Understanding Ontario Auto Insurance

Starting July 1, 2026, changes to Ontario auto insurance will provide drivers with more flexibility and control over their coverage.

Some Accident Benefits that are currently included in every policy will become optional. This means you will have more choice, but it also means it’s important to understand what these benefits do and how removing them could affect you or others covered under your policy.

At Haas Insurance, we’re here to help you understand your options so you can make informed decisions based on your own situation.

What Are Statutory Accident Benefits?

Statutory Accident Benefits (SABs) can provide financial support if you are injured in an auto accident. These benefits are available regardless of who is at fault and can help cover things like medical treatment, rehabilitation and income if you can’t work because of your injuries.

What’s Staying the Same

Standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will continue to be included in every Ontario auto insurance policy.

These benefits help cover treatment, recovery and personal care if you are injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

You can still choose to increase or add to your coverage, including options such as higher medical, rehabilitation and attendant care limits, as well as dependant care and indexation benefits.

Benefits That Will Become Optional

The following auto insurance accident benefits will become optional:

• Income replacement
• Non-earner benefit
• Caregiver benefit
• Housekeeping and home maintenance
• Lost educational expenses
• Expenses of visitors
• Damage to personal items
• Death benefit
• Funeral benefit

Who Is Covered

As of July 1, 2026, there will also be changes to who is covered under optional Accident Benefits.

Optional benefits will only apply to:

• The named insured
• The spouse of the named insured
• Dependants of the named insured and of the named insured’s spouse
• Drivers listed on the policy

This means that some individuals, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and certain passengers who may have been covered in the past may no longer be eligible for certain optional Accident Benefits under your policy.

What This Means for You

If you’re an existing customer

Your policy will renew automatically with your current coverage and limits, unless you agree with your insurer in writing to decline benefits or make changes. However, who is covered under your policy for newly optional benefits will change on July 1, 2026, regardless of your renewal date, as outlined above.

You can review and update your coverage based on your needs. Before making any changes, it’s important to review any personal or workplace benefits you may have, as they may already provide similar coverage.

If you’re a new customer

If you are purchasing or renewing a policy on or after July 1, 2026, you will be able to choose which optional Accident Benefits you would like to purchase. It’s important to understand which benefits are included in your quote and how they apply to your situation. We can review your options with you, including adding or adjusting coverage, so you understand your policy.

If you’re a commercial customer or employee

If you have a commercial auto policy, or are covered under one, we recommend reviewing how these changes may apply to you or your employees.

Understanding Your Coverage Choices

Accident Benefits are designed to respond in different situations following an accident. Deciding whether to include or remove optional benefits will depend on your individual circumstances.

The chart below provides a plain-language overview of some of the Accident Benefits you may need to review. It is not a substitute for your policy wording or the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.

