Get The Lowest Car Insurance Rates in Sault Ste. Marie
MyChoice Financial will help you find the cheapest car insurance by pairing you with the best insurer for your needs in three simple steps. See the below table of contents for a brief overview of the information you can find on this page for your Sault Ste. Marie car insurance:
- How Can You Get Cheap Car Insurance in Sault Ste. Marie?
- Most Expensive Postal Codes in Sault Ste. Marie
- Least Expensive Postal Codes in Sault Ste. Marie
- Car Insurance Cost in Sault Ste. Marie by Age
- Car Insurance Cost in Sault Ste. Marie by Driving History
- How Does Car Insurance Work in Sault Ste. Marie?
- Driving In Sault Ste. Marie
- How Your Car Insurance Quotes Are Calculated in Sault Ste. Marie?
- Other Factors That Affect Car Insurance Prices In Sault Ste. Marie
How Can You Get Cheap Car Insurance in Sault Ste. Marie?
The best way to get cheap car insurance in Sault Ste. Marie is to find the best-valued policies and lower your premiums. Here are several ways to do just that:
Bundle Home and Auto Insurance
Package deals are a great way to save money while shopping; it works the same way in insurance. Bundling home and auto insurance from the same provider will likely get you better rates than buying separate policies from different companies.
Pick and Choose Insurance Coverage
Getting extra insurance protection on top of your mandatory coverage ensures your car is safer from danger. However, more protection also means higher insurance premiums. If you want to lower your Sault Ste. Marie car insurance rates, check your policy and opt out of unnecessary optional coverage.
Shop and Compare Policies Between Insurers
Sault Ste. Marie has numerous auto insurance companies trying to get your business. Because the market is very competitive, Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance providers often try to one-up each other in giving you the best deals.
Ask several insurance brokers and agents to choose the right insurer and policy combo that fits your auto protection needs the best.
Pay Premiums Annually
Annual insurance premiums look expensive initially, but when you break them down, the monthly expenses are cheaper. Ask your insurance provider for half-year premiums if you can’t afford annual premiums.
Don’t Miss Premium Payments
Missing premium payments can negatively affect your rates and, in severe cases, even force your insurer to cancel the policy. Always pay your premiums on time to prevent your rates from increasing.
Practice Safe Driving
Driving offences and car accidents stay on your insurance record for years. You’ll be marked as a high-risk driver if you have a record riddled with accidents and offences, meaning your insurance rates will be higher.
Conversely, having a clean driving record means you’ll get lower Sault Ste. Marie car insurance rates.
Choose Pay-As-You-Go Insurance
Pay-as-you-go insurance determines your insurance rates by analyzing your driving habits. Pay-as-you-go insurance can save you up to 30% if you consistently exhibit safe driving habits.
Attend Driving Courses
It never hurts to refresh and relearn safe driving habits. In addition to making you a safer driver, participating in accredited driving courses may help you get discounts on Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance.
Ask About Group Discounts
Insurance companies are more than happy to give group discounts when buying policies in bulk. Always request group deals when shopping for auto insurance in Sault Ste. Marie for your workplace.
Purchase More Affordable Cars
Expensive cars are usually more costly to repair, which means they may have higher insurance rates. If you want to save on Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance, buy affordable and reliable cars that aren’t expensive to repair.
Request A Higher Deductible
You must pay a deductible on insurance claims before your carrier covers the remaining expenses. A higher deductible means you pay more if something happens to your car, but it also means you’ll get lower insurance premiums. Conversely, a lower deductible means you pay less when making claims but get higher insurance rates.
Most Expensive Postal Codes in Sault Ste. Marie
The average cost of auto insurance in Sault Ste. Marie is $1,244 per year.
These are the postal codes with the most expensive car insurance in Sault Ste. Marie:
| Postal Code | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate |
|---|---|
| P6A | $1,247 |
| P6B | $1,245 |
Least Expensive Postal Codes in Sault Ste. Marie
Below is the cheapest postal code for car insurance in Sault. Ste Marie:
| Postal Code | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate |
|---|---|
| P6C | $1,241 |
Car Insurance Cost in Sault Ste. Marie 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 Sault Ste. Marie:
| Age | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate | Annual Savings with MyChoice |
|---|---|---|
| 18 – 20 | $4,441.08 | $883.33 |
| 21 – 24 | $2,537.76 | $504.76 |
| 25 – 34 | $1,691.84 | $336.51 |
| 35 – 44 | $1,244.00 | $247.43 |
| 45 – 54 | $1,020.08 | $202.89 |
| 55 – 64 | $867.07 | $172.46 |
| 65+ | $988.46 | $196.60 |
Car Insurance Cost in Sault Ste. Marie 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 below at how car insurance quotes vary by violation in Sault Ste. Marie:
All estimated rates are based on a 35-year-old female driving a 2018 Honda Civic four-door.
