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The Best Home Insurance in Windsor

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Written By Taras Trofimov

Updated

Home insurance in Windsor

Located in southwestern Ontario, Windsor sits right across from the City of Detroit – on the south side of the Detroit River. Over the years, Windsor has become known for its extreme weather, including floods, windstorms and tornadoes. As a result, it has some of the most expensive home insurance premiums in Ontario, despite having relatively few home-related crimes, such as break-ins, according to the 2021 Crime Severity Index in Canada.

While home insurance is not mandated by law in Windsor, you may still be forced to buy it, as most mortgage providers require it. But that’s okay – we're here to help.


Types of home insurance in Windsor

There are four major home insurance types, which differ mainly by the amount of coverage they offer and by price. As you might expect, more coverage means higher costs – and vice versa.

  • Basic: Sometimes referred to as ‘named perils,’ this is the cheapest type of coverage you can purchase, and as such, it’s incredibly limited. It protects your property and its contents only against the perils listed in the policy. So, if fire, for instance, is not listed, then your home is not protected from it.
  • Broad: With this, you get comprehensive coverage for your property, which protects it from anything that isn’t named in the policy. In this case, if fire is not listed, then the property is protected from it. Note that when it comes to your possessions, they are only protected from the perils named in the policy, same way as they would be under the basic coverage.
  • Comprehensive: Also known as ‘all perils,’ this is your full coverage. It protects both your property and possessions from all perils, other than a few named exclusions. If, for instance, overland flooding is named as an exclusion, then you’re not covered for it. This is the most expensive type of home insurance you can purchase in Windsor. Even so, it does not include everything.
  • No-frills: This coverage is even more stripped-down than the basic one and is meant for special cases only. If your home is old, for example, and extremely likely to suffer damage due to brittle pipes or poor structural integrity, then it may not qualify for regular insurance, such as basic, broad or comprehensive. No-frills coverage exists to provide protection for such homes. It is especially useful when you’re required to purchase insurance for mortgage purposes. It should be a temporary measure, however, until you address all the issues that disqualify your home from proper coverage.

What gets covered

Regardless of whether you go with basic, broad or comprehensive coverage, it must cover these three things:

  • Property: This should include all the structures on your property, such as the home itself, garage, guest house and other buildings. The covered perils will depend on your policy – whether it’s basic, broad or comprehensive. Don’t take it for granted that all your structures will be covered, however. Consult with your insurer to make sure that they are to avoid issues down the road.
  • Contents: This entails your personal belongings, such as furniture, electronics, clothing and so on. Note that some items may be too expensive to be covered by regular insurance, even if you buy a comprehensive policy. Items like artwork, jewelry and collectibles may require policy add-ons to be fully protected. Evaluate everything you own and consult with your insurer to see if all of your items are covered.
  • Additional living expenses: Should you become temporarily displaced due to an insurable peril, this will cover the cost of your living expenses. For instance, if you’re forced to live in a hotel, your insurer may pay for your room, travel and groceries for the duration of your displacement (or up to a certain amount). Do note that when it comes to groceries and travel, your insurer will cover you only if your expenses exceed your usual spending amounts.

Liability coverage

Your liability coverage should encompass the following:

  • Personal liability: This will protect you if someone gets accidentally injured on your property. The coverage amount can range from $100,000 to $5,000,000, depending on how much you’re willing to pay in premiums.
  • Medical payments: If you unintentionally injure someone on your property, this will pay for the medical expenses for up to a year – from the date of the injury. Your coverage can be as low as $1,000 or as high as $10,000.
  • Property damage: If you (or a minor in your care under 12 years) cause unintentional loss or damage to someone’s property (such as your neighbour’s), then this will cover the costs. The coverage can be between $500 and $6,000.

Note that if any of the above are done intentionally (for instance, you intentionally hurt someone), then your liability coverage will become void.

