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What our users say:

July 23
They way everyone was so polite and…
They way everyone was so polite and helpful
Yasameen Siddiqi
July 22
Quotes over the phone were great...
Quotes over the phone were great...
Gregory Nowak
July 22
Communication was easy
Communication was easy. Quick call from the staff after application was submitte...
Richard Fababeir
July 20
I Spoke With a Very nice Young Man and…
I Spoke With a Very nice Young Man and he was very helpful
Suzanne Sharma
July 19
Very god interaction with your agent
Very god interaction with your agent, who was knowledgeable, efficient and nice ...
emanuel pivniceru
July 19
Saved over $700
Saved over $700. That says it all.
Tim
July 18
Responsive helpful
Very helpful thank you
Karel Ferenc
July 17
Great Customer service
I was very happy and please with the outcome of the call, all my questions were ...
Santo
July 17
Quick and easy
Quick and easy. Very helpful broker
Peter Deeprose
July 17
Very knowledgeable and helpful sales…
Very knowledgeable and helpful sales staff.
Lisa Rucha
July 17
Mark was very informative and not…
Mark was very informative and not pushy. He was very helpful and I appreciate it...
Brenda Hanzuk
July 16
Super helpful
Super helpful, quick and easy!
Mandy J
July 12
Excellent service
The lowest rates agent called me right after I finished the initial question and...
D-Glenn Surgenor
July 11
Professional all the way!
They were able to find the right coverage at the right price in a short time. P...
Jeff
July 7
The name says it all
The name says it all, lowest rates available and very professional service. 5 st...
Adam Koester
July 5
The service I received today 7/4/24 was…
The service I received today 7/4/24 was amazing and swift.
MARIO CLARKE
June 28
There was an instant offer and then…
There was an instant offer and then quick follow up.
Dcghelani
June 20
Good
Good rates using
Sharma
June 10
The service was quick and convenient.
The service was quick and convenient.
Eddy
June 2
Great customer service!
Great customer service!
Owen Thompson
May 23
There going to help you be covered as long as you keep keep up with your monthly payments against somebody else s fire and flood damage if you started the fire or flood by no fault of your own doing .
My sister refused me to cooperaters in hamilton for apt fire insurance .they gav...
Cindy Lou
May 15
The Hope of a more cost saving policy
The Hope of a more cost saving policy
Caroline m Fremont
May 14
They went through the insurance…
They went through the insurance information with me , and allowed me to save hun...
Kevin Jessome
May 5
I was so impressed with your…
I was so impressed with your representative- Bhakti Joshi for her help in walkin...
Maureen Driscoll
May 5
The fellows were very friendly and…
The fellows were very friendly and helpful
Leona Toner
May 4
Very Helpful when time you need it
I have been using lowest rate.ca to find the best raye for any of my insurance a...
Eli
April 19
Sean was easy to talk too and very…
Sean was easy to talk too and very informative.
Angela

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Get the best rates on usage-based car insurance.

Paying too much for car insurance? Lower your premiums with a usage-based auto insurance policy from LowestRates.ca.

Whether you're a young driver, live in a big city, or own a car that's subject to high insurance rates in Canada, usage-based insurance policies can lower the cost of your premiums by rewarding you for good driving habits.

Ready to find the best usage-based car insurance policy? Click the "Get Started' button.

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See how our customers with collision coverage save big on auto insurance.

CustomerLocationVehicleLowest rateAverage rateSaved
Quote from July 23, 2024
Customer
Female, 39 years old
Location
ontario
Vehicle
2020 FORD ESCAPE TITANIUM HEV 4DR AWD
Lowest Rate
$332/mth
$3,980/yr
Average Rate
$444/mth
$5,323/yr
Saved
$112/mth
25.23%
Quote from July 23, 2024
Customer
Female, 24 years old
Location
ontario
Vehicle
2018 GMC TERRAIN SLE 4DR 2WD
Lowest Rate
$383/mth
$4,599/yr
Average Rate
$519/mth
$6,230/yr
Saved
$136/mth
26.18%
Quote from July 23, 2024
Customer
Female, 23 years old
Location
ontario
Vehicle
2010 HONDA CR-V EX-L 4DR 2WD
Lowest Rate
$177/mth
$2,122/yr
Average Rate
$501/mth
$6,014/yr
Saved
$324/mth
64.72%

Auto insurance quotes are compared from CAA, Coachman Insurance Company, Economical Insurance, Gore Mutual, Onlia Insurance, Pafco, Pembridge, SGI, Travelers, Zenith Insurance Company

 

Let’s talk telematics.

How does usage based insurance work?

Usage-based insurance (UBI) uses onboard technology to monitor your driving habits and adjust your premiums based on how you drive.

With UBI car insurance, a small telematics device is installed in your vehicle and transmits data back to your insurance company while you drive. The device logs driving metrics such as braking, cornering, acceleration, speed—even where you drive and what time of day you're on the road. If the data show that you're a low-risk driver, you might qualify for a significant discount on your car insurance premiums.

What data does usage based insurance plans collect?

The types of data collected vary from company to company, but most telematics boxes capture four key driving metrics: acceleration, braking, cornering and speed. Some devices also record where and when you drive. Once these metrics are collected and analyzed, your insurance company will determine if you qualify for a premium discount.

