How Can You Get Cheap Car Insurance in Stratford?
You can get cheap Stratford car insurance by finding the best deals. Here are several tips to help you do so:
Compare Rates Between Insurers
Stratford has a highly competitive auto insurance market, so insurers are constantly vying for your business. When insurers try to give you the best deals, it’s you who wins. Compare rates and shop around to see which insurance provider fits your auto protection needs affordably.
Take Bundled Policies
One of the best ways to save money while shopping is to buy a package deal, and insurance is no different. If you bundle home and auto insurance from the same company, you’re much more likely to get lower rates.
Ask For A Higher Deductible
You must pay a deductible on insurance claims before your carrier covers the remaining expenses. A higher deductible means paying extra if something happens to your car, but it also means you’ll get lower insurance premiums.
Request Group Discounts
Many insurance companies deal in group discounts for companies and other organizations. If you’re shopping for auto insurance in Stratford for work, ask your agent about group deals and discounts.
Pay Annual Premiums
Paying annual insurance premiums might look expensive initially, but it’s generally cheaper than paying them monthly. Ask your insurers about half-year premiums if you can’t afford annual premiums.
Drive Safely
Motor vehicle offences and accidents stay on your record for years. Unfortunately, any driving violation on your record will considerably increase your insurance rates. However, this also means you’ll get lower auto insurance rates if you have no offences on record.
Consider Taking Usage-Based Insurance
Usage-based insurance (UBI) or pay-as-you-go insurance tracks your driving behaviour to determine how much you must pay for insurance. Taking UBI lets you save up to 30% on your annual premiums, so it’s a good option if you consider yourself a safe driver.
Take Driving Courses
Accredited driving lessons make you a safer driver and let you earn discounts on auto insurance in Stratford.
Choose the Coverage You Need
Naturally, more insurance protection leads to higher rates. While some auto insurance coverage is mandatory, you have optional insurance coverage like at-fault accident and theft protection. Review your policy and skip unnecessary optional coverage to save on insurance premiums.
Buy Affordable Cars
Cars that are expensive and hard to replace tend to get hit with higher premiums. If possible, buy affordable and reliable cars that are more common and easy to repair or replace if you want lower insurance rates.
Who Provides Car Insurance Quotes in Stratford?
Insurance brokers, agents, aggregators, and direct writers provide car insurance quotes in Stratford. Here’s an overview of these four insurance quote providers:
Insurance Brokers
Insurance brokers are independent professionals who help you shop for the best rates by comparing deals from multiple insurers. Because they have a bird’s-eye view of the current Stratford insurance landscape, they can show you which companies offer the best insurance deals and answer any questions you may have.
Brokers take a commission from insurance companies, which could increase your rates. You might spend more money than if you had found an insurer yourself.
Direct Writers
Like insurance agents, direct writers only sell insurance products from one company. Direct writers are typically found online and are cheaper because they don’t have physical offices.
Insurance Agents
Insurance agents work for a certain insurer, so they can only offer their employer’s insurance products. However, they know their insurer like the back of their hands and might even give you discounts that brokers don’t have access to.
Additionally, insurance agents can close insurance sales independently, meaning you can purchase insurance from them right then and there.
Insurance Aggregators
An insurance aggregator website like MyChoice compiles rates from various insurance brokers, companies, and direct writers in one place. You can browse aggregator websites to find the best deals from the top insurance companies and get quotes instantly.
Better yet, insurance aggregators are accessible online and entirely free for customers, so you can look up insurance rates without spending a single penny or leaving the house.
How Does Car Insurance Work in Stratford?
Car insurance in Stratford works by providing financial coverage in case something bad happens to you or your car, depending on the protection you choose. Auto insurance in Stratford 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 Stratford.
Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of your auto insurance policy:
The mandatory car insurance requirement for Stratford drivers are:
Third-Party Liability (TPL) Coverage
This insurance component provides financial compensation if you cause an accident that results in car damage or somebody getting hurt or killed. Per Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) regulations, you need at least $200,000 in TPL coverage.
