Info on Car insurance rates in Ontario or other provinces

[messenger]

Hi all

First I must ask you to excuse me if this message is out of topic but a well planned re establishment in Canada is a must for me
and maybe the info gathered here would help all of you at the end
In order as not to re write my query I copied my original email that I send yesterday to some insurance companies in Ontario.
If anyone has any opinion or answers about my query please input them here
Thank you all and wishing you all a Joyous Holiday season
Here is my letter but of course so far no one answered me yet and to just send a simple email to them it was also difficult because in some sites you have to declare a Canadian address in order to do so


"Greetings.
I am a Canadian citizen planning to reestablish my self in Canada and most likely in Ontario Scarborough in the following 6 months.
I moved out from Canada in 1990 and till then I was licensed in Ontario with all levels (up to A license) My driving record was spotless in Canada. Now since April 1990 to this day I am licensed here in my birth country of Greece also with the highest license classification and also with a spotless claim free record.
I understand that when I will come back to Canada next year, Ontario will not recognize my nearly 40 years of clean driving record (10 of those in Ontario as a professional driver) and I will have to be considered a new driver there again. But from the little research that I've done the rates of the premiums that I will be considered to pay in Canada will be forbidding for me to either think of purchasing a car to commute in Canada therefore to make my living ( drive to work or for entertainment)
Presently here in Greece I pay 180 euros per six months not including collision but even if I had selected to have collision the difference is approximately another 100 euros. (Total 280 per six months)
When I initially immigrated to Canada in 1980 and bought my first car, my then Canadian insurer asked me to produce a letter from the Greek insurance and my premium then was something next to nothing.
I wonder and forgive me if I take your time, is there any way to avoid such high premiums and to not be considered a new driver in Canada? I am not 17 years old teenager but a safe 57 yo experienced driver. Thank you very much for taking the time!"

 

[rachiy]

Good luck with that.
I had a clean record and driving history in New Zealand, and there I paid $40 per month for full comprehensive on a nice car. I came to Canada and while the insurance companies were certainly interested in my driving history it was only to check if I had any accidents they could put on my record to increase my premium, they did not care that I had a clean record. For a cheap Sunfire I paid $160 per month for 3rd party minimum insurance!! The quote for full insurance was close to $400 a month which is crazy - cheaper to just buy a new car if I rack it up! This premium has gone down each year with renewal, but still way too high for my liking.

You may have better luck with your age and previous driving history in Canada before you left, so I wish you the best and hope you get a sympathetic response.

 

[His_Wife]

Good luck with that.
I had a clean record and driving history in New Zealand, and there I paid $40 per month for full comprehensive on a nice car. I came to Canada and while the insurance companies were certainly interested in my driving history it was only to check if I had any accidents they could put on my record to increase my premium, they did not care that I had a clean record. For a cheap Sunfire I paid $160 per month for 3rd party minimum insurance!! The quote for full insurance was close to $400 a month which is crazy - cheaper to just buy a new car if I rack it up! This premium has gone down each year with renewal, but still way too high for my liking.

You may have better luck with your age and previous driving history in Canada before you left, so I wish you the best and hope you get a sympathetic response.

Driving Experience from countries other than the US is not usually recognized. However, you should get a letter from your insurance company stating how long you have been insured, # of losses/accidents (at fault/not at fault) and your drivers' abstract ofcourse. Maybe you'll get lucky with a broker!!!

Your previous Ontario driving experience will not be recognized because that autoplus record does not eben exist anymore!!!

 

[herewecome]

How far back does Canadian driving experience get recognised? And would it include as a named driver on a parent's policy? I have heard also that insurance for a newer car is less than a banger but either way we are expecting a $4k a year cost to start with.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Driving Experience from countries other than the US is not usually recognized. However, you should get a letter from your insurance company stating how long you have been insured, # of losses/accidents (at fault/not at fault) and your drivers' abstract ofcourse. Maybe you'll get lucky with a broker!!!

Your previous Ontario driving experience will not be recognized because that autoplus record does not eben exist anymore!!!

Maybe in Ontario, but in BC ICBC recognizes claim free driving from other countries. You have to submit a letter in the prescribed format from your overseas insurance company and you can get a 43% discount from the basic insurance for 9 years free of no fault claims . http://www.icbc.com/autoplan-insurance/understand-costs/crs.pdf

 

[messenger]

Driving Experience from countries other than the US is not usually recognized. However, you should get a letter from your insurance company stating how long you have been insured, # of losses/accidents (at fault/not at fault) and your drivers' abstract ofcourse. Maybe you'll get lucky with a broker!!!

Your previous Ontario driving experience will not be recognized because that autoplus record does not eben exist anymore!!!

Thank you so much His_Wife
This is very good info. In Europe things about car insurance are more laxed. My premium here (no colision though) at 180€ for 6 months coverage. If I buy with collision its about 280€. insurance is not going to be my main headache in the beginning though. Ontario will consider me also as a non driver also although for 10 years I was licensed as Class A with Z endorsement before 1990 and it means I have to start with G1, G2 and so on
Of course through the MTO I found this hopeful info that if I bring with me a Greek government's declaration about my license status here this might help me to go straight to class G if I successfully complete the written and the road tests. At least this will make the bitter pill easier to swallow. Just imagine that I am living a crisis torn area to return to a safe haven (Canada) and it looks that its going to cost me an arm and a leg just to be able to do something so commonly done everywhere...to drive to go to work! I guess I better learn how to use the public transportation in the beginning

I wish you and yours a Joyous holidays

 

[gsize]

my two cents


i drive a Volvo. Clean record for many years.......$1500.00 year

 

[messenger]

Hi


Maybe in Ontario, but in BC ICBC recognizes claim free driving from other countries. You have to submit a letter in the prescribed format from your overseas insurance company and you can get a 43% discount from the basic insurance for 9 years free of no fault claims . http://www.icbc.com/autoplan-insurance/understand-costs/crs.pdf

Thank you so much PMM
These are better news so far. I am actually thinking to make up my mind if I am going to end up in BC or in Ontario. Guess BC tops my choice now. If of course the job market there is ok i believe BC offers many choices plus better weather conditions. What do you think? Are you a BC resident by any chance? Could you supply me with some BC info?

