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Updated
Pickering follows Ontario's auto insurance system, which is a limited no-fault system.
Under a no-fault system, drivers involved in a collision don't deal with the other party's insurance company. Your insurance company is responsible for paying your liability and accident benefits, even if you caused the accident.
Ontario adopted the no-fault system in the early '90s to ensure drivers get the financial support they need in a timely and efficient manner.
Before then, injured drivers had to take the other party to court to get financial compensation. It placed the responsibility on aggrieved parties to sue at-fault drivers for financial compensation.
Under a pure no-fault system, injured drivers have no ability to sue for damages on top of their claim payment. But with limited no-fault, as in Ontario, you are allowed to sue for things like pain and suffering and economic losses. However, you must prove that your damages exceed a certain financial threshold for the case to go forward.
But don't be mistaken by the term "no-fault." You can still be found at fault for causing an accident, and Ontario has extensive fault determination rules. If your insurance company determines that you were responsible for an accident, they'll administer penalties that range from a premium increase to cancelling your coverage. Multiple at-fault accidents will make it difficult to find an insurance company that will take you as a customer.
| Insurance type | Mandatory coverage | Optional/Additional coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Liability | $200,000 minimum. Provides coverage in the event of a lawsuit resulting from an accident where you are at fault. | Coverage can be increased to $500,000, $1 million, or $2 million, with up to $2 million limit. |
| Direct Compensation-Property Damage (DC-PD) | Covers damage to your car, or loss of use of your vehicle, if someone else is at fault. Must involve another insured vehicle. | For additional vehicle coverage including for when you are at-fault, consider collision coverage. |
| Uninsured Automobile Insurance | Provides up to $200,000 in coverage if you are injured or killed by an uninsured driver, or if your vehicle is damaged as a result of a hit-and-run by an unidentified, uninsured motorist. | Family Protection Coverage is an optional coverage that includes additional coverage of up to $1 million in the case of a hit-and-run by an uninsured motorist. |
| Statutory Accident Benefits | Provides coverage if you are injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Covers medical expenses that aren’t covered by OHIP. Income Replacement Benefits: Basic weekly income replacement of 70% of your gross income up to $400/wk. Medical, Rehabilitation and Attendant Care Benefits: Up to $65,000 for serious injuries, and $1 million for catastrophic injuries. Caregiver Benefits: Up to $250 per week for the first dependent, and $50 per week for each dependent after that. Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Expenses: Maximum payout $100 per week. Death and Funeral Benefits: Up to $25,000 is provided to your spouse, $10,000 for each dependent, and up to $6,000 in funeral costs in the event you are killed in an automobile accident. |
Coverage limits can be increased. |
| Collision Coverage (Also Upset Coverage) | Optional | Covers the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle following a collision with another vehicle, an object, or property. |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Optional | Covers damages caused by named perils identified under the Specified Perils coverage, as well as losses from other perils like falling or flying objects, theft, fire, hail, windstorms, missiles, and vandalism. |
| Specified Perils Coverage | Optional | Covers damages caused by named perils such as theft, attempted theft, explosions, natural disasters like fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, rising water, earthquakes, and also other perils specified in your policy. Specified perils do not cover damages due to vandalism, breakage of glass, etc. |
| All-Perils Coverage | Optional | Combines collision/upset and comprehensive coverage. Also provides additional protection if a household member or an employee steals your vehicle. |
| OPCF 20: Coverage for Transportation Replacement | Optional | Covers the cost of your transportation replacement and rental car insurance if you were to get into a car accident or if your vehicle is stolen. |
| OPCF 27: Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobile(s) | Optional | Covers if you damage a borrowed or rental vehicle. The coverage limit is usually around $25,000 to $50,000. |
| OPCF 39: Accident Waiver/Forgiveness | Optional | Protect your premium from rising when you have your first at-fault accident. |
| OPCF 43: Waiver of Depreciation | Optional | Protects you by removing your insurer's right to deduct depreciation from the value of your vehicle when settling a claim. This coverage is for new vehicles with fewer than 5,000 kilometres. |
| OPCF 44R: Family Protection Coverage | Optional | Protects you if you or a family member is injured, regardless of whether you or your family members are in the car when the accident occurs |
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The average cost of car insurance in Pickering was $1,959 per year in 2021, according to the RATESDOTCA Insuramap.