Commonly covered perils

Commonly covered perils in Windsor – whether you choose basic, broad or comprehensive coverage – will usually include these:

  • Fire: No matter what causes the fire, your insurance company will cover the costs of replacing, rebuilding or repairing your property and recovering your belongings.
  • Lightning: Should lightning strike your property, it could damage the wiring in your walls as well as break your appliances and electronics. This will pay for repairing or replacing whatever ends up damaged.
  • Theft and vandalism: If your home happens to get robbed, this will pay for the replacement of the stolen items. The same applies if the home gets vandalized.
  • Water damage: This pays for the damage to your property and belongings caused by water leakage from indoor plumbing, heating, air conditioning, sprinklers and similar appliances inside or outside your house. The tricky part is knowing what’s excluded. Most coverages usually exclude sewer back-up and overland flooding, so be sure to confirm what is and isn’t covered with your insurer.
  • Hail and wind: Should wind or hail damage your property or belongings in any way, this will pay for them. This includes damage from flying debris as well as falling trees and branches (if caused specifically by hail or wind).
  • Falling objects: This protects your property and belongings from falling objects, including space debris and space craft. There are exceptions, however, such as objects moved by landslides or snowslides. Confirm with your provider what is and isn’t covered.


Add-ons to home insurance coverage in Windsor

You can enhance your standard home insurance in Windsor with additional coverage – commonly known as ‘add-ons,’ ‘riders’ or ‘endorsements.’ Here’s what usually gets sold in addition to the standard coverage (varies from insurer to insurer):

  • Overland flooding: If your home gets flooded due to overflowing water from a river, stream, lake, thawing snow or another body of water, this add-on will protect you. In the last decade, Windsor has become very vulnerable to floods caused by melting snow and rainwater, so this coverage might be useful to have. Get more tips on flood insurance here.
  • Sewer back-up: This type of flooding occurs due to backed up sewage pipes, toilets, drains or showers. Such back-ups happen when too much rainwater or melted snow enters the sewer system at once. Sewage waste is known to cause illnesses and even death, and given how vulnerable Windsor is to floods, this is another useful coverage to have.
  • Earthquake: This endorsement will protect your home and possessions from damage due to an earthquake, landslide, snowslide and volcanic eruption. Earthquakes, especially severe ones, are extremely rare in Windsor and the rest of southern Ontario, as are the other three perils in this category, so it’s unlikely that you’ll need this endorsement.
  • Windstorm: A windstorm can wreck your home’s structure, possessions and windows and shower everything you own in debris. Depending on your insurer and policy, you may have this covered from the get-go, but it’s worth inquiring your provider about the coverage just in case.
  • Mass evacuations: Should a major peril like flooding or wildfires lead to mass evacuations, this will cover your accommodations and food, while you’re away from home.
  • Valuable possessions: If you own expensive things like jewelry, collectibles and artwork, then you may need extra coverage for them. Do an inventory of all your possessions and assign monetary value to them. Then talk to your provider to find out if you need extra coverage.


What is not covered under your Windsor home insurance

Unfortunately, your home insurance can’t protect you from everything Windsor would throw at you. Certain perils are always excluded – usually because they are both predictable and preventable. Here’s what they are:

  • Mold: Since mold occurs slowly due to pre-existing conditions, such as extreme humidity, there is usually enough time for you to prevent it. Home insurance isn’t meant for maintenance – it's here to address major perils only.
  • Pest infestations: Like mold, pest infestations, including mice, bedbugs, cockroaches and termites, are also a maintenance concern. So, if they cause any damage, it’s highly unlikely that your home insurance will cover it. That’s why, as soon as you notice an infestation, you should contact the appropriate service to help you resolve the issue (this service shouldn’t be your insurer).
  • Deliberate damage or injuries: If you deliberately damage your own property or its contents, your insurance company will not cover the costs. In fact, if you attempt to claim money for damaging your own property, you may be accused of insurance fraud, which is illegal. If you purposely hurt someone on your property, your insurance will not cover the associated liability costs either, so don’t do it.

How much insurance coverage do I need for my home in Windsor?

