car insurance or driver insurance in Ontario

by mrkalaji
(ontario)

When I am getting car insurance is it for the car or the driver?

If its for the car why should I add any family member that might drive the car and pay more?

For example I have two cars: a 4 door sedan and a van. My wife along with my daughter have g2, when I'm alone i use the sedan. When we go all together I drive the van.

Why should I add them if they don't drive regularly, some times they may do that, the same if I'm having a friend visiting from another city, and I lend him my car, should he get insurance?????

Question: Insure the car, or the driver?

This is a great question that comes up very often.

First of all, you only get insurance to go with a car. But the drivers of that car impact the rates. In other words, if you are licensed but do not have a car, then you can not buy insurance.

Once a person buys a car, they must have insurance on that car. And, every driver of that car that you own must be reported.

That said, you can lend your car to someone who is not listed on your policy (ie a friend from out of town). But you are responsible for that person. If they have an accident, it goes on your insurance and affects your rates in the future.

To speak to the question about why add family members who rarely drive the car ... if a member of your household is licensed, the insurers want to have that person account for on the policy. Even if that person only drives the car once a month the auto insurance company wants to know about it. Many will want a different principle driver for each vehicle in the house. In other words, if you have three vehicles, then you would be the principle of one, your wife on another, and your daughter on the third.

In most cases like yours, the insurers believe that when you take out the sedan, it is possible (likely) that either your wife or your daughter will be out in the van. If they did not impose these rules then everyone would say that only the best driver ever drives ...

I know it's frustrating, but I hope you understand a bit better now.

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