Many cities saw large reductions in premiums during the pandemic, but the trend was more muted in Pickering. Car insurance rates only fell by 0.1% year-over-year. By comparison, rates in Brampton and Markham fell by 26.8% and 21.5%, respectively.
Based on the forward sortation areas (FSA) we surveyed — the geographical area delineated by the first three letters of your postal code— the highest car insurance premiums in Pickering are in the L1V, L1W, and L1X areas. Here, car insurance costs $2,023 per year.
The Pickering FSA that pays the least is L1Y, where insurance is $1,766 per year or $257 less.
Pickering is one of the most expensive cities for car insurance, according to the RATESDOTCA annual ranking of cities by insurance premiums.
This city, located east of Toronto in Durham region, made the top 10 in 2021 and in 2020.
In 2020, it was number nine on the list, but the following year, it climbed up a few spots to number six, putting it squarely into the middle of the pack.
It's joined by a few other major cities in the region: Ajax (second most expensive), Oshawa (eighth most expensive), and Whitby (ninth most expensive).
| Rank | City | Average 2021 premium |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Vaughan | $2,179 |
| 2. | Ajax | $2,104 |
| 3. | Richmond Hill | $2,025 |
| 4. | Brampton | $1,976 |
| 5. | Mississauga | $1,971 |
| 6. | Pickering | $1,959 |
| 7. | Toronto | $1,953 |
| 8. | Oshawa | $1,833 |
| 9. | Whitby | $1,792 |
| 10. | Nobleton, Schomberg, Orangeville, King City | $1,766 |
Each day, thousands of Durham residents commute to Toronto for work. The more time you spend on the road, the higher your premium and vice versa. But even though the city borders Toronto, allowing for a shorter commute to downtown Toronto, Pickering's car insurance rates are not the cheapest within this vast suburb.
There could be other things in play that could explain Pickering's high insurance rates.
For example, Oshawa and Whitby are home to more seniors aged 60 to 90 than all the other municipalities in Durham.
Seniors get some of the cheapest car insurance rates, which brings the overall average down.
| Company | Company type | Phone number | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate Insurance: Pickering Agency | Agency | 289-277-1203 | 570 Kingston Rd #9, Pickering, ON L1V 1A6 |
| BrokerLink | Brokerage | 905-422-0110 | 1099 Kingston Rd #234, Pickering, ON L1V 1B5 |
| CAA Store - Pickering | Agency | 289-372-6371 | 1099 Kingston Rd Unit 4A, Pickering, ON L1V 1B5 |
| First Durham Insurance & Financial Ltd. | Brokerage | 1-800-387-4189 | 1920 Bayly St, Pickering, ON L1W 3R6 |
| InsuranceHotline.com | Quote comparison | 1-855-821-7312 | 360 Adelaide St W suite 100, Toronto, ON M5V 1R7 |
| Intact Insurance | Agency | 1-844-489-3768 | 59 Westney Rd S #8, Ajax, ON L1S 2C9 |
| LowestRates.ca | Quote comparison | 1-855-487-6911 | 1910 Yonge St Suite 401, Toronto, ON M4S 3B2 |
| RATESDOTCA | Quote comparison | 1-844-726-0907 | 360 Adelaide St W suite 100, Toronto, ON M5V 1R7 |
| RBC Insurance | Agency | 1-905-420-7929 | 670 Kingston Rd #108, Pickering, ON L1V 1A6 |
| Scoop Insurance | Brokerage | 1-866-456-6620 | 300 Lincoln St unit 22, Welland, ON L3B 4N4 |
1) Compare quotes
The Ontario and Canadian governments recommend comparison shopping before you decide on a car insurance company.
Rates comparison websites like ours have made it easier to follow that advice.
Enter your postal code, and in less than three minutes, we'll have sourced quotes from the leading insurance companies serving Pickering, ordering them from lowest to highest.
2) Increase your deductible
You can offer to share some of the risks your insurer takes on by extending coverage to you. How? By offering to pay a larger deductible. This refers to the amount you are required to pay before your insurance company chips in with the rest of your benefit.
Offering to pay a higher deductible means the insurer saves some money and also gives you an incentive to continue being a safe driver.
3) Buy an appropriate amount of insurance
Buying more liability and accident insurance is often a wise idea, but there are other coverage types that you'd really be better off getting rid of.
This includes coverage like comprehensive and collision insurance.