This will depend largely on your personal circumstances and requirements. Given that Windsor is prone to severe weather and flooding, you might want to get more coverage in those areas. Your specific neighbourhood is also worth considering, since it may have higher crime rates, including more break-ins – or more instances of sewer back-up.

Other factors to consider include the size of your home, the cost of rebuilding it and the value of its contents. The higher the costs the more you have to pay in premiums. To learn more, you can consult either with your insurance agent or broker. Alternatively, you can compare quotes from home insurers right now, using RATESDOTCA. This will provide you with some actual numbers – numbers applicable to your specific needs and circumstances.

Recent home insurance quotes in Windsor

Recent Home Insurance Quote from Collingwood, ON
Detached 1,548 sq ft
October 11, 2024
Cheapest Quote
$ 70 / month
$840 / year
Average Quote
$ 130 / month
$1,559 / year
Savings
$ 60 / month
$720 / year
or
46.00 %
Recent Home Insurance Quote from Oshawa, ON
Detached 992 sq ft
October 11, 2024
Cheapest Quote
$ 84 / month
$1,003 / year
Average Quote
$ 117 / month
$1,403 / year
Savings
$ 33 / month
$396 / year
or
28.00 %
Recent Home Insurance Quote from Maple, ON
Detached 3,449 sq ft
October 11, 2024
Cheapest Quote
$ 122 / month
$1,460 / year
Average Quote
$ 151 / month
$1,811 / year
Savings
$ 29 / month
$348 / year
or
19.00 %
Home insurance quotes are compared from Apollo Insurance, CAA, Economical Insurance, Pembridge, Square One Insurance, and SGI

Factors that affect your Windsor home insurance

Here are some of the biggest factors home insurers consider when calculating their premiums:

Home-related factors

  • Replacement cost: The cost of rebuilding your home from scratch can influence your premium. Your home’s age, square footage, number of floors and construction will all play a role in determining the costs. And as you might’ve guessed already, the higher the replacement cost, the higher the premium.
  • Square footage: More square footage equals higher premiums. That’s because bigger homes usually contain more items and require more materials to rebuild. So, when buying a home, take its size into account, if you want your insurance to be cheaper.
  • Piping: Older pipes, which tend to be either galvanized or made of lead, are more likely to leak or crack, which can cause water damage to your home. Because of the risk they pose, your premiums will be higher. If you end up purchasing an older home with outdated plumbing, consider switching to either copper or plastic pipes.
  • Electrical wiring: Aluminum or knob-and-tube electrical wiring poses a significant risk of fire damage. That’s why before insuring you, your provider may ask you for a guarantee that your home doesn’t include such wiring or inspect it to make sure the wiring is safe. Either way, your premium will be expensive as a result. Same applies if your home has fuses instead of breakers or an electrical service that’s below 100 amps, as they pose a higher risk of fire too.
  • Roof age: If your roof has not been renovated in over 20 years, then it’s old enough to start having issues such as poor insulation and leaks, both of which can cause severe damage to the rest of your home. Because of this, insurers may cover no more than 25% of the roof’s replacement cost should an issue arise, in addition to charging you higher premiums.
  • Renovations: If your renovations happen to make your home more expensive to replace, then your premiums will go up. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to notify your insurer about this or not. Do note that if you choose not to notify your insurer, and something happens to your home, your payout may be lower than expected.
  • Location: Certain perils, such as relatively regular flooding and severe weather in parts of Windsor, can cause your insurance premiums to go up. Higher crime rates, including theft and vandalism, can do the same. Fortunately, crime rates are low in Windsor, so this shouldn’t impact most homeowners.
  • Closeness to fire halls and hydrants: This is more of an issue for homes in rural areas than homes in larger cities like Windsor. Even so, the farther your home is from a fire hall or fire hydrant, the more fire damage it is likely to suffer – as the fire would not be put out on time to prevent a good portion of the damage. The risk of this is what can lead to more expensive premiums.

