Find Cheap Auto Insurance
in Edmonton

Car insurance is mandatory in Edmonton, as it is throughout Canada. If you want to own and drive a vehicle in Edmonton, you must have third-party liability insurance and accident benefits. This is the minimum coverage required by law.

Alberta’s legislators require all auto insurance policies to include:

• Third party liability insurance, officially called Personal Liability and Property Coverage (PLPD).
• Accident Benefits, to cover medical costs in the event that you get hurt in an accident.

Insurance rates are kept in check by Alberta’s grid system, which outlines the maximum amount that motorists can be charged for basic coverage. However, thanks to the competitive nature of Alberta’s private auto insurance industry, over 90% of drivers in Edmonton pay less than the grid rate.

Check out our Alberta auto insurance page for more information about provincial regulations.

While third-party liability and accident benefits are all you need to satisfy the legal requirements of car insurance in Edmonton, you might notice that neither of these offer any protection to your vehicle. For this reason, the two most common add-ons for Edmonton drivers are:

• Collision coverage – pays for repairs to your vehicle following a collision.
• Comprehensive coverage – pays for repairs to your vehicle if it is damaged by something other than a collision (e.g. vandalism).

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Albertans face the third highest premiums in Canada, averaging $1,316 per year or approximately $110 per month. Edmonton’s premiums are the highest in Alberta, 14% more expensive the provincial average. This means an average annual premium of $1,500, or $125 per month.

Following the provincial government’s decision to lift a 5% cap on annual rate hikes, the majority of Edmontonians will see another rate increase in 2020.

Edmonton is a driving city. There are 943,971 vehicles in the Edmonton area, almost one for every resident. More cars inevitably mean more accidents, which in turn means higher auto premiums. However, there are other reasons for the high rates faced by Edmonton’s motorists.

1) Distracted driving

Drunk driving offences are thankfully on their way down, but distracted driving offences are trending in the opposite direction. In a recent study commissioned by the City of Edmonton, 33% of drivers admitted to texting, emailing or looking at social media while driving in the past month, and this trend appears to be getting worse.

Over the last five years, distracted driving convictions in other Albertan cities declined, but offences in Edmonton went up 42%, to an all-time high of 5,811 (83 per 10,000 drivers) in 2019. Edmonton now accounts for 25% of the total distracted driving convictions in the province.

If you are convicted, you will receive three demerit points and a $287 penalty, in addition to much higher insurance rates in the future.

2) Auto theft

In 2018, Edmonton’s dedicated police unit recovered $4.6 million worth of stolen vehicles, and laid charges against 236 people. However, it did little to curb the problem. In 2019, there were 3,701 stolen vehicles, which represents a 97% increase since 2013.

The police have claimed smart keys are making car theft easier, especially as many owners leave their fobs hidden inside of their car. Whatever the reason, this increasing rate of car theft is contributing to more expensive auto insurance premiums in Edmonton.

Insurance companies use a number of different data points to calculate your rate, including your age, driving history, address, the vehicle you choose to drive, and your annual mileage.

When you compare quotes on Rates.ca, we ask the same questions as the insurance companies. This means that as long as your answers are true, the rates we show to you will be accurate.

Car insurance quotes are as unique as the drivers that receive them. As a result, it is impossible to say which company is the cheapest in Edmonton, without first knowing a bit about you.

Each insurance company will evaluate your details and assess your risk differently. This can result in a wide range of quotes, thousands of dollars apart, but all offering the same level of coverage.

With this in mind, it is important to shop around and compare rates before you buy a car insurance policy. This is the only way to know which company has the cheapest car insurance for you.

Yes. Edmonton was the first city in Canada to regulate and welcome ride sharing services like Uber, although it wasn’t always plain sailing.

Uber was halted in Edmonton in February 2016, after the city passed a bylaw that required drivers to obtain commercial insurance. Uber was operational again in July of that year, following the creation of an insurance policy designed specifically for ride share services.

However, each driver must still possess a commercial (Class 4) driver’s license, which makes for fewer rideshare drivers than you would expect in a city of Edmonton’s size.

Edmonton is one of the coldest major cities in the world, with snowfall expected as late as May and early as October. If you own a car in Edmonton, you need winter tires. If your safety is not incentive enough, consider that insurance companies will offer discounts of up to 5% for drivers who have them.

The Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) is the city's public transit agency, operating the Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT) line as well as a large fleet of buses. For a city whose history and economy is so intertwined with oil and gas, the public transit system is surprisingly extensive, stretching all the way from Edmonton to the neighbouring cities of Beaumont, Spruce Grove and Fort Saskatchewan. The entire fleet is wheelchair accessible too.

Insurance companies take your annual mileage and daily commute into account when calculating your premium, so leave the car at home and save on insurance!

Shockingly, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) estimates that as many as 60% of Edmonton’s stolen cars are left with keys inside prior to being stolen. In an effort to combat these numbers, Edmonton Police Service, the RCMP and the IBC have launched the “Lock Out Auto Theft” campaign to help drivers protect themselves and their vehicles from crime.

Make your car less attractive to thieves by securely locking it, and installing an approved car alarm or GPS tracker.

One sure-fire way to reduce your car insurance premium is to bundle it together with home or tenant insurance. By using the same insurer for multiple products, you will receive what’s known as a multi-line discount, sometimes saving you as much as 15% off each individual policy. This is also true if you have more than one vehicle. Insuring them all with the same company will incentivize the insurer to offer a better deal.

If you are a young driver under the age of 25, or only recently got your license, you will face the highest insurance rates. You are paying for a lack of experience. Once you have had your licence for six years, assuming you have a clean record, you can look forward to more affordable premiums.

In the meantime, driver education courses are available. Insurance companies offer reduced rates for successful completion of these, because not only are you learning valuable skills, but it demonstrates a willingness to be safe and considerate behind the wheel. Find available programs by consulting this list of licensed training schools in Edmonton.

Usage based insurance (UBI), sometimes called telematics or pay-as-you-drive insurance, makes use of a device installed in your car to monitor your driving habits.

Most companies offer a discount simply for signing up to such a program, and if you demonstrate good, defensive driving, you will be rewarded with even greater discounts. Some of the metrics used to determine your rate are average speed, acceleration, braking and time spent driving.

If the UBI device determines you are not driving safely, you will not receive the discount, but your rates cannot be increased because of it. In an expensive city like Edmonton, this is a great solution for good drivers who are sick of paying high premiums caused by the bad habits of others.

Every year, when your auto insurance is up for renewal, spend a few minutes reviewing your existing coverage. If circumstances have changed you may be able to remove some protections that you no longer need. If you are confident that you are a safe driver and can afford to pay a higher deductible in the event of a claim, commit to a higher deductible and you will receive lower quotes.

If you are alumni of the University of Alberta, a City of Edmonton employee, or a member of a local trade union like Local 488 or CUPE Alberta, additional discounts may be available. Look on your organisation’s website for information about which insurance companies are affiliated.

Additionally, ask if you can pay your entire annual premium in one lump sum in exchange for a better deal. Many insurers welcome this as it cuts down on their administrative costs.

Comparing quotes from top insurance providers is the best way to save on Edmonton car insurance. All you have to do is spend a few minutes on our site and we’ll show you multiple rates side by side. Finding the best coverage for the lowest price has never been this easy.