How a Traffic Ticket Can Affect Your Car Insurance in Ontario
Paying a ticket is a plea of guilty, which becomes a conviction on your driving record. Insurers look at that record when they set or renew your rate. The effect depends on the offence, your history and your insurer, so there are no standard numbers.
- Paying a Part I ticket is a conviction, which can be seen by insurers when you apply or renew.
- More serious convictions, such as stunt driving or careless driving, tend to affect insurance more than minor ones.
- Convictions stay on your driving record for a number of years, generally around three, and demerit points last for two years from the offence date.
- A reduced charge, a withdrawal or an acquittal can protect your record, but is not guaranteed.
What an insurer sees
Insurers can get your driver's record and often ask about convictions and at-fault claims in the last few years. Some will also ask whether you have had a licence suspension or a major conviction. If you answer wrongly, even by mistake, your insurer can refuse a claim or cancel the policy, so answer carefully.
Factors that matter
- The offence: serious offences and a pattern of convictions are weighed more heavily than a single minor one.
- How many convictions you have had in the period the insurer looks at.
- Your length of driving experience and any claims history.
- Your insurer's own underwriting rules, which differ between companies.
Weighing paying against fighting
- Paying is quick, but it is a conviction and you cannot take it back.
- A trial or early resolution meeting can lead to a lower charge, a withdrawal or an acquittal.
- A reduced charge may carry fewer points, and may look less serious to an insurer, but ask for details.
- Time and cost matter too. The better the evidence against you, the more cautious you should be.
Questions to ask first
- What exactly would I be convicted of, and how many demerit points does it carry?
- Will it show on my driving record, and for how long?
- How does my insurer treat that kind of conviction? Ask a broker if you are unsure.
- Is there a way to resolve it that avoids a conviction, or reduces the charge?
After a conviction
If your rate has gone up, compare quotes from other insurers and ask your broker about discounts. Look at your driving record yourself, and make sure it is accurate. If something on it is wrong, ask for a correction.
Common questions
Will an acquittal appear on my record?
A charge that is withdrawn or dismissed does not result in a conviction. Ask whether anything about it will be visible to your insurer.
Can a paralegal tell me what my insurer will do?
No. A paralegal can explain the charge and your options, but your insurer sets your rate. Check with your broker or insurer.
This guide is general information for people in Ontario, not legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines change, and every situation is different. Check the current rule or speak to a licensed legal professional before you act.
Not sure where you stand? A licensed paralegal can look at your documents and tell you your options.
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