Getting Auto Insurance
Getting a quote and buying your car insurance policy from start to finish
Eligibility
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No — Onlia does not offer temporary or short‑term auto insurance. All auto policies are one year long, and cancelling mid‑term may result in a short‑rate cancellation fee.
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Onlia offers auto insurance only in Ontario and Alberta. Home insurance is available in Ontario, Alberta, and BC. You must have a valid Ontario or Alberta driver’s licence to be eligible for auto insurance.
Onlia also offers numerous lifestyle insurance policies depending on your province.
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Yes — Onlia can insure vintage cars. To get started, contact an Onlia broker at 1‑844‑472‑7905 for details and eligibility.
Getting an auto insurance quote
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You can get a quick online quote by answering a few questions about your vehicle and driving history. Most people can complete the process entirely online, although some situations may require speaking with an Onlia broker.
If you have an Onlia account and want to add a product, give us a ring at 1 844-472-7905.
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Yes — you can get a quote to estimate insurance costs for cars you’re considering. Once you purchase a vehicle, you’ll need to generate an updated quote.
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You can help someone complete a quote with their permission, but the registered vehicle owner must create the account and purchase the policy themselves.
Choosing the right auto coverage
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There are certain coverages required by law that every driver in Ontario needs when it comes to auto insurance:
Third-party Liability: Protects you when you’re responsible for an auto accident in which someone else is injured, killed, or has their property damaged.
Accident Benefits: Covers certain aspects of injuries to you/your passengers because of an automobile accident.
Uninsured Automobile: If you're in a collision where the other driver is at-fault but doesn't have insurance, we'll cover the damage to your vehicle.
Family Protection: While this is not required by law, we think it's too important not to include it. If you or a family member is hurt in a collision caused by an underinsured driver, we'll cover the difference up to your coverage limit.
Our standard package includes all these components, so once you have it, you’ll be all set to hit the road.
Depending on your personal preference and lifestyle, you may want to consider further protection (like increasing your liability or accident benefits coverage).
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If you own a vehicle in Ontario, you are required by law to, at the very least, purchase the following automobile insurance coverage:
Third-party liability coverage: Protects you when someone is injured or killed, or property is damaged. Pays defense costs to settle claims from any lawsuits against you, up to the set limit. We recommend $2 million.
Statutory accident benefits coverage: If you’ve been injured in an accident, regardless of who caused it, accident benefits cover expenses not covered by OHIP like rehabilitation, caregiving and loss of income
Direct compensation (property damage coverage): If someone else is at fault for an accident, direct compensation covers damage to your vehicle, its contents and equipment (stereo, speakers) including loss of use and contents
Uninsured automobile coverage: Protects you and your family if you’re injured or killed by a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured motorist; covers damage to your vehicle caused by identified, uninsured drivers
In addition to the mandatory minimum coverages that are required by law, you may purchase higher liability limits under your third-party liability coverage, as well as increased accident benefits coverage. You also have the option to purchase physical damage coverage such as collision and comprehensive as well as other endorsements that may benefit you. Onlia Insurance gives you choice and flexibility over your increased coverage options, so you can customize your policy to better suit your needs.
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"Full coverage" can mean different things depending on who you ask. We don't use the term officially, but for our purposes here, you can think of it as the mandatory coverage you need, plus Collision and Comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle if you get into a collision with another object, or experience a rollover. You'll be financially protected if your vehicle is damaged after:
a collision with another vehicle
hitting a fixed object like a pole, wall, fence, etc.
rolling your vehicle (e.g. by skidding on ice)
If an event like this occurs, Collision covers the costs associated with towing, repairing, or replacing your vehicle up to its current value. While this coverage is not required by law, we recommend you include it for the best protection against major out-of-pocket costs.
Comprehensive includes coverage for the unexpected stuff:
fire
theft
vandalism
falling objects (hail, trees, alien spaceships, etc.)
flood
lightning
explosions
hail
earthquake
We recommend Collision and Comprehensive coverage if:
your vehicle’s value is not something you can comfortably afford to cover
your car is less than 7 years old
your vehicle is leased or financed (many lessors/lienholders may require you to have full coverage)
your lifestyle requires you to have access to a vehicle at all times
Note: "Full coverage" does not mean you have all the coverage you may need for your situation. When purchasing insurance, take some time to review all your options, including increasing your liability and accident benefits coverage.
Purchasing auto insurance
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The earliest you can start a policy is tomorrow.
You can buy insurance up to 30 days in advance.
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Our brokers will try their best to place you with the insurance company that best suits your needs. How often you pay (ie. monthly or annually) along with whether a first and last is needed depends on insurer you are placed with.
Once your policy is issued, you'll receive your payment schedule.
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After you finish your quote and submit your order, you’ll receive a welcome email. If you don’t see an email arrive from us to the primary email address you listed on your account, be sure to double-check your junk/spam folder. If not, contact us at support@onlia.ca and we’ll get to the bottom of it.
Your auto insurance premium
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Think of the calculation of your price as an equation. It has many different variables, and each one has a different weighting that can impact your price.
Some of the most important ones are:
Policy owner and household drivers' details (name, date of birth, driving and insurance history, etc.)
Vehicle info and usage (location, ownership, year, make, model, annual km, etc.)
These items play a role in your premium’s calculation and will explain why your price might be different from that of your neighbour or friend.
The Ontario government strictly regulates the questions that insurance companies can use for pricing. If you are interested in taking a look at the government-regulated application form, you can find it here.
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There is no golden answer to this question. There are several variables on how we calculate a premium for car insurance.
Our recommendation when shopping for a car is to find a few options that suit you, and then compare their insurance pricing by getting a quote. This way you can make a well-informed decision. Happy shopping!
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Your insurance rate is based on numerous factors, including the vehicle you drive, your driving and insurance record, where you live, your personal details (e.g. age), and the amount you drive.
The amount of coverage you purchase, along with the deductible you choose, also influences how much you pay.
If you’re looking for ways to lower your price, you can customize your policy by removing optional coverages that may not be necessary for your situation. You can also take advantage of discounts to lower your price, like bundling your home and auto insurance.