Homeowner-related factors

  • Claim history: Aside from various risks, there’s also your claim history. The more claims you make, the higher the premium. Remember, insurance is meant for covering major damage only. If it’s a minor problem, then you’re better off handling it yourself. For instance, if a small part of your basement gets flooded due to a minor pipe leak, then it’s probably better to fix it yourself. On the flipside, if your entire basement is ruined because of sewer back-up, then it’s time to make a claim.
  • Mortgage: The less mortgage you owe, the lower your premium will be. In fact, you may get a discount ranging from 10% to 20%. Check with your insurer to see if you’re eligible.

How much does Windsor average home insurance cost?

According to the 2022 RATESDOTCA Insuramap data, home insurance in Windsor is estimated to be $2,124 per year on average, or roughly $177 per month. This is well above Ontario’s estimated average of $1,427 per year. Windsor is the second most expensive city for home insurance in the province, right after LaSalle, which has an average estimated premium of $2,411 per year.

There is a reason for this. Windsor has become notorious for its erratic weather – from extreme snowfalls and heavy rainfalls to floods, frigid winters and tornadoes. They’ve been causing a lot of damage to homes, which in turn has led to more claims and higher premiums. Though theft and vandalism certainly factor into the equation as well, they are not as plentiful in Windsor as they are in other Ontario cities, such as Toronto, for example, which has an estimated average premium of $1,467 per year – well below Windsor’s.

Some parts of Windsor are less affected by high premiums than others, so if you’re still shopping for a home, you may want to research which of them would have cheap insurance ahead of time.

Note that the above averages are based on the profile of a 45-year-old homeowner, who has been insured for at least 10 years and lives in a 2,500 sq ft house with brick veneer, wood frame construction, natural gas heat, a roof that is 10 to 15 years old and has the maximum available coverage for water protection. This means that your specific circumstances, including your personal claims history as well as property condition and size, will factor into your premiums, so take this all with a grain of salt.

How do Windsor home insurance premiums compare to other cities in Ontario?

Rank City Average 2022 premium Difference from Windsor’s 2022 average

1.

LaSalle

$2,411

+14%

2.

Windsor

$2,124

--

3.

Hearst, Foleyet & South Porcupine

$2,046

-3.7%

4.

Keewatin

$2,033

-4.3%

5.

Fort Frances

$2,023

-4.8%

6.

Val Caron, Elliot Lake & Kapuskasing

$2,005

-5.6%

How RATESDOTCA finds the best home insurance in Windsor

We are partnered with home insurance providers and brokerages in Ontario, with the aim of providing customers like you with a broad selection of quotes. You can compare them side by side via this website, which incentivizes our partners to offer you the cheapest rates available to secure your business. The very act of comparing quotes is what allows our quotes to be cheap.

The comparison process is free and takes no longer than five minutes. You can give it a try today, if you want. This would give you a good idea of what to expect when shopping for insurance and perhaps even motivate you to purchase coverage right then and there.

Which companies offer home insurance quotes in Windsor?

Company name Company type Phone number Address

All-Risks Insurance Brokers Limited

Insurance broker

519-253-6376

1255 Ouellette Ave, Windsor, ON N8X 1J3

Billyard Insurance Group – Windsor

Insurance broker

519-981-8070

3-3750 Walker Rd, Windsor, ON N8W 3S8

EasyInsure

Insurance broker

1-800-679-2640

C-3600 Rhodes Dr, Windsor, ON N8W 5A4

InsuranceHotline.com

Quotes comparison

1-855-821-7312

225 King St W, Suite 1000, Toronto, ON, M5V 3M2

LowestRates.ca

Quotes comparison

1-855-487-6911

401-1910 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4S 3B2

Protect Plus Insurance Brokers Inc.

Insurance broker

519-258-7733

E-13013 Tecumseh Rd, Windsor, ON N8N 3T4

RATESDOTCA

Quotes comparison

1-844-726-0907

225 King St W, Suite 1000, Toronto, ON, M5V 3M2

Scoop Insurance

Insurance broker

1-866-456-6620

22-300 Lincoln St, Welland, ON L3B 4N4

SurNet Insurance Group Inc.

