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Home Insurance Ontario

Protecting your home is pretty important. It’s probably your biggest investment and it’s your home – whether that’s just the place you live or something more special. We believe in making insurance as easy as it can be. That’s why we have the best Ontario home insurance brokers and use technology to make dealing with insurance more convenient for you.

We don’t offer average home insurance in Ontario – we offer the best. We work with a number of different insurance companies to get you the best coverage for the best price. Our Ontario home insurance quotes are competitive – see for yourself by filling out our online form.

Do I need home insurance in Ontario?

If you can’t afford to rebuild your home and replace all of your belongings if the worst happened and they were destroyed, you should have home insurance in Ontario.

Is home insurance required in Ontario?

Having insurance on your house is not required by law in Ontario, however, if your home is mortgaged, your lender will likely require you to have home insurance. You will generally need to have a comprehensive level of coverage and provide proof.

Why do I need home insurance?

It’s required by your mortgage lender.
You can’t afford to rebuild your home or replace all of your belongings on your own.
You couldn’t afford the expenses of a lawsuit if someone was hurt or had their stuff damaged by your unintentional actions or while visiting your home.
You want additional support (like additional living expenses) after a disaster.
You want to worry less about the “what ifs.”

Is home insurance different from house insurance or homeowners insurance in Ontario?

In essence, these terms all refer to the same thing: insurance protection for the home you live in.

Home insurance is the general term for all types of personal property insurance in Ontario, including coverage for homes, condos, and apartments, owners and renters. Homeowners insurance is sometimes used to differentiate homeowners from renters. House insurance is used for – you guessed it – houses in order to separate them from condos, apartments and other types of buildings.

What does home insurance cover?

In Ontario, your home insurance coverage will depend on your insurer and your choices when you buy your policy. Here are the standard coverages:

Property Damage – Helps you rebuild or repair your home and outbuildings like sheds, fences and decks if they’re damaged by a covered peril. This will also help you replace your belongings, including furniture, clothing, appliances, and more.
Personal Liability – If someone gets hurt or has their stuff damaged because of your unintentional actions or while visiting your home, this coverage will help with damages and legal expenses if you’re sued.
Additional Living Expenses – If you’re forced from your home because of a mandatory evacuation or a covered claim, this will help you cover the additional costs with accommodation, food, and transportation.

Many policies also include provisions for lock replacement if you’re a victim of theft, frozen food replacement if a covered claim spoils it, and help if you suffer identity theft.

What perils are covered by Ontario homeowners insurance?

Again, what’s covered will depend on your insurer and your choices when you buy your policy. Here are the most commonly covered perils (or causes of damage):

Fire
Smoke
Explosion
Lightning
Electrical current
Wind
Hail
Weight of snow (causing a roof collapse)

Falling object
Impact by vehicle or aircraft
Riot, vandalism, theft, and other malicious acts
Certain types of water damage (usually caused by plumbing or appliances)
Sewer backup*
Overland water (flooding)*
Earthquake and landslides*

If it’s marked with an asterisk (*) that means it usually must be purchased separately, although some Ontario insurance companies include these coverage in comprehensive home insurance packages.

What isn’t covered by Ontario house insurance?

There are a few things that won’t be covered by your homeowners insurance in Ontario, including:

Wear and tear
Mold
Damage caused by insects, vermin, and animals
Water damage from frozen plumbing if you’re away

Any damage caused by illegal activities by the homeowner
War or terrorism
Nuclear incidents
If your home is left vacant for more than 30 days in a row, you likely won’t have any protection if your home gets damaged

If you don’t have the add-on protection for earthquakes and landslides, sewer backup, or flooding, you also won’t be covered if one of those perils damages your home.

Exactly what’s covered will depend on your policy and insurer, which is why it’s a good idea to work with an Ontario home insurance broker to ensure you’ve got the protection you need and understand exactly what’s covered and what isn’t.

Ontario Home Insurance Coverage Options

You have a lot of options when it comes to your home insurance in Ontario.