Here's how it works:

  • Acceleration measures the rate at which the speed of your vehicle changes within a set period of time. If you increase your rate of speed rapidly (by stepping hard on the accelerator), the telematics device records that information.
  • Braking is measured in a similar way to acceleration: Your vehicle's telematics box records your braking data and transmits it to the insurance company. A pattern of hard braking, where you reduce your vehicle's speed rapidly, is a strong indicator of unsafe driving tendencies.
  • Cornering measures the rate and angle a vehicle travels around a corner. Approaching sharp corners or bends in the road at higher speeds should be avoided.
  • Speed is calculated via the GPS in your telematics box and is compared against a database of speed limits from across the country. Staying at or below the speed limit will greatly help you reduce your premium.
  • When/where you drive. Most telematics boxes have GPS capabilities that let insurance companies see when and where you drive. Where you drive and when you're on the road are two of the biggest predictors of future insurance claims.

Does telematics technology have any drawbacks?

Yes. Drivers and critics alike have two main concerns about this new technology:

  • Privacy: Critics say the information that's collected could be disclosed to third parties or be used to reject claims. Usage-based insurance companies maintain that your data will remain private and secure. Make sure your insurance company requires consent before they can share your information with a third party.
  • Interpretation: Some worry that a usage-based insurance plan may actually work against you. If your insurance company classifies you as a risky driver after analyzing your telematics data, in some jurisdictions, your premiums could increase.

Your usage-based auto insurance questions, answered.

Why get usage-based insurance?

Simply put, UBI auto insurance is a great way to obtain cheaper car insurance for your vehicle. Also known as pay as you drive insurance, you pay for the kind of driving you actually do, instead of the driving the insurance company thinks you do. And if you're a careful driver, your premiums will reflect that.

And there's another benefit: you get instant feedback on your driving habits. Many insurance companies have apps that give you real-time insights into how you drive and share recommendations on how you can become a better driver.

Recent studies also show that telematics technology really does make for safer driving. One report analyzed over 200 million miles of data collected from young drivers since 2011.

Some very promising trends emerged: for instance, the report showed a 40% drop in crash risk for new drivers with usage-based insurance compared to young drivers without a UBI insurance policy.

Not surprisingly, 80% of UBI customers agreed that technology helped them become better drivers, and many said they began to monitor their behaviour behind the wheel in an effort to reduce their premiums.

All in all, pay as you go car insurance policies can save lives and keep the cost of insuring your vehicle to a minimum.

How does telematics technology lower my premiums?

Traditionally, insurance companies use very blunt methods to calculate car insurance rates. Demographic data, like age and gender, combined with a driver's past record (number of years on the road, number of traffic violations and claims, etc.) were the only ways an insurance company could gauge how risky a driver was on the road.

But pay per use auto insurance plans use your real-world driving data to determine if you're a safer bet than other drivers with the same basic profile.

The first step is installing a little black box into a diagnostic port on your car (usually near the steering column). The unit is about the size of a matchbox, and it collects data on your driving habits and then transmits the data through cell phone networks and back to your insurance company.

Once your insurance company has the data, it can adjust your premiums accordingly. Remember: safe, cautious driving equals cheaper car insurance.

How much money can I save with usage-based insurance?

Pay-per-use car insurance customers usually see a savings of 10% to 25% on their yearly premiums. Drivers who fall into traditional high-risk categories (inexperienced drivers, drivers in big cities, etc.) can save even more.

Can my car insurance rates increase with a usage-based insurance plan?

In Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta, surcharges can be added to your premiums if you're classified as a riskier driver based on the data collected from your car insurance monitoring device.

Which company offers the best usage-based insurance?

There’s no single company that offers the cheapest UBI car insurance. Each insurance company calculates its pay as you drive car insurance rate discounts differently.

It’s best practice to compare usage-based car insurance online. Our auto insurance quoter allows you to compare UBI car insurance quotes from multiple providers which ensures you’re getting the best pay-per-mile car insurance available.

Do UBI plans all use the same data and apply it in the same way?

No. Each insurance company calculates its UBI rate discounts differently. For example, some assign more importance to speed and acceleration than to other variables. Others place greater weight on when you drive. It just depends on the insurance company. Compare quotes online for the best UBI car insurance rates.

Is usage-based insurance available in my province?

In Canada, pay per mile insurance is widely available in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and P.E.I. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan hasn’t made any further announcements about integrating a UBI program since its pilot program for motorcycle drivers ended in 2014.

British Columbia is taking a "wait and see" approach to UBI due to some of the privacy concerns posed by the technology. Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador haven't made announcements about their own plans for introducing UBI — at least, not yet. UBI is a newer insurance option in Canada and provincial governments are still working out the kinks to ensure that it can be implemented safely and ethically.

Check LowestRates.ca to find out when UBI becomes available in your area.

Province / territoryIs usage-based insurance available?
AlbertaYes
British ColumbiaNo
ManitobaNo
New BrunswickYes
Newfoundland & LabradorNo
Northwest TerritoriesNo
Nova ScotiaYes
NunavutNo
OntarioYes
Prince Edward IslandYes
QuebecYes
SaskatchewanNo
YukonNo

Last updated: Nov. 8, 2021

How do I get a quote for usage-based insurance?

Contact us at info@lowestrates.ca and we'll connect you with a usage-based insurance expert to review your pay as you drive insurance options.

Zandile Chiwanza

Zandile Chiwanza

About the Author

Zandile is a Personal Finance Writer at LowestRates.ca. Before joining the team Zandile worked as the content editor for Real Estate Management Industry News. As a self-proclaimed budget warrior, Zandile dedicates most of her time to advocating for financial wellness.

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