Frequently asked questions

• Monthly deductions from your bank account:

  Choose any day of the month that best suits your needs.
  
  

• Financial Institution, Automatic Banking Machine (ABM), Internet and Telephone Banking:

  Make a payment at your financial institution through a bank teller, ABM, or internet/telephone banking. Be sure to reference your policy documents and include your policy number when making your payment.
  
  

• By credit card:

  Call 1-800-387-1963. We accept VISA and MasterCard.
  
  

• By mail:

  Refer to your policy documents regarding where to mail your payment.
  
  

• In person:

  Make a payment in person, Monday through Friday at any of the following locations.

  Mississauga Office:
  55 Standish Court
  Suite 800 (8^th floor)
  Mississauga, ON L5R 4B2
  Payments are accepted from 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

  Laval Office:
  3080 Le Carrefour Blvd. Suite 700
  Laval, PQ H7T 2R5
  Payments are accepted from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  St. John's Office:
  136 Crosbie Rd. Suite 101
  St. John's. NL A1B 3K3
  Payments are accepted from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Changes to banking information must be received at least seven business days before the deduction is taken from your account. To update your banking information, call a Licensed Insurance Representative at 1-800-387-1963.

Yes, your personal information is secure. Review our Privacy Policy.

We may collect and use personal information from you and about you for the following purposes:

• To understand your needs
• To analyze the suitability of our products and services for you
• To determine your eligibility for our products and services
• To set up, manage and offer products and services that meet your needs
• To provide you with ongoing service
• To meet our legal and regulatory requirements
• To investigate and adjudicate insurance claims
• To determine your eligibility for benefits

See our Privacy Policy.

As long as your request is submitted in writing, we are obligated to provide this information within 30 days or otherwise stated. Depending on the quantity of information, a fee could be levied.

We do not sell our client information. However we may, unless prohibited by law, or expressly requested by you, give information about you (except health information) to any member of The Co-operators group of companies or third parties with which we have entered into a relationship for the purpose of providing you with products and services we believe are of value to you. See our Privacy Policy.

Original invoices, photographs, appraisals, guarantees/warranties, etc. help document your claim. Visit our How to Make a Claim page for more information.

No, you don't. However, these shops have been carefully selected by us to ensure high quality technicians and equipment. We guarantee their work for as long as you own the car and highly recommend using them.

Yes, all accidents should be reported to the police. This helps document the facts and allows the police the opportunity to investigate.

Call us at 1-877-682-5246. You can speak directly to a claims service advisor 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You must submit your claim within one to two years of the date of loss depending on the province in which you live. However, we suggest reporting any loss immediately to enable our claims department the opportunity to properly investigate the claim. For more information, call claims service at 1-877-682-5246.

Call claims service immediately - 24/7 at 1-877-682-5246. We'll send out a contractor who specializes in water removal.

In the interim, you should take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage, e.g., move furniture/contents to another area.

Yes, there are limits of coverage for certain items such as jewellery, furs, bikes, coins/coin collections, money/bullion and watercrafts.

Make sure you check your policy to confirm that these limits will provide you with enough protection. If not, you can get additional coverage.

Contact a licensed insurance representative at 1-800-387-1963 for more information.

Report the break-in to the police immediately. Call claims service, 24/7, at 1-877-682-5246 to report the claim.

To ensure your family's safety, we will send a contractor to secure your residence. You can then provide us with a complete inventory of the missing items, including a description. Look for any photos, receipts, appraisals, guarantees or warranties.

You should keep a proof of purchase for as long as you own an item. Receipts help us establish the value of your damaged or stolen items and help determine your settlement under the terms of the policy.

You can get a rental car as soon as our claims service advisor has spoken with you and confirmed that you have a Loss of Use endorsement on your policy.

In Ontario, if you do not have physical damage coverage on your vehicle and you are not at fault, you can get a rental car once we confirm that the third party has a valid insurance policy.

A vehicle is considered a total loss when the cost to repair it is more than the car's market value, or ACV.

When calculating a settlement, our appraiser consults a number of sources to confirm the market value of the vehicle. He then makes adjustments for mileage, condition and equipment.

Insurance companies and police departments determine at fault differently.

• Police use the Criminal Code and provincial Highway Traffic Act
• Insurance companies use previous court decisions; or some provincial governments require that a set of Fault Determination Rules be used

It is possible that the police and insurance companies could come to a different conclusion as to who is at fault for the same accident.

Fault Determination Rules are government regulations put in place by the provincial government to simplify automobile accident situations, and to speed up the settlement of insurance claims. Each province has different rules, based on previous court decisions for similar accident situations in that province.