However, you might be required to carry these covers if you're leasing or financing a vehicle and getting rid of them would violate your contract.
It's always best to work with an insurance professional when adjusting your coverage levels.
4) Drive less
Consider substituting some of your driving with public transportation.
The less often you use your car, the less it will cost to insure.
This advice is easier to act on than ever, given the number of offices offering hybrid schedules.
If your workplace has transitioned to full-time or part-time remote work and you haven't already told your insurance company, make sure you do — it could help reduce your premium.
5) Bundle home and auto insurance
Bundling home and auto coverage with the same company can reduce your annual insurance costs by up to 15%.
6) Try telematics
Several insurance providers in Ontario now offer telematics programs.
Telematics refers to technology that insurers can use to monitor your driving habits, like how hard you brake, your average speed, what time of day you do most of your driving, and the number of kilometres you drive.
Being a good driver could reduce your car insurance by up to 25% when it renews.
Just be aware that in Ontario, insurers can use telematics data to penalize you (i.e., raise your premium).
7) Pay for the year upfront
Insurance companies offer discounts to policyholders who pay their annual premiums upfront at renewal.
8) Apply for discounts
Discounts are available for drivers just for being an alumnus of a post-secondary institution or their involvement in a professional association or union.
Current high school and post-secondary students can save, too, by maintaining a strong grade point average.
9) Avoid additional drivers
Adding a secondary driver to your vehicle can be detrimental to your premium.
If a member of your household only uses the car on rare occasions, consider delisting them as a secondary driver.
10) Buy an endorsement
Endorsements are optional car insurance coverages that amend the terms of your insurance policy.
Some endorsements exist that can lower your premium by reducing your coverage in a certain area.
For example, you can waive coverage for glass repair in exchange for a lower premium.
Talk to an insurance professional about whether this tactic makes sense for your needs.
Here's everything you need to know about car insurance in Pickering, Ontario.
No insurance company offers a flat-rate rate to all its customers.
Premiums are determined by how much risk an individual presents to insure.
The price offered by one company could be vastly different from what your friends and family pay.
The best way to find out which company offers the cheapest rate is to compare quotes from multiple companies.
Given how different car insurance is from other goods and services, the answer to that question will be different for everyone.
Compare car insurance companies to see which can offer enough protection at the lowest price.
Unlike pay-as-you-go phone plans, month-to-month car insurance doesn't exist in Ontario.
Insurance companies require a one-year commitment in exchange for covering you.
Some insurers offer terms of six months, but they're few and far between.
You could purchase a one-year insurance policy and terminate it when you don't need it, but you will be charged a fee for doing so (and it won't be an insignificant one, either).
A better alternative is probably usage-based insurance, a fairly new product in Canada geared toward low-mileage drivers.
You pay for a set number of kilometres (usually 10,000 km or less) and then pay extra for every additional 1,000 km you drive. Installing a device that monitors your car usage is a requirement.
The same way any other driver would.
The traditional approach for obtaining insurance is to go to an insurance agent or broker.
Now, you can compare multiple insurance companies and brokerages in one go using a rates comparison site like RATESDOTCA.
We make insurance agencies and brokerages compete for your business. Start a quote on RATESDOTCA and see which company or broker offers your lowest rate.
Yes, ride-sharing insurance is available throughout Ontario.
All legal rideshare companies in the province offer insurance to drivers.
For example, Uber offers drivers ridesharing insurance through its platform, which is underwritten by Economical insurance. If you're not with Economical Insurance for your personal policy, don't worry. It won't conflict with your personal policy.
Rideshare platforms have partnered with insurers to provide commercial insurance coverage from the moment you turn the app to when you turn it off. When you're not logged into the app, your personal insurance applies.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) maintains a list of all the recognized rideshare apps and the insurance companies that underwrite their driver policies:
*Shoppers in Pickering who obtained a quote on RATESDOTCA from January to December 2023 saved an average of $743 per year. The average savings represents the difference between the shoppers’ average lowest quoted premium and the average of the second and third-lowest quoted premiums generated by RATESDOTCA.
Alexandra Bosanac has been a content manager for RATESDOTCA since 2021, specializing in auto insurance. She began covering auto insurance in 2017. Alexandra has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining the RATESDOTCA editorial team, she reported for the Canadian Business, the Toronto Star, the National Post, and the CBC.
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