How Can You Get Cheap Car Insurance in Barrie?
You can get cheap Barrie car insurance by finding the best deals. Here are several tips to help you do so:
Who Provides Car Insurance Quotes in Barrie?
Insurance brokers, agents, aggregators, and direct writers provide car insurance quotes in Barrie. Here’s an overview of these four insurance quote providers:
How Does Car Insurance Work in Barrie?
Car insurance in Barrie works by providing financial coverage in case something bad happens to you or your car, depending on the protection you choose. Auto insurance in Barrie is mandatory by local laws, which means you need car insurance to avoid fines or driver’s licence suspensions.
Worse still, if you get convicted of driving without insurance, you’ll get higher premiums from carriers. This makes driving again prohibitively expensive or even nearly impossible after being caught driving without insurance. That’s why getting auto insurance is essential before buying a car or driving in Barrie.
Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of your auto insurance policy:
How Your Car Insurance Quotes Are Calculated in Barrie
Your car insurance rates are calculated based on how risky you are to insure. Naturally, drivers more likely to get into accidents will have higher premiums than those less likely to be in an accident.
Here are seven factors that influence your Barrie car insurance quotes:
Most Expensive Postal Codes in Barrie
The average cost of auto insurance in Barrie is $1,409 per year. For reference, the average cost in Toronto – the closest major city – is about $1,796 per year. This is likely because Toronto is more densely populated and thus more prone to car accidents and car theft.
These are the postal codes with the most expensive car insurance in Barrie:
| Postal code | Average annual car insurance premium |
|---|---|
| L4M | $1,414 |
| L4N | $1,409 |
Least Expensive Postal Codes in Barrie
L9X is where you’ll find the cheapest insurance premiums in the city of Barrie. Check out the table below for other cheap postal codes for auto insurance:
| Postal code | Average annual car insurance premium |
|---|---|
| L9J | $1,407 |
| L9X | $1,406 |
Car Insurance Cost in Barrie by Age
Age is a major driving factor in whether you can expect higher insurance premiums. Generally, the idea is that older drivers have more experience and are thus more likely to be responsible and capable of avoiding accidents.
Drivers under the age of 25 can expect higher insurance premiums, while those in their 50s and 60s can expect the lowest insurance rates. However, once you reach a certain age, your premium rates start to rise again – usually when you reach the age of 65 or become a senior citizen.
Based on studies, 75-year-old male drivers pay 21% more for auto insurance than 55-year-old male drivers. This is because as people get older, they go through physical changes that can affect their driving ability, such as changes in vision, attention, fitness, and reaction time.
Take a look at how much car insurance costs can vary by age in Ontario:
| Age | Average annual insurance cost | Average savings with MyChoice |
|---|---|---|
| 18-20 | $5,030 | $1,000 |
| 21-24 | $2,874 | $572 |
| 25-34 | $1,916 | $381 |
| 35-44 | $1,409 | $280 |
| 45-54 | $1,155 | $230 |
| 55-64 | $982 | $195 |
| 65+ | $1,120 | $223 |
Car Insurance Cost in Barrie by Driving History
Your driving record plays a major role in determining the cost of your insurance premiums. Insurance companies will usually request the following:
- Demerit point total
- Any convictions, suspensions, and reinstatements under the Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code of Canada
- Records of collisions
- Any driver’s license replacements/renewals
A clean driving record will help you get lower premiums, while a record laden with violations will get you tagged as a high-risk driver and cause insurance companies to charge you more.
In Ontario, driving violations remain on your record for two years, but they can affect your premium rates for far longer. Take a look at how traffic violations can impact your insurance rates below:
| Driving violation | Average annual car insurance rate |
|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $1,409 |
| Insurance cancellation due to non-payment | $2,311 |
| Licence suspension for alcohol-related offences | $1,689 |
| One accident | $3,105 |
| Speeding ticket | $1,835 |
Other Factors That Affect Car Insurance Prices in Barrie
We’ve covered several factors that influence car insurance rates in Barrie. Aside from those, several extra factors play a part in determining your Barrie auto insurance premiums:
The Best Car Insurance Brokerages in Barrie
Unlike insurance companies, insurance brokerages don’t sell their own policies. Instead, they work similarly to how mortgage brokers work. They gather quotes from several different companies and narrow down the best options for you.