For Ontario, visit the Financial Services Commission of Ontario's website (FSCO).

Your auto policy covers repairs made with parts that are similar in kind and quality. The parts used to repair your vehicle may be new, aftermarket or used.

Safety products, such as tires, are replaced with new parts, but subject to betterment. For example, when an accident occurred, your tires may have been 60 per cent worn. Because the life of the tires has been extended, a 60 per cent betterment charge would apply.

You may not need to purchase additional coverage when you rent a vehicle. However, there may be restrictions and coverage can vary depending on the country you're travelling to and the type of vehicle you are renting.

Contact a licensed insurance representative at 1-800-387-1963 for full details.

On June 1, 2016, the government introduced significant changes to auto insurance in Ontario. These changes provided you with more coverage and pricing options for your insurance. You’re now able to customize your policy with additional accident benefit choices that suit your own personal needs. Please visit the Financial Services Commission of Ontario website for more information.

Your rates are calculated based on many factors including where you live, vehicle usage, year, make and model of the vehicle, your driving experience and claim history, and the coverage you choose.

For more information please call a licensed insurance representative at 1-800-387-1963 to discuss your insurance rates.

The contents of your vehicle that are permanently attached to, or whose purpose is for, the usual use and operation of the actual vehicle are covered under your auto insurance policy.

The contents of your vehicle that are not permanently attached may be covered under your property insurance policy.

Collision coverage is an optional coverage, designed to provide protection for your vehicle when damage occurs as a result of a collision with another object. This coverage may be purchased in addition to the mandatory coverage(s) required by law and is subject to a deductible.

Comprehensive coverage is an optional coverage, designed to provide protection for your vehicle for causes other than collision or upset. The comprehensive portion of your policy covers losses caused by things such as hail, flood, theft, fire, glass breakage, falling objects, missiles, explosions, earthquakes, windstorms, vandalism or malicious mischief, and riot or civil commotion. This coverage is also subject to a deductible.

Canadian Loss Experience Automobile Rating. This system is designed to remove unfairness in auto insurance pricing (which still relies heavily on manufacturers' suggested retail price).

It rates cars for insurance purposes based on performance rather than on initial cost. Safety features such as air bags, premium tires, and anti-theft devices, which can add substantially to the price of the vehicle, may lead to reductions in insurance premiums since their use will reduce insurers' claim costs.

Before making your next car purchase or lease, review the information provided by Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) to help you see how your car measures up. Visit https://www.ibc.ca/insurance-basics/auto/how-cars-measure-up.

You may cancel your auto and home insurance policy at any time by contacting a License Insurance Representative at 1-800-387-1963. The unused portion of any prepaid premium will be refunded on a short rate basis, as per Statutory Conditions, with some exceptions.

Yes. Always call a licensed insurance representative at 1-800-387-1963 prior to making changes to your home to ensure you're going to be adequately covered.

You may need additional coverage while renovating that you don't currently have. Also the value of your policy and coverage may be affected by changes you're making to your home.

If you have damage caused by ground or surface water, including sewer backup coverage with your home insurance policy, then yes, you are covered. However, the amount of coverage will vary from person to person as you can choose the limit and deductible that best suits your needs.

Call  1-800-387-1963 to discuss your coverage with a licensed insurance representative.

There are new jewellery limits depending on the coverage type selected, however here is a chart for Homeowner policies:

Classic
$6,000 limit with a $4,000 per item limit

Classic Plus
$6,000 limit with a $4,000 per item limit

Prestige
No Mysterious Disappearance coverage

Review your policy wordings carefully to make sure your coverage is adequate.

Classic - insures your property against perils or situations that are specifically listed in the policy, subject to certain exclusions as outlined in your policy.

Classic Plus - insures personal property against perils or situations specifically listed in the policy (subject to certain exclusions) and insures building/dwelling against all risks of direct physical loss or damage, except those that are specifically excluded.

Prestige - insures against all risks of direct physical loss or damage to building and personal property, except those that are specifically excluded.

Additional Living Expense is covered under the Loss of Use of Your Dwelling coverage section of your home policy. If a home is unfit to live in as a result of a covered loss or if you are required to leave while repairs are being made, we will pay any necessary additional living expenses incurred to maintain the usual standard of living. A Claims Adjuster will help to make the necessary arrangements.

With replacement cost coverage, we will pay the cost to repair or replace lost, damaged or destroyed personal property with similar like, kind and quality without deduction for depreciation.

Guaranteed Replacement Cost ensures that we will cover the actual costs to repair or replace your dwelling even if this cost exceeds the limit of insurance purchased.