Statutory Accident Benefits Coverage
This insurance component pays for your medical bills, rehabilitation, and possible funeral expenses if you get hurt or killed in a car accident, regardless of who’s at fault. Accident benefits coverage also offers income replacement worth 70% of your gross income, capped at $400 per week.
Uninsured Automobile Insurance
Uninsured automobile insurance covers your medical bills and funeral expenses if you’re struck by uninsured vehicles or hit-and-run drivers. Additionally, it compensates for vehicular damage caused by uninsured drivers.
Direct Compensation – Property Damage (DC-PD) Insurance
DC-PD insurance compensates you for the damage other drivers cause in an accident. However, DC-PD only kicks in if the other person is at fault, they’re also insured, and the accident takes place in Stratford.
Once you meet the minimum car insurance coverage requirements, you can legally drive in Stratford. However, it pays to have extra protection beyond the basics in case you get in an accident.
Since minimum car insurance only goes so far, we’ve got some extra Stratford car insurance recommendations for you:
Extra TPL Coverage
The mandatory $200,000 insurance minimum can be too small, so many drivers choose to get coverage up to $2 million if they cause property damage or hurt somebody in an accident.
Additional Statutory Accident Benefits
Many people get additional coverage for medical bills and funeral expenses in their statutory accident coverage. You can also get extra income replacement protection if 70% income capped at $400 a week seems too limited.
More Comprehensive Property Damage Protection
DC-PD coverage has very specific coverage terms like the other driver also needs to be insured, and the accident must occur in Stratford. 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.
In addition to mandatory insurance coverage outlined by the FSCO, you can take optional insurance coverage like:
Specified Perils Protection
Specified perils insurance coverage protects you from loss or damage due to a specific cause. The most common perils insured are:
- Car theft
- Fire, earthquake, and explosion
- Weather, which includes windstorms, hail, and lightning
Many insurers also offer comprehensive auto insurance in Stratford if you want protection from all these perils.
Accident Forgiveness
Insurers usually raise your premiums if you’re at fault for causing an accident. If you’ve been a safe driver for several years, you can take extra accident forgiveness coverage so you won’t get higher premiums if you cause an accident. Note that accident forgiveness only works on your first accident, and subsequent violations will still raise your rates.
Limited Depreciation Waiver
If you take a limited waiver of depreciation, you can receive your car’s purchase price as compensation if it’s been stolen or deemed a total loss after an accident.
How Your Car Insurance Quotes Are Calculated in Stratford
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 Stratford car insurance quotes:
Age, Gender, and Marital Status
Your personal demographics influence auto insurance premiums in Stratford because different people have varying accident risks.
Younger people tend to get higher premiums because insurance companies see them as more accident-prone than older people. Generally, your car insurance rates start decreasing when you hit 25 years old as long as you keep a safe driving record. However, insurance premiums increase again for people aged 65 and older because they’re more likely to be injured or killed in traffic accidents.
Women often get lower insurance rates because they’re seen as more careful drivers and don’t take as many risks as men.
Marital status also determines your rates because most insurance companies see married people as more financially stable and less-risky drivers. Married couples also tend to bundle home and auto insurance, saving more on premiums.
Location
People who live in urban areas often see higher insurance premiums because they’re more prone to car accidents and theft.
Car Make and Model
Expensive cars are more costly to repair or replace, so insurance premiums are usually higher than more common vehicles. You can install security features like anti-theft devices if you have an expensive car and want to save on insurance premiums.
Driving History
People who drive safely are rewarded with lower premiums because they’re usually less likely to get into a traffic accident. Conversely, people who have gotten into multiple accidents get higher premiums because they’re more likely to be involved in another accident down the line.
Driving Activity
Logic dictates that people who drive frequently are more likely to get in an accident. Therefore, kilometres driven is one of the determining factors that set your Stratford auto insurance rates.
Insurance Coverage Chosen
Your coverage options influence your insurance rates because taking more coverage gives you more protection. Naturally, the more coverage you choose, the higher your rates.
