Get money-saving tips in your inbox.

Stay on top of personal finance tips from our money experts!

News & Resources

How does accident forgiveness work in Ontario?

Dec. 22, 2022
4 mins
A close up image of a collision between a blue vehicle and white vehicle

This article has been updated from a previous version.

In the unending quest to maintain an affordable car insurance policy, drivers who have been accident-free for the last six years — meaning no at-fault or partially at-fault accidents on their driving records — may qualify for an accident forgiveness rider to add to their policies. If you’re currently shopping for a better car insurance rate and fit the criteria, be sure to inquire about the endorsement.

In Ontario, insurance providers can’t increase a person’s premium after a minor at-fault collisions that result in less than $2,000 in damage and no injuries if there was no claim payout (for accidents that occurred in June 2016 or later). This provision is limited to one minor accident every three years, according to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), Ontario’s car insurance regulator.

How an accident forgiveness rider protects you

Accident forgiveness provides policyholders with an extra layer of protection. If you are found to be at fault for an accident, and it’s your first, adding this endorsement means your current insurance provider will “forgive” you for the collision by not increasing your premium.

However, you can only use it for one incident, and though your premium won’t go up, the collision remains on your driving record for six years. This means that if you switch providers, your premium with the new company will reflect the at-fault claim. In other words, accident forgiveness is not transferrable. Also, not all insurance providers offer their policyholders the option to buy an accident forgiveness rider for their policies in the first place.

Conditions of the accident forgiveness endorsement

An accident forgiveness rider must be added to your policy before an at-fault accident occurs and it will only protect the primary driver of the vehicle listed on the insurance policy, who has a clean driving record. The coverage can be applied to cars, trucks, motorcycles, and motorhomes.

Accident forgiveness needs to be purchased annually when renewing a policy or when switching to a different insurance provider.

However, an accident forgiveness endorsement will not apply if you’re convicted of a Criminal Code offence related to an accident, such as impaired driving, or if there’s a major conviction on your record like driving without insurance.

What an accident forgiveness rider does not cover

In Ontario, accident forgiveness won’t shield you from:

  • Serious traffic convictions
  • Any secondary or additional collision you are in after the first one
  • Demerit points being added to your driver’s licence as a result of a conviction (though demerit points won’t affect your insurance rate, anyway)
  • An accident while driving a business or commercial vehicle

Different insurance providers may have different rules governing accident forgiveness. In general, before they add the clause to your policy, most companies will insist your driving record is free of collisions for a period of six years.

Interested in creating content with RATESDOTCA? Reach us at email@rates.ca.

car mascot.png

Don't waste time calling around for auto insurance

Use RATESDOTCA to shop around, and compare multiple quotes at the same time.

Liam Lahey

Liam Lahey is a versatile marketer with experience as a staff and freelance writer for many business and technology publications and newspapers. He previously worked as the editor and media spokesperson for RATESDOTCA, handling home, auto, and travel insurance topics.

Latest auto insurance articles

Higher car expenses leading more Canadians to make changes to their driving
A new survey from RATESDOTCA and BNN found that 37% of Canadian drivers are planning on making changes to their driving routines in order to cut costs.
6 mins read
Why your new car's headlights cost $6,500 more than your old car's headlights
Bought a car this year? You might be paying at least 23% more for repairs. Find out why.
6 mins read
Major or minor traffic conviction — What’s the difference?
Certain traffic convictions can influence the car insurance rate you get for years. How much convictions may cost you depends on the seriousness of the violation.
2 mins read

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay on top of our latest offers, relevant news and tips!

Thanks for joining!

You'll be hearing from us shortly - stay tuned.