How Can You Get Cheap Car Insurance in Gatineau?
You can get cheap Gatineau car insurance by finding the best deals. Here are several tips to help you do so:
Compare quotes between providers
Comparison shopping can help you find the most affordable coverage for your preferred policy type and budget. Save time and money by using MyChoice to compare quotes from different car insurance providers in your area.
Pay annually instead of monthly
While an annual car insurance fee may be heftier, some insurance providers offer a discount if you choose annual payment. This is because it reduces their administrative costs.
Install security features
Having anti-theft alarm systems will deter thieves, reducing the chances of filing a claim. This reassures your insurer that you may be less likely to file a claim, so they may lower your car insurance quotes.
Bundle your insurance policies
Some insurers offer home insurance and car insurance bundles, giving discounts on both types of coverage as long as you get both policies from them.
Drive carefully
By being cautious on the road and keeping a clean driving record, you convince car insurance companies that you’re a low-risk driver. A clean driving record with no demerits generally results in lower car insurance quotes.
Who Provides Car Insurance Quotes in Gatineau?
Insurance brokers, agents, aggregators, and direct writers provide car insurance quotes in Gatineau. Here’s an overview of these four insurance quote providers:
Insurance Aggregators
These are sites like MyChoice that allow you to compare car insurance rates and coverage options between a variety of insurance providers. Because they’re online and provide quotes from different providers, aggregators can save you a lot of time and money.
Insurance Agents
Insurance agents are independent professionals who can give you policy information and quotes from the companies they work with.
Insurance Brokers
An insurance broker can represent you as a buyer and get quotes on your behalf from different companies. They can also offer advice about which add-ons to get and how to lower your quotes.
Direct Writers
A direct writer is an insurance company that doesn’t have agents independently offering their policies to potential clients. Instead, they offer quotes through their call centres or official websites.
How Does Car Insurance Work in Gatineau?
Car insurance in Gatineau is “hybrid”, meaning it combines public and private coverage. Typically, public insurance coverage for Quebecers protects them in case they are involved in a motor accident that results in injury or death.
Public insurance is provided by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) and is funded by a portion of your yearly driver’s licence fees. This public coverage includes “no-fault insurance”, which means everyone is covered for death or injuries regardless of who was responsible for the accident.
Private insurance, on the other hand, is also required but is separate from public insurance. Private coverage in Gatineau is mandatory, and it typically covers your civil liability as well as property damage. These are three mandatory inclusions for Gatineau private car insurance:
The mandatory car insurance requirement for Gatineau drivers are:
Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD)
If you’re found to be not at fault for an auto accident, this provides compensation for repairs, replacement, and restoration up to a minimum required limit.
Third-party Liability Coverage
This mandatory inclusion covers you in case you cause damage to someone or their property while driving.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
This inclusion provides compensation for injuries or damage sustained in an auto accident caused by an uninsured driver.
Drivers may also opt for add-ons to private insurance that increase their limits or protect them from additional perils. These are some of the most common add-ons that enhance your Gatineau car insurance protection:
Emergency roadside assistance
This covers you in case of roadside emergencies that may cost you for repairs or services, such as a flat tire, a dead car battery, or accidentally getting your keys locked into your car.
Collision insurance
This add-on protects you and your car if you’re found to be partially or wholly at fault for a collision.
Comprehensive insurance
This protects you from damage or losses you may suffer while your car is parked. Perils that are typically covered by a comprehensive insurance add-on include fallen tree branches, vandalism, or flooding.
Specified perils insurance
This coverage protects you from damage or losses caused by explicitly listed, select perils, such as earthquakes or fires. While typically cheaper than comprehensive insurance, this also leaves you exposed to risks not named in your policy.
All-perils insurance
This add-on combines the protection of collision insurance and comprehensive insurance, with added coverage in case someone known to you (such as a household member or employee) steals your car.
How Your Car Insurance Quotes Are Calculated in Gatineau
Your car insurance quotes are calculated in Gatineau by considering several factors to compute the likelihood of filing a claim. Typically, the more factors that would raise your chances of making a car insurance claim, the more expensive your car insurance quotes will be.
Here are some of the most common factors that Gatineau car insurers take into account when calculating your quotes:
Age
Younger drivers are seen as less experienced and thus more likely to get into a collision, so their car insurance quotes are typically higher until they reach the age of 25. However, your premiums will rise again when you turn 65, as older drivers have a higher risk of getting into car accidents.
Driving History
Car insurance companies will always ask to look into your driving history to look at any past accidents, demerit points, and other incidents that assess your risk level as a driver. Generally, a clean record means cheaper car insurance premiums.
Vehicle Age
Having an older car can increase your premiums. Because your car’s value goes down as it ages due to depreciation, driving an older car may result in cheaper insurance. However, having an old car isn’t always a guarantee that your car insurance will be affordable: old cars may have higher repair and replacement costs, so your car insurance may still be pricey.
Mileage and Usage
Car insurers will take your annual mileage into account to assess how often you drive and how far to calculate the likelihood of getting into an accident.
Vehicle Make
If your car is a more expensive model, your car insurance premiums tend to be more expensive as this increases repair or replacement costs if you need to file a claim.
Insurance History
Simply put, if you’ve had more cancellations, claims, or lapses in your previous car insurance policies, your premiums will tend to be higher in the future. A history of consistent payment with no claims or cancellations generally results in lower quotes.
Coverage Options
The higher your coverage limits and the more add-ons you get for your car insurance policy, the higher your premiums will be.