Benefit	What it Covers	If you Opt Out
Medical, Rehabilitation and Attendant Care (Standard)	Covers medical expenses, therapy, and personal care assistance for injuries from an accident including doctor visits, physiotherapy, and help with daily activities like bathing and dressing. Non-Catastrophic limit $65,000. Catastrophic limit $1,000,000.	Included in every auto insurance policy
Supplementary/Additional Medical, Rehabilitation and Attendant Care	Increases the available limits for medical, rehabilitation and attendant care expenses beyond the standard limits.	Coverage remains limited to the standard benefits included in your policy
Income Replacement	Helps replace lost income if you (or someone else covered under the auto policy) is injured and loses income from not being able to work.	No lost income support — may need to rely on Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits, Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits or Ontario Disability Support Program
Non-Earner Benefit	If you or another covered person is a student or unemployed and an auto accident keeps you from leading a normal life, this benefit can provide financial support while you recover.	Excluded from your policy
Caregiver Benefit	Helps cover caregiving expenses if you or another covered person is injured in an auto accident and can no longer provide care for a household member, such as a child or aging parent, who needs it.	Excluded from your policy
Housekeeping and Home Maintenance	Helps cover costs if you or another covered person is unable to perform the housekeeping and home maintenance tasks normally done before an auto accident.	Excluded from your policy
Lost Educational Expenses	If an auto accident keeps you or another covered person from attending school or an education program, this benefit can help cover the costs you have lost.	Excluded from your policy
Expenses of Visitors	May cover reasonable and necessary travel and lodging costs of visitors (e.g. parents or siblings) if they visit you (or another person covered under the auto policy) while you (or the other person with coverage) is in treatment or recovering from auto accident-related injuries.	Excluded from your policy
Damage to Personal Items	Covers the cost of repairing or replacing personal items like clothing, prescription glasses or hearing aids that were damaged in an auto accident.	Excluded from your policy
Death Benefit	This benefit may pay money to some members of the family if you or other covered persons has been killed.	Excluded from your policy
Funeral Benefit	Helps cover some funeral costs if you or another covered person dies due to an auto accident.	Excluded from your policy
Dependant Care	Helps cover reasonable and necessary additional expenses associated with caring for dependants such as a child, spouse, or aging parent.	Excluded from your policy
Indexation	This benefit provides that certain weekly benefit payments and monetary limits will be adjusted on an annual basis to reflect changes in the cost of living.	Benefit amounts would not be adjusted over time

Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of your policy and the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule. The actual benefits included in your policy will be shown on your Certificate of Automobile Insurance.

Before Making Changes to Your Coverage

Before making any changes to your coverage, it’s important to understand what benefits you currently have and how those compare to any new quote or policy being considered.

If you are shopping for insurance, the coverage included in a new quote may differ from what you currently have in place. Some optional Accident Benefits that are included in your existing policy may not be included automatically in a new policy unless they are specifically selected.

Before deciding to remove or add optional benefits, you should take the following steps:

• Review your current auto policy coverage to understand what benefits you have today
• Review any workplace or private benefits plans to determine if similar coverage already exists
• Consider your personal situation and how an accident could impact your income, daily activities, or responsibilities
• Confirm which Accident Benefits are included in any quote you receive and whether any optional benefits have been removed or not selected
• Speak with your broker to review your options and ensure you understand your coverage before making any changes

You may also want to think about:

• Do you rely on your employment income to support yourself or others, and if you were injured, would you have access to disability benefits through your employer or a private plan?
• Are you a student (full-time or part-time), unemployed, or retired, and would an injury affect your ability to live independently or continue your education?
• Are you the primary caregiver for children, aging parents, or disabled family members, or a single parent?
• Do you have children or dependants who rely on you for daily care, and would an injury affect your ability to both work and care for them?
• Do your family members live far away, and would they need to visit you if you were seriously injured?
• Would you need help with housekeeping or home maintenance if you were injured?
• Do you regularly carry items such as glasses, hearing aids, or mobility devices that would be costly to replace if damaged in an accident?
• Would your family need financial support to cover ongoing expenses if you passed away in an auto accident, and do you have coverage in place for funeral or burial expenses?
• Do you feel the standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care coverage would be sufficient for your needs, particularly if you have a higher-risk lifestyle, underlying health conditions, or limited access to other coverage?
• Are you concerned about how the cost of living may impact the value of your benefits over time?

We’re here to help you understand your options and review your auto insurance coverage with you before making any changes. If you have questions, you can speak directly with an insurance broker at Haas Insurance.

Additional Resources

If you would like more information about Accident Benefits and the upcoming changes to Ontario auto insurance, the following resources may be helpful:

• Understanding Your Accident Benefits Options (Haas Insurance)
  Download our overview of the upcoming changes, including what is changing, what remains the same, and key considerations when reviewing your coverage.
  Download Here
• OPCF 47R – Optional Accident Benefits Endorsement (Government of Ontario)
  This is the standard policy endorsement that outlines the optional Accident Benefits available under your auto insurance policy and shows which coverages are included or declined.
  Download Here
• Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario Consumer Resource
  Visit https://ontariobrokers.ca