First, you have your coverage options. This includes the number and type of perils you want protection from. Generally, insurance companies offer different levels. These are:

Limited Basic – Designed for properties that wouldn’t be insurable under normal circumstances, such as an “as-is” home. There is very limited physical damage coverage.
Named Perils or Basic – These policies only cover specific perils.
Broad – Covers your home for a comprehensive list of perils but provides only named perils coverage for your contents.
Comprehensive – Offers the most protection for your home and stuff. Offers coverage for everything unless it’s specifically excluded.

Next, you’ll need to decide what additional coverages you want:

Sewer Backup – covers damage caused by the backup of your home’s sewer and drains.
Overland Water – covers flood damage caused by the overflow of lakes and rivers, snowmelt, and precipitation.
Ground water – some insurers offer coverage if ground water rises and floods your home.
Earthquake – covers damage caused by earthquake, landslides and others earth movements.
Service Line – helps cover the repair or replacement of service lines on your property, including sewers, water mains, electrical cables, and internet lines.
Bylaws – covers the costs for bringing your home up to current bylaws if you need to rebuild after an insured loss.
Identity Theft – extends identity theft coverage to be more comprehensive.
Floaters – There are usually individual limits on your belongings, so if you have jewellery, sports equipment, electronics or collections that are worth more, you should consider protecting it with its own “floater” add-on. This will allow you to get the item or collection’s value if it’s damaged.

Keep in mind some of these are included as part of a comprehensive package provided by some insurance companies in Ontario.

Loss Settlement Options for Home Insurance in Ontario

The loss settlement determines the amount you’ll receive if your home or belongings are destroyed. Generally, there are three options available:

Actual Cash Value – this is the market price or purchase price minus depreciation.
Replacement Cost – this is the cost to replace the item as it is.
Agreed Value – this is an agreed value for an item or building. This isn’t commonly used for home insurance but may be relevant if you’re insuring jewellery, a classic car, or a heritage home.

Ontario Home Insurance Policy Limits

A policy limit is the maximum amount you’ll receive if you have a covered claim. Different areas of your policy may have different limits – your personal belongings or contents limit can be different than your home or dwelling’s limit, for example.

You generally have a few options when choosing your policy limits. You want to choose a limit that will fully cover replacing your stuff and rebuilding your home, but that isn’t too high so you’re paying for coverage you don’t need.

An Ontario home insurance broker can help you choose the right policy limits for your needs and budget.

Your Homeowners Insurance Deductible

You’ll also need to choose your deductible amount when you buy a new homeowners insurance policy in Ontario. This is the amount you’ll pay if you have a covered claim. Deductibles range from $500 to $5000. The higher your deductible, the more you’ll pay out of pocket if you have a claim, but the lower your premiums will be.

The best deductible is the highest amount you can afford to cover out-of-pocket.

Some insurance companies offer a “disappearing deductible” which reduces the deductible over time if you’re claims free. It’s like a loyalty reward!

How much coverage do I need for my homeowners insurance in Ontario?

How much coverage you need for your home insurance in Ontario will depend on your personal preferences – or, your mortgage lender’s requirements if that’s a factor.

Generally, we recommend an all risk or comprehensive policy with limits that properly protect you without you having to pay for more than what you need.

Working with one of our Ontario homeowners insurance brokers means you’ll have someone who understands the ins and outs of insurance on your side. They can help you determine your insurance needs, find you the best coverage for the best price, and answer all of your questions.

Did you know?

Where you buy your home is one of top factors that impact your home insurance rates. Do your homework on the claim and crime rates before you move into a neighborhood.

High Risk Home Insurance in Ontario

If you’ve been labelled as high risk by Ontario insurance companies, this likely means you have:

Been cancelled for non-payment or another reason by an insurance company
Had a high number of claims
A rural property

An older or heritage home without upgrades to the electrical or plumbing systems
An empty home
Multiple mortgages

Being high risk does not mean you can’t get home insurance in Ontario – it just means it may be harder to find the right coverage. You may also have less coverage, higher premiums, and/or less choice with your payments.