Regards
messenger

 

[messenger]

my two cents


i drive a Volvo. Clean record for many years.......$1500.00 year

Hij

Except the New license factor what other factors do insurance companies in Ontario take under consideration when they design your premiums?
Car year ,age etc?

Thanks again

 

[Canooknic]

My fiancé provided a copy of his no claims discount from our UK insurer and received a discount. We receive our renewal a couple of weeks ago and shopped around - All State took his full driving history into account, we just had to get a letter from the DVLA stating when his licence was first issued.
We are now paying just under $2000 for full coverage for 2 vehicles (I am a new driver so that has bumped the premium up :'()

 

[messenger]

My fiancé provided a copy of his no claims discount from our UK insurer and received a discount. We receive our renewal a couple of weeks ago and shopped around - All State took his full driving history into account, we just had to get a letter from the DVLA stating when his licence was first issued.
We are now paying just under $2000 for full coverage for 2 vehicles (I am a new driver so that has bumped the premium up :'()

These are good news Canooknic and thank you
I believe though that Canada being part of the commonwealth has a special agreement with the UK regarding its drivers and car policies. Unfortunately this would not apply in my case as Greece along with many other EU nations are excluded from this benefit.
PMM earlier mentioned about ICBC (British Columbia) licensing and insurance agency and I think they are the best as they will certainly take under consideration my previous driving experience with a generous discount in insurance and also to pass the driving test requirements easier and faster than Ontario or anywhere else as a matter of fact
I feel now that the scale is leaning over BC for me and my new start in Canada
I thank you all very much
Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year

 

[Canooknic]

These are good news Canooknic and thank you
I believe though that Canada being part of the commonwealth has a special agreement with the UK regarding its drivers and car policies. Unfortunately this would not apply in my case as Greece along with many other EU nations are excluded from this benefit.
PMM earlier mentioned about ICBC (British Columbia) licensing and insurance agency and I think they are the best as they will certainly take under consideration my previous driving experience with a generous discount in insurance and also to pass the driving test requirements easier and faster than Ontario or anywhere else as a matter of fact
I feel now that the scale is leaning over BC for me and my new start in Canada
I thank you all very much
Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year

I know that's the case with licences, but I don't think it makes a difference with insurance - I know it didn't when I worked in insurance in England anyway, maybe it's different here.
Insurance and mobile phones are expensive here (compared with UK) but even paying more than we're used to for those we are are still waaaay better off financially.
Best of luck to you, and have yourself a merry little Christmas xx

 

[Steph C]

Messenger, what you pay in Greece is about what I'm paying now on Vancouver Island. ICBC bases rates on a few things, one being your clean driving record over time, and the second being the age of your vehicle.. the third being the add-ons you want, namely the amount of liability, collision, etc. Not being in the Vancouver area we don't have to pass "air care" emissions testing. Old vehicles stay in good shape longer on the West Coast because we have better winters and no salt on the roads. My car is from the mid 80's, I have had a clean driving record for 15 years and I pay a bit less than $50 a month for my insurance. Out here it's possible to insure your car for weekend and pleasure use only, but it can legally be used a few times a month to drive to work. You will find Ontario is really a car culture. Insurance there is extremely high and people drive like maniacs. The cities there seem to be built around the car, and people are born & bred distance drivers, used to huge commutes. Insuring my car in BC is pretty cheap. The biggest cost is gas :-[

 

[chipits]

If you go with ICBC you're going to be paying a LOT for insurance anyways. I'm sure Steph isn't lying, but I have literally NEVER seen someone paying $50 a month for car insurance in BC, so she's definitely the exception and not the rule.

My mom, who drives a 10 year old Toyota car, has never had so much as a speeding ticket in her life, and has every driver's discount under the sun, never having made a single claim with ICBC after living in BC for over 20 years, still pays $1000 a year, for a plan that allows her to drive to and from work a couple of times a week and then do a couple trips to the grocery store.

 

[Steph C]

If you go with ICBC you're going to be paying a LOT for insurance anyways. I'm sure Steph isn't lying, but I have literally NEVER seen someone paying $50 a month for car insurance in BC, so she's definitely the exception and not the rule.

My mom, who drives a 10 year old Toyota car, has never had so much as a speeding ticket in her life, and has every driver's discount under the sun, never having made a single claim with ICBC after living in BC for over 20 years, still pays $1000 a year, for a plan that allows her to drive to and from work a couple of times a week and then do a couple trips to the grocery store.

Your Mom is not paying that far off from what I'm paying. The thing is my car is over 25 years old with a market value of less than $1,000. More than twice as old as hers, so her premium makes sense. 80 bucks a month still isn't so bad for insurance, especially if you saw what they're paying in ON.

And yes, definitely an exception. My friends, especially the ones who live on the mainland, can't believe what I pay either.