How Does Car Insurance Work in Sault Ste. Marie?
Just like in other places, car insurance in Sault Ste. Marie works by providing a financial benefit if you or your car is involved in an accident. As with the rest of Canada, auto insurance is mandatory, meaning you must have car insurance to avoid fines and licence suspensions.
AAIf you get caught driving without insurance, insurers will flag you as a high-risk driver and raise your premiums. Naturally, it’s a problem – higher rates mean you must spend more money before you can legally drive. For this reason, having auto insurance is a must before buying a car and driving in Sault Ste. Marie.
So, what’s included in Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance? Here, we break down the main parts of your Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance policy:
Mandatory Insurance Coverage
These are the mandatory coverage all Sault Ste. Marie drivers need:
Third-Party Liability (TPL) Coverage
TPL coverage pays out when you cause an accident that causes vehicular damage or causes somebody to get injured or killed. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) requires all drivers to have a minimum of $200,000 TPL coverage.
Statutory Accident Benefits Coverage
This part of your insurance protection covers medical bills, rehab costs, and funeral expenses if you get involved in a car accident, regardless of who’s at fault. This insurance component also covers income replacement worth 70% of your gross income, up to $400 per week.
Uninsured Automobile Insurance
Uninsured automobile insurance coverage pays your medical bills, funeral expenses, and vehicle repair if you get in a hit-and-run or uninsured vehicle accident.
Direct Compensation – Property Damage (DC-PD) Insurance
As the name implies, DC-PD compensates you for vehicular damage caused by other drivers in an accident. To claim DC-PD insurance benefits, you must not be at fault and all vehicles involved must be insured. Additionally, the accident must occur in Sault Ste. Marie to be eligible for DC-PD coverage.
Recommended Car Insurance
You can legally drive in Sault Ste. Marie after meeting the minimum auto insurance coverage requirements. However, getting extra protection to complement the minimum coverage is always a good idea.
The bare minimum car insurance protection only goes so far. Here is some extra coverage we recommend:
Extra Third-Party Liability Coverage
The $200,000 insurance coverage minimum can be too small for many, so some drivers get extra third-party liability of up to $2 million.
Additional Statutory Accident Benefits
If you have a family or cover a lot of bills, 70% of income replacement capped at $400 weekly can be too limited. Many drivers purchase extra accident benefits coverage to ensure their bills stay paid during recovery.
More Comprehensive Property Damage Protection
DC-PD coverage has very specific coverage terms – the other driver also needs to be insured, and the accident must occur in Sault Ste. Marie. To cover their bases, many people purchase extra insurance that still protects them even when the other driver is uninsured and the accident happens in other provinces.
Popular Additional Coverage
While taking the mandatory insurance protection is enough to let you drive in Canada, you can protect your car further by taking these extra coverage options:
Specified Perils Protection
As the name implies, specified perils protection provides compensation if your car is lost or damaged from a specific cause. Some of the more common perils your insurance can cover include:
- Car theft
- Fire, earthquake, and explosion
- Weather, which includes windstorms, hail, and lightning
Instead of buying individual peril coverage, you can buy comprehensive auto insurance in Sault Ste. Marie to save money.
Accident Forgiveness
At-fault accidents will cause insurers to raise your premiums. However, you can take accident forgiveness coverage if you’ve been a safe driver for several years. This coverage is a “free pass,” so you won’t get hit with a premium increase if you cause an accident.
Accident forgiveness coverage only works once, so you’ll get a rate increase on subsequent accidents.
Limited Depreciation Waiver
With a limited depreciation waiver, you can receive your car’s worth at purchase if it’s stolen or totalled after an accident.
Ridesharing Insurance
Insurers offer ridesharing insurance because the occupation leads to increased risks to your car, like driving long distances and potentially entering more dangerous areas. If you’re a rideshare driver and don’t notify your insurer, your claim might be denied due to misrepresentation.
Rideshare insurance replaces your regular auto insurance policy and activates whenever you use the ridesharing app. If you get in an accident during your trip, you’re covered by the rideshare policy.
Driving in Sault Ste. Marie
When planning to drive in Sault Ste. Marie, keep the following in mind:
- Expect delays near the International Bridge and plan accordingly, particularly at the intersection of Queen Street and Huron Street.
- Be aware of wildlife in the area, which may be present on the road at dusk and dawn, whether you’re on Highway 17 or within the city limits.
- Make sure your vehicle is equipped with proper winter tires to ensure good traction during cold and snowy winters. This may also qualify you for a discount on your auto insurance.
How Your Car Insurance Quotes Are Calculated in Sault Ste. Marie?
Your Sault Ste. Marie car insurance rates are determined based on your risk. Your premiums will be higher if you’re more likely to cause or get into an accident.
Here are seven criteria that insurers use to determine your Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance quotes:
Insurance Coverage Types
Taking more insurance coverage increases your range of protection, but it also increases your rates. Consider removing non-essential protection if you don’t want to spend too much on your insurance.
