Ontario Car Insurance: What You Need to Know

All too often, car owners only find out what’s covered in their auto insurance policies after being involved in an accident.

Don’t wait until you need the benefits to find out what you’re entitled to!

When you’re unsure, a personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the system in order to receive the compensation you deserve.

You should be aware of the kinds of damages your car insurance policy covers before you need them.

While each company is different, there are some commonalities in the damages covered by car insurance companies, as well as the add-ons that you can consider to supplement your policy.

Minimum amount of car insurance required in Ontario

To legally drive in Ontario, there is a minimum amount of insurance you’re required to purchase.

This includes:

• $200,000 of liability. Liability insurance pertains to the cost of bodily injury or property damage experienced by the other party involved in the accident.
• Accident benefits. This benefit is for damages such as lost wages, medical expenses, and any other payments made, regardless of who is at fault.
• $200,000 of uninsured automobile. The purpose of this coverage is for damages resulting from an accident with a negligent driver who is not insured.
• Direct compensation. This covers damages to your car due to another party’s negligence.

Damages not covered

In order to know what supplements you may want to add, you have to understand what’s not covered by your car insurance policy:

• Theft. Losses due to theft or vandalism are generally not covered by a basic insurance policy. You’ll need comprehensive coverage to cover these damages.
• Car damage. If your car is damaged or destroyed in an accident, basic coverage will not pay to repair or replace it. Collision coverage is necessary to protect yourself in the event you hit another car or a stationary object and your car is damaged.
• Loss of income/wages. Basic car insurance policies provide limits on the amount of compensation you’ll receive if you are unable to work as a result of a car accident. Any additional amount can be obtained after filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the insurance company or a negligent driver.
• Pain and suffering. Standard car insurance policies do not compensate car accident victims for pain and suffering or any other psychological damages. You can obtain these forms of damages after filing an injury lawsuit against the negligent party.

An accident can take a large toll on you, physically and financially.

Supplemental insurance can help cover some of the gaps left by basic coverage.

Add-ons to consider

You want to be fully protected in the event of an accident or other vehicle damage or loss.

You may want to supplement your basic policy with one of the following forms of insurance:

• Comprehensive coverage
• Collision coverage
• All perils
• Increased liability coverage
• Increased accident benefits
• Rented or leased vehicles (OPCF 5)
• Loss of use (OPCF 20)

Talk to your insurer about the kinds of policies that are suitable for you based on your unique needs.

He will consider your lifestyle, environment, and even the type of car you drive before recommending insurance add-ons.

If you have been involved in an accident, regardless of who is at fault, speak to a lawyer and get a copy of your insurance policy to know what it covers.

Discuss all the details of your case with an Ottawa personal injury lawyer.

Understanding Accident-Induced Chronic Pain

Being involved in a motor vehicle accident can be traumatic, mentally and physically. In most cases, the injuries heal, bruises fade, and you begin to lose the fear that can linger. Sometimes, however, accident-induced chronic pain can have life-altering effects.

If you’ve been in an accident and the pain you experienced hasn’t gone away after a reasonable amount of time, you may be experiencing chronic pain. The intense pain can also cause psychological issues.

Physical and psychological effects

It can be hard to separate the mental and emotional effects of chronic pain and fibromyalgia from the physical pain.

Let’s look at some of the issues, mental and physical, that you may have to deal with if you have chronic pain as the result of an accident:

• Inability to concentrate or complete normal tasks. At times, the pain can be so intense that you may have trouble concentrating on what you’re doing. It can also keep you from performing your work duties.
• Memory problems. The extreme pain can be distracting enough to cause you to forget important information.
• Sleeplessness. Protracted, excessive pain can prevent you from getting the rest you need. Lack of sleep can have significant negative health effects of its own.
• Anxiety. A traumatic event like an accident, combined with the lingering severe pain can cause nervousness, restlessness, and a generalized sense of anxiety.
• Depression. It’s common for people who experience chronic pain and fibromyalgia to become depressed due to the feelings of hopelessness associated with not getting any relief. If you begin to experience any symptoms of depression, it’s important to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional.
• Stress. The burden of dealing with life-altering pain can bring a considerable amount of stress, especially in combination with medical bills and the loss of income associated with time off from your job or an inability to perform your work at all anymore.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and you’re suffering from chronic pain, you may want to find a reputable catastrophic injury lawyer because you could be entitled to monetary compensation that will help cover the costs of your expensive treatments.