Policy Discounts
Getting discounts can lower your auto insurance rates and make them more affordable. You can typically get discounts by bundling home and auto insurance or asking for a group discount for your workplace or organization.
Most Expensive Postal Codes in Stratford
Stratford has affordable car insurance rates by Ontario standards. At $1,152/year, Stratford’s average car insurance rate is $233 lower than Ontario’s provincial average. However, that doesn’t mean all of Stratford has similar car insurance rates. The postal code N5A has a higher-than-average car insurance rate, which may be caused by higher traffic density, higher likelihood of accidents, and many other factors.
Here’s a breakdown of the most expensive postal codes for auto insurance in Stratford:
Postal Code | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate |
---|---|
N5A | $1,154 |
Least Expensive Postal Codes in Stratford
Meanwhile, the postal code N4Z has a below-average annual car insurance rate. The lower average rate may result from a lower traffic density or many other factors.
Here’s an overview of the cheapest areas for auto insurance in Stratford:
Postal Code | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate |
---|---|
N4Z | $1,151 |
Car Insurance Cost in Stratford 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 Stratford:
Age | Average Annual Car Insurance Rate | Annual Savings with MyChoice |
---|---|---|
18 – 20 | $4,112.64 | $818.00 |
21 – 24 | $2,350.08 | $467.43 |
25 – 34 | $1,566.72 | $311.62 |
35 – 44 | $1,152.00 | $229.13 |
45 – 54 | $944.64 | $187.89 |
55 – 64 | $802.94 | $159.71 |
65+ | $915.36 | $182.06 |
Car Insurance Cost in Stratford by Driving History
Take a look below at how car insurance quotes vary by violation in Stratford:
All estimated rates are based on a 35-year-old female driving a 2018 Honda Civic four-door.
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.
Other Factors That Affect Car Insurance Prices in Stratford
We’ve covered several factors that influence car insurance rates in Stratford. Aside from those, several extra factors play a part in determining your Stratford auto insurance premiums:
Vehicle Model Accident Rates
Some cars are just more accident-prone than others. Even if you have a spotless driving record, owning a car model infamous for having high accident rates will increase your insurance premiums.
Vehicle Age
Naturally, older cars are more expensive to insure because they may not have all the safety features of newer vehicles. If you insist on driving a vintage car everywhere, make sure you can pay the insurance premiums.
Vehicle Repair Costs
The harder it is to repair a car, the more expensive it is to insure. You can expect high insurance premiums on luxury cars and foreign cars that don’t have a large dealership or service centre presence in Canada.
Vehicle Primary Usage and Annual Mileage
You may spend more or less time on the road depending on what you use the car for. Car usage influences insurance rates – generally, the more you use it, the higher your premiums. For instance, insurance premiums on a car you use as an Uber will be higher than on a car you almost exclusively take on weekend cruises.
A good way to measure how much somebody uses a car is by its annual mileage. If your car has low annual mileage, insurers may determine that this car is low-risk and thus grant you more affordable insurance rates.
Local Crime Rates
Living in high-crime areas means your car is at higher risk of being stolen or vandalized. If you live in an area where theft or vandalism often occurs, you may get higher car insurance rates.
Past Insurance Claims
Any auto insurance claims will drive your premiums up, regardless of who’s at fault. If you make many insurance claims, the insurer will see you as a high-risk policyholder and give you higher rates.
Loyalty Bonuses
Many insurance companies reward long-term customers with discounted rates. If you’ve been a policyholder at the same insurance company for several years, ask for a rate reduction or discount when you renew your policy.
The Best Car Insurance Brokerages in Stratford
Car insurance brokers help you choose the right auto insurance policy by answering your questions and comparing policy offers.