Insurance Policy Discounts
Naturally, discounts lower your car insurance rates and help you save money. Bundle home and auto insurance from the same provider or ask about group discounts to save more on your policy. If you don’t have a group or already have home insurance from another company, ask your agent or broker about discounts.
Location
Drivers in big cities usually pay more for insurance because there’s a greater chance of accidents and theft.
Car Make and Model
Insurers have a database containing accident statistics for every car make and model. Expensive and fancy cars are usually costly to repair, so you’ll probably pay more for their car insurance. Conversely, affordable cars are cheaper to repair, meaning their premiums are lower.
Install security equipment like anti-theft devices if you have an expensive car and want to drive your premiums down.
Driving History
Safe drivers get lower premiums because they’re less likely to get into traffic accidents. Meanwhile, people with multiple accidents on their records must pay more because they’re more likely to get into accidents in the future.
Driving Activity
The more you drive, the higher your risk of getting in an accident. Kilometres driven determines your Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance rates because it represents how much you drive.
Personal Demographics
Personal demographics like age, gender, and marital status influence your Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance premiums because they affect your accident risks.
Younger people get higher rates because they’re often seen as inexperienced and accident-prone. Teens get especially high rates, but premiums usually decline once you hit 25 years old, provided you have a clean driving record. However, premiums will rise again when you hit 65 because seniors are more likely to be injured or killed in car accidents.
Most insurers see women as more careful drivers who don’t take as many risks as men. That’s why women usually get lower insurance rates than men.
Married people tend to be more financially stable and take fewer risks when driving because they have family waiting at home. Because of that, insurers generally give lower rates to married people. Additionally, married people typically bundle home and auto insurance, which saves them money.
Other Factors That Affect Car Insurance Prices In Sault Ste. Marie
We’ve discussed a few factors that influence your car insurance rates in Sault Ste. Marie. In addition to the ones above, other factors can also raise or lower your Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance premiums, such as:
Area Crime Rates
Cars in areas with a high crime rate are more likely to be stolen or vandalized. Therefore, you may pay higher premiums if you live in an area notorious for crime.
Past Insurance Claims
Whether you’re at fault or not, making auto insurance claims will likely drive your premiums up because insurers will mark you as a higher-risk policyholder. If you make multiple insurance claims, your rates may rise considerably.
Loyalty Bonuses
Insurers like loyal customers who stick with a policy for a long time. If you’ve been a policyholder for many years, ask your insurer about loyalty discounts or rate reductions to save on premiums next year.
Vehicle Model Accident Rates
Some car models are simply less reliable than others. Even if you have a perfect driving record, owning a car that’s known to get into accidents will likely land you higher Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance premiums.
Vehicle Age
Older cars are more expensive to insure because they may not have modern safety features. Additionally, their parts may be tougher to fix or replace, driving repair costs up. Thanks to these two factors, premiums on vintage cars tend to be higher than on newer cars.
Vehicle Origin
If a car is harder to repair, its auto insurance rates will rise. This is especially true for imported cars that don’t have a large presence in Canada because they’re harder to fix if something goes wrong.
Vehicle Primary Usage and Annual Mileage
Car usage influences insurance rates because more time spent on the road increases your risk of getting into an accident. That’s why a car you take to commute daily may get higher rates than a car you exclusively take on Sunday drives.
You can measure car usage through its annual mileage. Insurers generally give lower rates to cars with low annual mileage because it means the car has a smaller risk of getting into an accident.
Who Provides Car Insurance Quotes in Sault Ste. Marie?
Insurance agents, brokers, aggregators, and direct writers all provide car insurance quotes in Sault Ste. Marie. Curious about what each of them offers? Here’s an overview of the four types of insurance providers:
Insurance Brokers
Most insurance brokers are independent, meaning they can search the market for the best rates by comparing offers from multiple insurance companies. They’re generally very knowledgeable about the Sault Ste. Marie auto insurance landscape, so they can give you the best insurance deals and answer any questions you may have.
Insurance Agents
Insurance agents generally work for a specific insurance company, so their product selection is limited to what the insurer offers. However, insurance agents are experts in their company’s offerings and can even give you discounts that brokers can’t access.
Insurance agents also have the power to close sales independently, which means you can finish your auto insurance purchase quickly.
Direct Writers
Direct writers, like insurance agents, only sell products from one insurer. Generally, their costs are cheaper because they don’t operate physical offices.
Insurance Aggregators
Insurance aggregator websites like MyChoice compile offers from multiple insurance companies in one place. You can browse them to find the best deals and get car insurance quotes instantly.
In addition to being convenient, insurance aggregator websites are entirely free for customers, meaning you can find the best deals without spending a single cent.
Sault Ste. Marie Car Insurance FAQs
How much is car insurance in Sault Ste. Marie?
The average cost of auto insurance in Barrie is $1,244 per year.