proper licencing and insurance.

You must trade in your licence from the country you've emigrated from within 60 days for an Ontario driver's license. The provincial government recognizes licences from several countries as equivalent to an Ontario license, making your transition smoother and preventing you from going through Ontario's graduated licensing system. Ask your old insurance company to provide a reference for your new Ontario insurer. Having proof of your insurance and driving history will go a long way to securing a lower car insurance rate.

Ottawa car insurance for high-risk drivers

Having several traffic convictions will put you in the high-risk category with most car insurance companies. Having your licence revoked will push you even further into the category.

Being high-risk means that insurance companies think you are likely to file an expensive claim. Since insurance companies are betting that they will need to provide you with financial assistance, they will charge you more.

It’s very hard to find cheap auto insurance rates in Ottawa as a high-risk driver. There are, however, insurance companies that cater to high-risk drivers. Failing that, you can purchase facility insurance, which is a pool that is funded by Canadian insurance companies to offer coverage to high-risk drivers.