Car insurance in Kingston, Ontario.
We've helped drivers in Kingston, Ont. save hundreds of dollars a year on their car insurance by making it easy to compare auto insurance quotes from Ontario's best insurance providers.
LowestRates.ca's quote comparison is free and takes as little as 3 minutes to use from start to finish. We'll show you quotes from 50+ insurance providers in just a few minutes. Once you find a cheaper car insurance rate, we'll also connect you with the Kingston car insurance provider that can secure your new (cheaper) rate.
Enter your postal code, answer a few questions, and review your new quotes. It's that easy.
Mandatory auto insurance coverage in Kingston.
Car insurance is mandatory in Ontario. It's against the law to operate a car without insurance; fines can range from $5,000 to $25,000.
The provincial government decides which types of insurance coverage are mandatory for drivers and how much of it they need.
A standard auto insurance policy must include the following coverages and amounts.
Third-party liability: Covers you if you injure someone or cause property damage with your car.
Accident benefits: Pays for medical and rehabilitative care not covered by Medicare and provides some income replacement and compensation for funeral expenses.
Direct compensation property damage (DCPD): Pays for medical and rehabilitative care not covered by Medicare and provides some income replacement and compensation for funeral expenses.
Uninsured vehicle: Protects you and your vehicle passengers if you are ever involved in an accident with an uninsured car or a hit-and-run driver. It provides compensation for loss of life and injuries, as well as compensation for property damage.
Optional auto insurance coverage in Kingston.
While the government sets the minimum amount of insurance, you can enhance your protection with optional insurance products.
Collision: Helps pay to repair or replace your car if it's damaged in a collision that you caused. You usually have to pay a deductible for this coverage. Filing a claim against this coverage can raise your premiums in the future.
Comprehensive: It helps pay to repair or replace your car when it's damaged by something other than a collision. For instance, hail, fire, falling objects, animals, theft, or vandalism.
All perils: A combination of collision and comprehensive coverage.
Specified perils: Instead of paying for blanket coverage offered by comprehensive coverage, you can pick and choose which insured perils you want coverage from. Risks that are typically excluded under specified perils are falling objects, animal damage, and vandalism.
Factors that determine your car insurance rates in Kingston.
Insurance companies consider various factors when determining what to charge you for insurance.
These include your characteristics, driving and insurance history, and the broader economy.
When an insurer evaluates how much risk you present as a driver, they're looking at the following:
- Your driving experience: Seasoned drivers generally pay lower rates for insurance, provided they don't have driving convictions on their record (or it has been six years since their last one).
- Your insurance history: People with long insurance track records and who have not made any claims for at-fault collisions are offered preferred rates.
- Your age and gender: In Ontario, insurers can factor in your age and gender. Generally, male drivers in their teens until their mid-twenties pay the highest rates, regardless of their driving and insurance history. Insurers usually charge the female rate to non-binary drivers.
- How many kilometres you drive annually: The more you use your vehicle, the greater the likelihood you will be involved in an accident and need to make an insurance claim.
- Where you park your car: Different geographic areas have different rates of accidents, auto thefts and claims.
- How much coverage you need: Comprehensive coverage comes at a higher price.
As mentioned earlier, many other factors that have nothing to do with who you are or your behaviour also dictate insurance premiums. Insurance is pooled risk; the actions of others affect your insurance rates.
- Rate of car theft: Your rates will be high if your neighbourhood has a statistically significant rate of car theft or if you drive a car model that car thieves target.
- Insurance fraud: If your insurance company has dealt with many fraudulent claims, this will drive up premiums for all drivers covered by that insurer.
- Manufacturing trends: Sensors and cameras are becoming standard features on new cars, making them more expensive to repair.
- Supply chain issues: A global shortage of semiconductors, an integral component of the modern car's computer system, is driving up the cost of vehicles and repair costs, which in turn affects insurance premiums.
- Inflation: Central banks are raising interest rates to combat rising inflation, which means the cost of doing business is increasing, even for insurance companies. They need to make sure they have enough money to meet their obligations to their current and future customers.
Car insurance rates for Kingston seniors.
Seasoned drivers pay the lowest insurance rates of any other demographic. They have long insurance histories and driving records and often have multiple policies with the same insurer (for example, home and auto insurance).
Your insurance might increase as you get into your senior years. If you've noticed a rate increase, comparing rates from different insurers might result in finding a cheaper rate.
Car insurance rates for students in Kingston.
Drivers in their teens and early to mid-twenties pay the highest premiums for insurance, even if they don't have claims or convictions on record.
On the larger scale, though, inexperienced drivers are more likely to file claims, and expensive ones at that. Young men are at a much higher risk than young women for this, as well. The good news? Start building a driving and insurance history at age 16, and your premiums will decline by your mid-twenties.
By your early thirties, car insurance will be much more affordable. You can do a few things while you're young to take control of your car insurance premiums.
The most important thing you can do is to remain accident and conviction free. A driving course from a provincially accredited school will teach you how to do that. It will also net you a slight discount on your insurance premium. Make sure you take the course from a school recognized by the province and your insurance company.
Other discounts are available to young drivers. Some insurance providers will offer discounts for maintaining a solid grade point average if you're attending post-secondary. Ask providers if they offer such a discount and what the qualifying GPA is.
Car insurance for new immigrants in Kingston.
Recently immigrated to Kingston from another country and want to drive in Ontario? You can use your licence from your home country for 60 days from the date of your arrival in Ontario.
After that, you will need an Ontario driver's licence and car insurance from a Canadian provider.
Ontario has a graduated licencing system, which has three stages and takes about two years to complete. However, depending on which country you're coming from, you may not need to start from the very beginning. Ontario recognizes licences from the following countries as equivalent to an Ontario one: Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States.
If your country of origin isn't on this list, you might not need to start from the beginning of the licencing process. It depends on how much driving experience you have. You might be able to secure a driving credit that will allow you to skip a level when qualifying for your Ontario licence. You will need documentation from your country's embassy in either English or French to apply and a written translation from a qualified translator if necessary.
Speak with a representative at a DriveTest Centre, the organization that offers licencing and examination services on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation, to see if you qualify.
You can also request your previous car insurance provider to give a reference to your new Ontario insurance company. Sharing information about your favourable insurance and driving history can help lower your rate.
Car insurance for high-risk drivers in Kingston.
High-risk drivers have expensive insurance premiums.
High-risk drivers have at least two or more at-fault claims within the last decade or multiple driving convictions within the previous three years.
A single minor driving conviction won't automatically put you in the high-risk category. However, having your coverage cancelled due to non-payment will put you in the high-risk category, as will committing insurance fraud (which can be as simple as lying about your address).
If any of these apply to you, your insurance company will likely consider you a high-risk driver. It shouldn't be a surprise – your premiums probably reflect this fact.
Ontario's all-comers rule limits insurance companies' ability to deny drivers coverage (unless they've been banned from driving). However, most mainstream providers will offer insurance coverage at a premium.
Your best bet will be getting insurance from a company specializing in high-risk car insurance. LowestRates.ca compares the best high-risk car insurance providers in Ontario to obtain the coverage you need at the best rate.