This is applicable in a total loss situation and you must insure your dwelling to 100% of the replacement value to qualify.

Guaranteed Replacement Cost ensures that we will cover the actual costs to repair or replace your dwelling even if this cost exceeds the limit of insurance purchased.

This is applicable in a total loss situation and you must insure your dwelling to 100% of the replacement value to qualify.

For people who rent their home, tenant's insurance includes liability coverage as well as coverage for their personal possessions.

If you own a condo, our condominium insurance packages provide your personal property and liability coverage. They also include unique coverage to meet the needs of condo life. Condominium Protection Coverages takes care of the essentials for condominium owners, such as your responsibility for common area damage, coverage for your unit improvements, and to help with shortfalls in your condominium corporation's policy. Our policy also includes coverage towards amounts you may be required to pay for deductibles in your condominium corporation's policy. Learn more in Condo Insurance 101.

Email us. Indicate the changes you'd like made to your policy and when. We'll contact you within 48 hours to confirm your request.

Otherwise, call us at 1-800-387-1963 and speak to a licensed insurance representative.

Credit score tends to reflect a client’s level of responsibility and behaviour when it comes to managing their finances. Actuarial analysis (including a recent study by The Co-operators) shows a direct link between credit score and the frequency and severity of claims. By adopting this factor, we are able to more accurately rate individual clients by customizing rates and charging an appropriate rate for the risk. The good news is that clients with good credit scores will benefit by receiving the most competitive premium.

Credit score will only be used on the rating of home insurance, except in the provinces of Quebec and Alberta where it is also permitted for auto insurance.

Using credit score as a rating factor gives us an opportunity to provide a more competitive premium to those clients with better than average credit scores.

The information exchanged with TransUnion travels through a secure data transmission channel. Your credit score is not visible to anyone in our offices and is automatically applied to the calculation of your premium. We enforce a strict set of policies regarding confidentiality and use of personal information.

Of course, and we will still use all relevant information to calculate your home insurance premium – including your payment and claims history. Credit score is simply one more factor added to the calculation.

If you do not want us to access your credit score, we will respect your wishes. However, we will not be able to provide an accurate or competitive premium that reflects the risk we are insuring. As a result, you will not receive the best possible premium available. We will not refuse to provide a quote or coverage if you withhold permission to check your credit score.

No. The presence of a “soft” credit inquiry will not impact your credit score. A common misconception is that every inquiry decreases your credit score by a certain number of points. This is not true. All inquiries are recorded on your personal credit report to ensure you can become knowledgeable of the organizations using your credit information; however a credit score inquiry for insurance purposes will not impact your credit score.

We will access your credit score once per year and apply that score to the renewal premium, along with all other rating factors we have used in the past.

No. We value integrity, accountability and transparency. We have conducted our own analysis and found no discriminatory links. Credit score is only a reflection of the person’s level of responsibility to meet their financial obligations. We are confident that using credit score is both a scientifically valid and ethical practice.

A study was conducted by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), and they found that 18% of people surveyed discovered some type of error in their report. Most of the errors had only a small impact on their overall score. TransUnion scores are based on the accuracy of the information collected from many other institutions; however, it is up to individual consumers to ensure the accuracy of their credit information. By law, upon request from the consumer companies like TransUnion must provide, at no cost, a complete account of all the information on your credit report “Consumer Disclosure”. Consumers can then address any issues that may have led to an inaccurate credit score calculation. There is a cost to the consumer to obtain their credit score (it is not included with the report). If all the information is correct on the report, and the consumer doesn’t want to pay to obtain their score, they could expect their score to be accurate since it is based on the information contained in the report.

It’s a good idea to request a copy of your credit report from a credit reporting agency at least once per year to verify that your personal information is up to date, that your financial information is correct and to ensure that you have not been the victim of identify theft. You can request a copy of your credit report and score at www.transunion.ca. You may also request a Consumer Disclosure which is a complete copy of your information, including all soft inquiries by mail.

Some individuals (e.g. young adults) may not have a credit score due to a lack of credit history. If you do not have a credit score – or we cannot find a credit score for you – we will not apply a credit score rating factor to your home insurance premium. This means there will be no impact (up or down) on your premium.

You can check your credit report and score at www.transunion.ca. You may also request a complete copy of your information, excluding credit score, by mail. We use TransUnion as a supplier of credit scores. You can reach them at: 1-866-525-0262 or at www.transunion.ca.

A licensed insurance representative (LIR) is the person you will speak with when you call 1-800-387-1963. They are licensed professionals who have been trained to understand auto and home insurance products and find the coverage that best suits your needs.