We can help you protect your home – request an Ontario home insurance quote online and we’ll find you the best coverage at the best price that’s available.

Best Home Insurance Companies in Ontario

As an independent brokerage, Sharp Insurance works with the best insurance companies in Ontario. We have access to a large number of markets, which means you get competitive Ontario home insurance quotes as well as the best service in the industry.

We’re always growing the number of insurance companies we work with, but here are a few:

How much does home insurance cost in Ontario?

The cost of home insurance varies depending on the individual home and person. There are so many factors that influence price, giving estimates just isn’t accurate without knowing the exact home you’re looking to insure. A farmhouse in rural Ontario is going to have a very different insurance cost than an inner city home with a high crime rate or a family home in a safe suburb.

Here are some factors that impact the price of home insurance in Ontario:

Your insurance and claims history
Your credit rating
Your home’s construction (materials and type)
The size of your home
How much it would cost to rebuild your home
The age and type of your home’s roof, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems
If you have a pool, trampoline or other risk
If you have security or loss mitigation devices installed (like burglar alarms and sump pumps)

If you rent out a room or suite in your home
How close the nearest fire station and fire hydrant is
The claim rate of your area
The crime rate of your area
The frequency and severity of natural disasters
How close you are to risks like rivers
Which discounts you’re eligible for
Your policy options, including loss settlement, policy limits, deductible, and coverages

This means that two homes side by side could have totally different home insurance premiums.

Get the Right Home Insurance Coverage in Ontario

Getting the right home insurance coverage in Ontario is the perfect mix of protection and price.

How to Get Cheaper Home Insurance in Ontario

There are ways to get cheaper home insurance in Ontario, like:

Bundling your insurance with one company
Raising your deductible
Shop around and get home insurance quotes from different companies
Install security devices like a burglar alarm
Install a loss mitigation device like a sump pump
Upgrade your roof, exterior finish, heating, plumbing or electrical
Ask about discounts
Review your insurance yearly

The best way to save on your Ontario homeowners insurance is to work with a broker. They can take care of the price shopping for you and ensure you’re getting the discounts you’re entitled to.

Get an Ontario Home Insurance Quote Online in Minutes

We offer quick, easy, and free online Ontario home insurance quotes! Just fill out the form. You can also get a quote by giving us a call.

Luckily, technology has made getting an accurate insurance quote faster and easier. We’ll simply ask you for a few basic pieces of information like your address, name, and how to get in touch with you. No hassle!

Submitting a Homeowners Insurance Claim in Ontario

We’re here to help if you need to submit a home insurance claim. You can submit via our app or web portal and we’re also available by phone. You can also submit a claim directly through your insurance company – there will be a claims number on your policy documents or on their website.

Once you’re in touch, we’ll guide you through what happens next.

You’ll also want to document the damage. Include pictures and video, if at all possible. If there’s a police report, you should also get a copy. You’ll need to make a complete list of all damaged, destroyed or stolen belongings (having a home inventory can help here).

A claims adjuster from the insurance company will be in touch with you. They investigate the loss and will likely interview you. Once this is complete, your insurance company will offer a settlement (usually to repair, replace or reimburse). If repairs are in order, you should see if you can use a contractor of your choice. Keep in mind that only the work done by the insurer’s recommended contractors will be guaranteed but you may prefer your own contractors.

We are here to help throughout this whole process. We can answer any questions you have, advise on your next steps, and advocate for you to your insurer.

Work with the Best Ontario Home Insurance Brokers

We’re an independent digital insurance brokerage – one of the best in Ontario! We use technology to make insurance easier and have awesome staff that know their stuff and offer great customer service.

We have an app and web portal that give you the freedom to manage your insurance whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. You can download or print your pink cards, review your coverage, submit a claim, request a change and more. It works on computers, tablets and smartphones. No more waiting on hold !

Because we’re independent, we work for you, not an insurance company. In fact, we have access to a lot of different insurers in Ontario. That means we can get you competitive home insurance quotes and get you the best protection for the best price.

Fill out the form or give us a call to get your no-obligation free home insurance quote today.