Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

hello Guys and Girls))))))))))

so, I am now in Canada , Toronto - everything seems to be OK. Although I am shocked by the grocery prices, and cost of Canadian living.

I managed to get an Ontario 'G' license and now i am shopping around for insurance. As it turned out, most of Canadian insurers don't accept UK based no claims bonus and I am getting quotes that are ranging $4000-6000 a year.

I contacted Johnson Insurance company - they are accepting my no claims bonus but they are requesting a no claims proof in particular format and getting such letter from UK now is a real nightmare. Can someone please advise some other insurance companies - I am now starting to pannic and am very desperate. Thanks in advance:thumbup:.

Just a word of warning for those who are still to come over - Make sure you get a letter from your insurance company that mentions years of no claims but also that states the start and end date of your policy - otherwise you will be in trouble.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

That sounds reasonable enough, how cheap are you hoping to get it?

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

Sadly none of this is news to regular readers here:(

My best advice is call as many brokers as you can stand to, explain and hope someone wants the business. It was a while ago, but I found a broker here who bent a few rules to get me some credit based on the docs that my UK broker faxed over, but in general now they want that specific abstract form Im afraid.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

well, Johnson is giving me a quote of 2800 for my 6 years no claims and that is for full coverage, but they want to see letter with a start and end date of policy and i just have a normal letter that states I have 6 years of no claims

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

Can you get them to fax something over with the necessary info... I had my dad call my insurer and pretend to be me IIRC in order to get it done right.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

We are in Alberta so don't know if that makes a difference, but we went with the Co-op and paid around $1500 when we first came for fully comp. They accepted our letter about no claims too. They were absolutely great to deal with when some dim wit rear ended me at a stop sign and wrote my car off and my neck for that matter, but the service was the best and i would really recommend them.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

Have you tried CAA ?
I am insured with them and the rates seem good.
I too had a problem with that when I first came over.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

We are with State Farm who provided the best rates we could find when we came over - they were $2000 less than the other quotes we were getting. That was back in 2004 so may not still be the case but worth a try.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

I'm afraid that $2600 is probably the best you'll get in Toronto. I had 5 years no claims and my husband had 3 years and we have almost 10 years driving experience each- our insurance cost $3700 but I was getting quotes of up to $10,000! It was shocking, but understandable when you see how people here drive! The coverage is also pretty comprehensive in comparison but is of little consolation when it costs so much! We are with Intact who were a lot cheapre but we used a broker who I would recommend. You just have to take it for a few years until you have been driving here a bit longer, try not to cause any accidents and don't get any tickets! Your rate will come down but don't expect to ever get the rates you got in the UK, I used to pay 300 pounds a year!:D

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

I got the same deal today, and the same request. We actually have an excellent 'Statement of Insurance' from our UK insurance company but it's not quite good enough for Johnson's. Need to call on Monday and get a letter if I can ... Not hopeful.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

That sounds like a decent deal for Toronto. I would really appreciate it if you could let me have the contact details of your broker.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

My god sounds like a raw deal, the whole thing is putting me off. Might consider staying in the UK. I pay around 450 pounds for a full comprehensive for a Mitsubishi colt. What are the other expenses associated with driving in Canada.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

I said before that I am with CAA for my insurance and it costs me $54.52 per month. That is $ 654.24 per year.
Converting to £'s comes to £408.30 per year.
I have a Dodge Caravan minibus.
It may depend on where you intend living as I live in New Brunswick but I travel to Ontario about twice a year.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

The first year is definately more expensive with car insurance, but after that it does go down.
Although we still pay around $800 a year I think.
Insurance is definately expensive out here.
I hope you find a good deal. I would recommend AMA too, or find a local broker who can get you some different rates.

Re: Which Car Insurance? - please help!
 

I believe Ontario and BC have different insurance rules to Alberta, have no idea on other Provinces but Alberta is definitely cheaper than the other two Provinces.