You can work with insurance brokers to help you find the best-rated policies in your city. Here are some of the top insurance brokerages in Barrie:
| Brokerage | Address | Phone number |
|---|---|---|
| BrokerUnion Insurance Brokerage | 494 Veterans Dr Unit 4 Barrie, ON L4N 9J5, Canada | +17052521900 |
| Aim Insurance Brokers Ltd o/a McCam Insurance | 92 Caplan Ave Suite 645 Barrie, ON L4N 9J2, Canada | +17057375620 |
| Benson Kearley IFG – Insurance Brokers & Financial Advisors | 51 King St Unit 4 Barrie, ON L4N 6B5, Canada | +19058983815 |
| Laura Vivian Insurance and Financial Services | 494 Veterans Dr Barrie, ON L4N 9H8, Canada | +12262403388 |
Driving in Barrie
Barrie is an up-and-coming waterfront city located just 90 kilometers north of Toronto. Previously known as a bedroom community – a city made up mostly of residents who commuted to a bigger city for work – Barrie is gaining a reputation as one of the fastest-growing populations in Canada.
Here are some fast facts about driving in Barrie:
- Major highways in Barrie: Highway 400, Highways 11, 26, 27, 90, 93, 131
- Public transit options: Barrie Transit, GO Transit
- Ridesharing services: Uber
- Parking space providers: The City of Barrie, Impark
- Top tourist attractions: Innisfil Beach Park, Barrie Centennial Park, Kempenfelt Bay, Snow Valley Ski Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone
- Busy intersections: Highway 400 and Essa Road, Highway 400 and Maple Drive, Essa Road and Fairview Road, Dunlop Street West and Ferndale Drive North, Dunlop Street and Hart Drive
- Airports: Lake Simcoe Regional Airport
Main Mode of Commuting in Barrie
Over 90% of Barrie’s residents commute by car, truck or van. Nearly 82% of them are drivers, so we can assume that most Barrie commuters drive their own vehicles. Here’s a closer look at how people commute in Barrie:
| Main mode of commuting | Counts | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Total – 25% sample data | 54,965 | 100.0 |
| Car, truck or van | 49,825 | 90.6% |
| Car, truck or van – as a driver | 44,845 | 81.6% |
| Car, truck or van – as a passenger | 4,980 | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 2,060 | 3.7% |
| Walked | 1,780 | 3.2% |
| Bicycle | 280 | 0.5% |
| Other method | 1,025 | 1.9% |
Commuting Duration in Barrie
People in Barrie often experience shorter commutes, since over half of them take under half an hour to get to work. In fact, almost a third of them take less than 15 minutes to complete their commute. Let’s break down the commuting duration in Barrie:
| Commuting duration | Counts | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Total – 25% sample data | 54,965 | 100.0 |
| Less than 15 minutes | 19,200 | 34.9% |
| 15 to 29 minutes | 14,775 | 26.9% |
| 30 to 44 minutes | 7,390 | 13.4% |
| 45 to 59 minutes | 5,580 | 10.2% |
| 60 minutes and over | 8,025 | 14.6% |
Driving Conditions in Barrie
Insurance premiums may change depending on your city’s driving conditions. Here’s a rundown of driving conditions in Barrie:
- Average daily commute time: 62 minutes round trip
- Average annual rainfall: 854 mm
- Average annual snowfall: 159.7 cm
- Rainy days per year: 138
- Rainiest month in Barrie: October
- Driest month in Barrie: January
- Snow days per year: 53
- Snowfall months in Barrie: December to March
Traffic in Barrie
Compared to its neighbor Toronto, which has a population of 2.7 million people, Barrie only has around 140,000 residents. Despite this, traffic can build up on Barrie’s main thoroughfares on weekdays, particularly as 90% of Barrie’s residents drive to work. On weekends, Barrie’s roads become congested with tourists making their way to cottage country.
Here are some key facts about traffic in Barrie:
- Population: Barrie has 143,740 residents within its city limits.
- City area: Barrie’s urban area spans 171.53 km2
- Average commute distance:
- Time spent in traffic annually: Barrie residents spend roughly 377 hours in traffic every year.
- Busiest highways: Highway 400, which cuts through Barrie and connects the city with Toronto, is the most congested highway in Barrie. On weekends, congestion is most felt in the north, on the intersection of Highway 400 and Highway 11, going towards Orillia and Huntsville. Sunday evenings are especially bad as cottage country vacationers make their way home.
The Most Common Questions About Car Insurance in Barrie
How much is auto insurance in Barrie?
Auto insurance in Barrie costs about $1,409/year on average.
Is car insurance cheaper in Barrie?
Car insurance is cheaper in Barrie compared to its neighboring city Toronto.
What are car insurance rates for Barrie students?
The average insurance rate for students (G2 drivers) in Ontario is $5,030. G2 drivers face higher premiums because they lack experience and have a higher likelihood of engaging in risky behavior.
How do Barrie auto insurance rates compare to other cities in Ontario?
Barrie is slightly more expensive than other smaller cities like Guelph but cheaper than major cities like Toronto.