Insurance broker

519-915-9507

6-2557 Dougall Ave, Windsor, ON N8X 1T5

Will Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Insurance broker

519-979-3700

E-13039 Tecumseh Rd, Windsor, ON N8N 3T4

How to get the cheapest home insurance in Windsor

There are several ways to get cheap insurance in Windsor. Here’s what they are:

  • Increase your deductible: The higher the deductible, the less you have to pay for your insurance. That’s because you’ll be paying more out of pocket if something happens to your home. Given that this can be a risky proposition, consider the prospect of increasing your deductible carefully.
  • Install various alarm systems: If you live in a high-crime area with lots of break-ins and vandalism, consider installing a burglar alarm system, which will reduce the risk of both, lowering your premiums. Having good fire detectors would do the same, especially if your home is far away from any fire stations or hydrants, as mentioned above.
  • Upgrade your electrical and plumbing systems: If your home is on the older side, then it may have outdated plumbing and electrical systems, which increase the risks of flooding and fire, respectively. Consider upgrading them if you have the money, as doing so will not only lower your premiums but improve your safety.
  • Protect your home from severe weather and floods: Adding sump pumps, reinforcing your basement walls as well as renovating your roof can reduce the risk of weather-related damage, especially water damage. This will lower your premiums and make your home more reliable.
  • Ask for a loyalty discount: If you’ve been with the same insurer for a long time, then you may be entitled to a loyalty discount. When you’re about to renew your policy, ask your insurer about discounts.
  • Avoid monthly payments: Processing monthly payments results in higher administrative costs for insurers. By paying your premiums annually, you allow your provider to save on those costs, and thus, lower your premiums.
  • Don’t over-insure your home: Having all the coverage in the world may make you feel secure, sure, but it will also cost you a lot of money. And the reality is that most of this coverage will never be of any use to you. For instance, if you don’t have any overly expensive belongings, such as artwork or jewelry, you may not require the ‘valuable possessions’ add-on. Evaluate your needs carefully and purchase only the coverage that meets them.
  • Bundle up: If you have a vehicle, be sure to bundle your home and car insurance under one provider, as it will not only net you a good discount but simplify your payments.
  • Comparison shop: Always compare prices and never settle on the first deal you receive. Check out RATESDOTCA to compare quotes from multiple home insurance providers in your area and secure the cheap premium you deserve. It’s quick, and it’s free.

How to get your Windsor home insurance

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What risks do homeowners face in Windsor?

Windsor homeowners have to deal with a multitude of weather-related perils, which have negatively impacted their premiums. Crime is also on the rise in Windsor, but it’s nowhere near as bad in many other cities in Ontario.

With that said, here are some of the biggest risks Windsor homeowners face:

  • Floods: Due to heavy rains and snowfalls, Windsor has seen more than a few floods over the last decade. In the case of snow, floods usually occur in spring, when too much snow melts all at once. Rain is the bigger problem, however. In 2016, for instance, Windsor was hit by a record rainfall that led the city to declare a state of emergency. It remains a persistent problem to this day.
  • Snowfalls: Windsor has seen snowfalls of more than 40 cm. Snowfalls are known to cause roof damage, particularly when snow accumulates over time. It can lead to water seepage as well as ice dams – ice build-up in the eaves, caused by melting snow.
  • Freezing temperatures: Winter temperatures in Windsor can sometimes be as low as -28°C. This increases the potential for burst and frozen pipes.
  • Windstorms: Or in the case of Windsor, tornadoes. In 2010 in particular, Windsor-Essex was hit by more than half of Ontario’s tornadoes. More recently, in July 2023, Windsor has gone through a windstorm with winds as high as 110 km/h, according to Environment Canada.

Frequently asked questions about home insurance in Windsor

Got more questions about Windsor home insurance? We got you covered.

Do high Windsor real estate prices affect the cost of home insurance?

No. Real estate prices have no direct effect on home insurance premiums – in Windsor or anywhere else in Canada. What does impact home insurance premiums, however, is the cost of rebuilding a home from scratch. When determining rebuilding costs, insurers account for materials, labour, permits and other factors, all of which vary in cost from city to city. That’s why rebuilding costs are different across Canada, and so are the insurance premiums.