The partners at Yegendorf and Associates are ready to talk with you and determine if you should be claiming compensation for suffering, loss of income, and out-of-pocket expenses.

What Steps Should You Take if You’re Involved in a Car Accident?

Whether you’re walking or driving the streets and roads of Ontario, your safety and the safety of others should be paramount.

No matter how careful you are, accidents can still happen.

Do you know what to do if it happens to you?

It’s important to know what actions you need to take if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being a victim of an accident.

What to do, if you’re involved in an accident, it’s in your best interest to follow some guidelines. Not only for your physical benefit but also financial.

Following the correct procedures can affect your eligibility for insurance benefits.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Step 1: Get the necessary medical assistance. Obviously, your well-being is the most important factor!
• Step 2: File a police report. It’s best if this can be done at the scene but if it can’t, do it as soon as possible, even if it’s at the hospital.
• Step 3: Call your insurance company. You should make your insurance company aware of your accident right away but definitely within seven days.
• Step 4: Collect information and keep records. Keep all receipts related to medical expenses and record the names and contact information for anyone who was a witness to the accident. It’s also a good idea to keep an “œinjury journal” to track how much time you spend taking care of your injuries. Be sure to include how those injuries have affected your day to day life. All of this information will be helpful when you are filing a claim.
• Step 5: Contact your lawyer. Ideally, this should be done before speaking to any insurance adjusters. A personal injury lawyer can help you with the necessary forms for filing a claim or receiving benefits. The deadline to apply for accident benefits is within 30 days.

It’s possible that you could qualify for accident benefits no matter who is at fault.

Statutory Accident Benefits and How They Affect Your Car Accident Case

Ontario’s standard auto insurance policy will provide benefits to an injured party, no matter who is at fault. The regulation that allows for these benefits is called the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule and it’s a part of the Ontario Insurance Act.

By law, every automobile insurance policy has to offer a certain level of benefits. As the policy holder, you are able to upgrade your coverage from the baseline of the standard benefits.

Optional coverage

It’s common for policy holders to overlook these additional benefits because they are searching for the cheapest option.

Unfortunately, many don’t understand the need for this extra coverage until they find themselves in a situation and wish they had it!

Here are the statutory accident benefits available in Ontario:

• Income replacement benefit. If your injuries are such that you are no longer able to work, this benefit will provide you with some income. Keep in mind that this is a partial compensation and you will receive the lesser of $400 per week or 80% of your net income.
• Non-earner benefit. You could receive $185 per week if you can no longer carry on your normal activities after an accident. This benefit is not available during the first six months of entitlement.
• Caregiver benefit. If you cannot carry on your duties as primary caregiver, you can receive compensation in order to get replacement services. This is also a limited amount.
• Medical and rehabilitation benefit. This benefit covers expenses that aren’t already covered by your government or personal healthcare policies. There are limits to this benefit, as well.
• Attendant care benefit. If you are no longer able to care for yourself as the result of an accident, you can receive benefits to cover the cost of an aide or a care facility.
• Other expenses. This can cover a wide variety of costs that arise. Some examples are housekeeping, home maintenance, and possibly even clothing that was lost or damaged in the course of the accident.
• Death and funeral payments. Survivors can receive money to help cover funeral expenses as well as for their own care.

Your car accident case

Your personal injury lawyer has your interests in mind and will be able to walk you through the complexities that come with litigation.

If you find yourself in a situation in which you need to access the benefits you’re entitled to, it’s important that you are given a clear breakdown of all the benefits you received under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.

Two recent cases have brought to light the need for detailed dissection of the benefits designated for past income replacement, as well as what has been designated for future income replacement and medical costs.

Mikolic v. Tanguay 2016 ONSC 71 and Anand v. Belanger 2010 ONSC 5356 are both cases that highlight the need to have an accounting of the amount of the settlement and/or benefits received after the cost of legal fees has been deducted.

Being injured in an accident is never expected and can be a life-changing event. With the proper automobile insurance coverage and the help of an Ottawa personal injury lawyer , the outcome can be a good one.