What does my auto
insurance cover?

DCPD insurance encompasses two primary coverage components:

• Coverage for Your Vehicle and Property Damage: DCPD provides financial protection for repairing or replacing your vehicle and any property inside it that gets damaged in a collision.

• Compensation of Loss of Vehicle: While your car is being repaired, DCPD covers the cost of a rental vehicle or public transit expenses.

If you have opted out and are in a collision that is not your fault, you could be on the hook for the following items:

• Automobile repair

• Towing costs

• The value of the automobile or its replacement

• The loss of use of the automobile

• Damage or loss of the contents inside the automobile

Auto insurance policies will usually respond if your friend has a valid Ontario driver's licence, and your permission to use your vehicle.

Think about it like this: when you lend your car, you lend your insurance. If anything happens, your insurance policy would respond, and cover eligible damages/injuries subject to your policy limits.

Remember that your insurance record is affected if they are considered at fault. This accident will remain on your record for at least 6 years and may impact your premiums if you do not have accident forgiveness.

If someone will be using your vehicle for a longer period of time, consider adding that driver to your insurance policy.

If you have car insurance, you will be covered. Otherwise, damages will unfortunately be charged to your friend’s insurance policy.

It isn’t a guarantee that rental car coverage is included in your policy, but there are two types of coverages you can add to your policy:

If your vehicle is in the garage for repairs because of a claim made under the physical damage portion of your policy, something called ”transportation replacement coverage” will provide you with a rental car. You choose the amount, typically around $1,200 to $1,500. If your car required three weeks of repairs, and you commute 20KM each way to work, how would you get to and from work? You could be looking at $100 to $200 per week for transportation replacement, depending on make, location and number of days required.

The Onlia 20/27 bundle provides you with physical damage coverage (collision and comprehensive coverage) for you and your spouse, including all listed drivers on your policy, in the event of loss or damage to all rented and non-owned vehicles within North America

The bundle is a package that includes both coverages:

• OPCF 20- In the event your vehicle is in an accident, this coverage provides you with a rental car while your car is being repaired

• OPCF 27- Extends coverage from your automobile policy to a rental car so that you do not have to purchase physical damage coverage from a rental car company

Like any potential claim, you need to have the right coverage in place. Here are some animal-based scenarios to consider:

• Did the animal wander into traffic suddenly (think a deer darting into the middle of the road)? This is usually covered through the comprehensive portion of your policy. 

• Animal carcass sitting in the middle of the road (roadkill), and you drove into it?  This would likely be covered under the collision component of your insurance.  

In either case, your deductible will apply.

Every automobile insurance policy in Ontario has a standard amount of accident benefits coverage. Usually, these are the coverages that would kick in to cover you and the passengers of your vehicle if you have been in a collision that caused injury.

Make sure you take some time to review your accident benefits coverages to see if the standard amount meets your needs. There are enhanced options available for purchase. 

Note: Like all claims, injuries are subject to policy conditions.