Which company offers the cheapest Windsor home insurance?

The cost of home insurance in Windsor depends on your property, claim history and coverage. Because of this, naming the ‘cheapest’ insurance provider is impossible. That said, you can find a provider who will offer the cheapest quote to you. Doing so will involve shopping around. To do that, you can use online tools such as RATESDOTCA to compare quotes from multiple insurers at once.

How do I save on Windsor home insurance?

Start by shopping around for the cheapest quote, using websites like RATESDOTCA. On RATESDOTCA, you can compare quotes from insurance providers in your area for free. All you need to do is take a minute or so to share a little information about yourself, so you can get the coverage that matches your exact needs, and the quotes should start pouring in.

If you’re still not satisfied with your premium, even after shopping around, then you may want to reduce the risks to your property, increase your deductible, ask for discounts, among other things. For more details, check out our tips on how to get cheap home insurance in Windsor.

How do Windsor home insurance claims work?

If your home and/or its contents get damaged or lost because of an unforeseen event, notify your Windsor home insurer as soon as you can, and they’ll walk you through the process of filing your claim.

Make sure you have inventoried everything that got damaged, explaining the damage in detail, and if possible, including photos or videos to more clearly convey the extent of the damage. You should also attach proofs of purchase, receipts, police reports, owner’s manuals and warranties. Keep all the damaged items (unless they pose a risk to your health) until you notify your insurer and confirm with them if you can dispose of them. As rule of thumb, always be as detailed as possible when describing your circumstances and ask as many questions as you can.

Once you file your claim, the insurer will assign a claims advisor to your case, who will contact you shortly.

If requested, file a ‘proof of loss’ form that lists all damaged or lost property or possessions with the cost of the damage or loss. You must confirm that all the statements are true. If found not to be, your insurance could become void.

Is fire covered under my Windsor home insurance policy?

Yes. Most standard home insurance policies will cover fire, no matter what causes it – whether it’s a wildfire or something inside your home. Lightning is also included in most standard policies. What’s great about fire coverage is that it can partially protect you from perils you don’t have coverage for – provided those perils cause a fire.

Do note that you need to get this coverage before your home is at risk of fire. For instance, if there is a forest fire less than 50 kilometres away from your home and you decide to buy fire coverage, you may not get the protection you need until the forest fire has run its course.

How can I get vacant home insurance in Windsor?

You can purchase vacant home insurance from a provider in Windsor, same as your regular insurance. However, since vacant homes are much riskier than normal homes, not all providers will offer this coverage. That’s because most home insurance policies are designed for lived-in homes, and as a result, have a built-in expectation that someone will maintain them – whether it involves taking care of a burst pipe, keeping the light on to scare off burglars or shoveling the snow.

Without someone overseeing a vacant home, there is a higher chance that a minor issue, such as a burst pipe, will turn into a major peril, such as a flood.

Because of this, vacant home insurance doesn’t offer the same amount of coverage as regular home insurance. Flood damage and vandalism, for instance, often do not get covered. Finally, due to the higher risk, vacant home insurance is usually more expensive than your regular insurance – by as much as 50%. Talk to your insurer to find out what coverage is available and how much it would cost.

*Shoppers in Ontario who obtained a home insurance quote on RATESDOTCA from January to December 2023 saved an average amount of $360. The average savings amount represents the difference between the shoppers’ average lowest quoted premium and the average of the second and third lowest quoted premiums generated by RATESDOTCA. Excludes tenant and condo insurance.

Taras Trofimov ,
Content Manager

Taras has over nine years of content marketing experience across multiple industries in B2B and B2C spaces. He has produced thought leadership content for organizations like Constellation Software, Facebook and Yellow Pages as well as outlets like Huffington Post and MSN Canada.

He graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and studied Technical Communication at Seneca College.

Experience
  • Home Insurance
Education
  • Bachelor of Arts at York University

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