Most Expensive Postal Codes in Gatineau
The average cost of car insurance in Gatineau, Quebec, is $552. It’s about $118 cheaper than the provincial average, so it’s relatively affordable. However, some areas of Gatineau have higher-than-average car insurance rates.
Here’s a breakdown of the most expensive postal codes for auto insurance in Gatineau:
Postal Code | Average Annual Car Insurance Premium |
---|---|
J8T | $558 |
Least Expensive Postal Codes in Gatineau
While some areas of the city have higher-than-average car insurance rates, some areas also have lower-than-average rates.
Here’s an overview of the cheapest areas for auto insurance in Gatineau:
Postal Code | Average annual car insurance premium |
---|---|
J8P | $546 |
Other Factors That Affect Car Insurance Prices in Gatineau
Some of the main considerations that affect your car insurance prices in Gatineau have already been listed above. Here are some other factors that may also cause your car insurance premiums to go up or down:
Credit History
While checking credit scores isn’t a common practice for Gatineau car insurers, it’s not forbidden by law. Because a poor credit history may indicate a higher risk of late payments or policy cancellations, those with bad credit history may have higher car insurance premiums.
Claims and History in Your Location
Car insurance providers will look at the number of claims in your neighbourhood to assess the likelihood that you’ll file a claim in the future. The more claims that have been filed in recent years, the more expensive car insurance is in your area.
Traffic Conditions
Poor traffic conditions, congested highways, and a lack of road maintenance in your area may also cause your car insurance quotes to be higher.
Incidence of Natural Disasters
Because hailstorms, floods, and other natural events can all damage your vehicle, car insurers will note the frequency of such events as well as severe weather occurrences. The more natural disasters there have been in recent years in your city, the pricier your car insurance quotes will be.
The Best Car Insurance Brokerages in Gatineau
Car insurance brokers help you choose the right auto insurance policy by answering your questions and comparing policy offers.
Here are several brokers in Gatineau that you can contact for extra assistance when seeking car insurance:
Brokerage | Address | Phone number |
---|---|---|
Assurances Multipro Inc | 195 Bd Gréber, Gatineau, QC J8T 3R1, Canada | +18197779700 |
Co-operators | G-1, 325 Bd Gréber, Gatineau, Quebec J8T 8J3, Canada | +18192468189 |
Assurancia Groupe Tardif / Charlebois Trépanier | 815 Bd de la Carrière bureau 102, Gatineau, QC J8Y 6T4, Canada | +18197775246 |
Assurances Paul Duval inc | 40 Bd du Mont-Bleu, Gatineau, QC J8Z 1J3, Canada | +18197774565 |
Driving in Gatineau
Planning to move to or visit Gatineau? It helps to know more about driving in the area. Here are some key facts about driving in Gatineau you should know:
- Major highways in Gatineau: Autoroute 50
- Public transit options: OC Transpo, Société de transport de l’Outaouais
- Ridesharing services: Blacklane, Uber, Talixo
- Parking space providers: The City of Gatineau, private lots
- Top tourist attractions: Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau Park, Canadian Children’s Museum, Jacques Cartier Park, Mackenzie King Estate
- Busy intersections: Gréber and Maloney Boulevards, Maisonneuve and des Allumettières
- Airports: Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport
Main Mode of Commuting in Gatineau
Knowing more about the commuting statistics in a city or town helps you get to work on time. Here’s a detailed look at the commuter data in Gatineau:
- Average commute distance: The average Gatineau resident travels x km to their workplace or school.
- Commute duration: 38.1% of Gatineau commuters spend 15 to 29 minutes on the road, which means commute times in the city are relatively short. However, 21.6% of commuters spend 30 to 44 minutes getting to work, meaning quite a sizable part of Gatineau residents take longer getting to work.
- Main mode of commuting: Personal vehicles are by far the most popular commuting method in the city, with 81.4% of commuters going to work by car, truck, or van. Public transit users take second place with a 10.7% share, while pedestrians take third with a 4.4% share.
Driving Conditions in Gatineau
Various weather and driving conditions like snow and rain can affect your auto insurance premiums. Here’s an overview of driving conditions in Gatineau:
- Average annual rainfall: 96.2 mm
- Average annual snowfall: 145 mm
- Rainy days per year: 114
- Rainiest month in Gatineau: August
- Driest months in Gatineau: February
- Snow days per year: 114
Snowfall months in Gatineau: October-April
Traffic in Gatineau
Gatineau is Quebec’s fourth-largest city, and it’s right across the river from Ottawa. This means sometimes you’re dealing with two cities’ worth of traffic when driving in Gatineau.
Here’s a quick look at the key traffic statistics in Gatineau:
- Population: 291,041 people live within Gatineau’s city limits.
- City area: Gatineau’s city area spans 381.30 km2.
- Busiest highways: There’s no major highway on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River. However, Autoroute 50 passes through the city.
The Most Common Questions About Car Insurance in Gatineau
How much does Gatineau car insurance cost?
Gatineau car insurance costs $552/year, $166 under Quebec’s provincial average.
Why should you compare car insurance rates in Gatineau?
You should compare car insurance rates in Gatineau because different insurers provide different coverage at different prices. Comparing rates help you choose which policy has the best value.
Is auto insurance cheaper in Gatineau compared to Ottawa?
Auto insurance in Gatineau is cheaper than in Ottawa by $552.
Do I need winter tires in Gatineau?
According to provincial regulations, all motor vehicles must be winter-ready from December 1st to March 15th. Therefore, you need winter tires in Gatineau when winter comes.