Here are several brokers in Stratford that you can contact for extra assistance when seeking car insurance:
Brokerage | Address | Phone number |
---|---|---|
Co-operators – Peter Maranger & Associates Inc | 204 Huron St, Stratford, ON N5A 5S8, Canada | +15192722667 |
Corey Goebel Desjardins Insurance Agent | 169 Erie St, Stratford, ON N5A 2M6, Canada | +15193054555 |
BrokerLink | 603 Huron St, Stratford, ON N5A 5T8, Canada | +15192711840 |
Driving in Stratford
Planning to move to or visit Sault Ste. Marie? It helps to know more about driving in the area. Here are some key facts about driving in Sault Ste. Marie you should know:
- Major highways in Stratford: 401
- Public transit options: Stratford Transit (bus)
- Ridesharing services: SuperShuttle
- Parking space providers: The City of Stratford, private lots
- Top tourist attractions: Avon Theater, The Stratford Perth Museum, Shakespearean Gardens, Upper Queen’s Park
- Busy intersections: Church and Cambria, Erie and West Gore
- Airports: Stratford Municipal Airport
Main Mode of Commuting in Stratford
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 Stratford:
- Average commute distance: The average Stratford resident travels x km to their workplace or school.
- Commute duration: Commutes in Stratford are generally short, with 62.6% of households spending under 15 minutes on their commutes. On the other end of the scale, only 4.3% of households spend over an hour commuting.
- Main mode of commuting: Personal vehicles are by far the most popular mode of commuting in Stratford, with an 87% share of households. Walking comes in second with a 7.2% share or 890 households.
Driving Conditions in Stratford
Various weather and driving conditions like snow and rain can affect your auto insurance premiums. Here’s an overview of driving conditions in Stratford:
- Average annual rainfall: 86 mm
- Average annual snowfall: 76 mm
- Rainy days per year: 113
- Rainiest month in Stratford: June
- Driest months in Stratford: January
- Snow days per year: 113
Snowfall months in Stratford: November-April
Traffic in Stratford
Stratford is best known as a farming and dairying community. However, it’s also known for the annual Stratford Festival, where many Shakespearean plays are performed between April and October. During these periods, there may be more people driving in Stratford due to people attending the festival.
Here’s a quick look at the key traffic statistics in Stratford:
- Population: 33,232 people live within Stratford’s city limits.
- City area: Stratford’s city area spans 30.02 km2.
- Busiest highways: Stratford is connected to London and Windsor to the west and Toronto to the east by Highway 401.
Stratford Car Insurance FAQs
Is ridesharing insurance available in Stratford?
Ridesharing insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers is available in Stratford. Ask your insurer for more details.
How much does Stratford car insurance cost?
Stratford car insurance costs $1,152/year, $233 under Ontario’s provincial average.
Is car insurance cheaper in Stratford than in Toronto?
Car insurance in Stratford is cheaper than in Toronto. There’s a $644 difference between the two cities’ average auto insurance rates.
What are the best car insurance companies in Stratford?
The best car insurance company in Stratford depends on what you want out of your policy and your budget. Use My Choice to compare insurance companies and find the right one for you.
Who has the cheapest auto insurance in Stratford?
The cheapest auto insurance provider in Stratford also depends on what types of coverage you choose. You can skip optional coverage to drive your rates down and save money.
Which cars get the lowest car insurance premiums in Stratford?
Our research shows that at $126/month, Fiats are the cheapest cars to insure in Stratford.
Why should you compare car insurance rates in Stratford?
You should compare car insurance rates in Stratford because different insurers provide different coverage at different prices. Comparing rates help you choose which policy has the best value.
What information do you need for an auto insurance quote in Stratford?
You need to provide basic personal details and vehicle information like production year, make, and model to get a basic auto insurance quote. You can get more accurate quotes by disclosing extra information, like your driving record and past traffic violations.
How do you find affordable car insurance for students in Stratford, Ontario?
There’s no affordable car insurance for students in Stratford, but students can be listed as a driver in their parent’s insurance policy. This way, they don’t have to spend money paying for their own policy.
Which auto insurance is the best for young drivers in Stratford?
The best auto insurance for young drivers in Stratford should be the one that gives ample protection at a reasonable cost.