Compare insurance quotes and coverage
Real insurers and real products, with what each is actually known for — checked in October 2026 against insurer websites, FSRA data and Canadian comparison sites. Insurance pricing depends on the product, location, coverage, deductible and claims history, so compare the policy — not just the premium.
Term life insurance you can buy online
| Provider | Coverage | Terms | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PolicyMe | $50,000–$5 million | 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years | Fully online, instant decisions for many applicants; policies issued by Canadian Premier Life and backed by Securian Canada; $10,000 of free child coverage included |
| Emma | $100,000–$5 million | 10–30 years | Online quotes in about 30 seconds with minimal information; advertises sample pricing such as $24.68/month for a $500,000, 20-year term for a healthy young applicant |
| Manulife CoverMe | Term 10 up to $1 million; Term 20 up to $2 million | 10 or 20 years | Buying direct from one of Canada's largest insurers; no medical exam up to $250,000 for ages 18–55; convertible to permanent coverage without new health evidence |
| Sun Life Go Term | $100,000–$1 million | 10 or 20 years | Apply online in minutes, ages 18–69, with temporary coverage starting immediately; healthy applicants up to 40 can skip the medical exam |
| Traditional insurers (Canada Life, Manulife, Sun Life advisor lines) | Varies, including permanent products | Term and lifetime | The full shelf — term, whole life, universal life and riders — sold through licensed advisors for complex situations the online products do not cover |
Product details checked October 2026. Sample premiums depend on age, sex, smoking status and health — get your own quote before comparing.
Auto and home insurance in Ontario: who sells what
| Insurer | How you buy | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Intact Insurance | Through brokers | Canada's largest home and auto insurer; myDrive telematics program takes 10% off on enrollment and up to roughly 25% for safe driving |
| belairdirect | Direct, online/phone | Intact's direct arm — quote, buy and manage claims in the app; automerit usage-based discount program |
| TD Insurance | Direct, online/phone | Group and affinity rates for university alumni, professional associations and employer groups; TD MyAdvantage telematics; Auto Centres in the GTA where you drop off the car and pick up a rental |
| Sonnet | Direct, online only | Definity's digital brand — quotes in about 5 minutes, buy and manage entirely online; Shift usage-based auto option |
| Aviva Canada | Through brokers | Broker-market flexibility on deductibles and endorsements; claims-guarantee options on home policies |
| Desjardins Insurance | Agents and direct | Ajusto telematics (10% on sign-up, up to 25% for safe driving); strong in Ontario and Quebec |
| CAA Insurance | Direct, membership | MyPace pay-as-you-go pricing for low-mileage drivers; pairs with CAA roadside membership |
| Square One | Direct, online only | Home and tenant insurance with customizable coverage — insure only what you own instead of a blanket limit |
What Ontario drivers actually pay: FSRA reports average annual auto premiums of $2,218 province-wide, $2,868 in the GTA and $1,791 in rural Ontario (12 months to June 2026). Home and tenant insurance from these same insurers is typically bundled with auto for a multi-policy discount.
Auto insurance
Ontario averages $2,218 a year (FSRA, June 2026) — but the GTA averages $2,868. Compare Intact, Aviva and Desjardins through a broker, Sonnet and belairdirect online, and TD Insurance if you qualify for an alumni or professional group rate. Match liability limits, deductibles and endorsements before comparing prices.
Home insurance
Square One lets you itemize coverage online; Intact and Aviva sell tailored policies through brokers; Sonnet, belairdirect and TD sell direct. Line up dwelling limit, sewer-backup and overland-water coverage — the sections where cheap quotes quietly cut corners.
Tenant insurance
Not required by Ontario law, but many leases demand it. Square One and Sonnet sell tenant policies online in minutes, covering contents and — more importantly — personal liability if your overflowing tub damages the unit below.
Life insurance
For straightforward term coverage, quote PolicyMe, Emma, Manulife CoverMe and Sun Life Go with the same amount and term. For permanent coverage or health complications, an advisor-sold policy from Canada Life, Manulife or Sun Life is usually the practical route.
How an insurance quote is built
A premium is the insurer's price for taking on your risk, and it is built from risk factors that differ by product. Auto quotes weigh your driving record, the vehicle, your postal code and how far you drive — which is why FSRA's GTA average runs about $1,077 a year above rural Ontario's; home quotes weigh rebuild cost, location risks (flood, fire, crime), the home's age and systems, and your claims history; life quotes weigh age, health, smoking status and the coverage amount. Because every insurer weights these factors differently, the same person can get meaningfully different quotes — which is why comparing several is standard advice.
Your own history matters too: at-fault claims and lapses in coverage tend to raise quotes for years, while bundling discounts (home + auto with one insurer, offered by every company in the tables above) can lower them.
Term vs. permanent life insurance
Term life insurance covers a fixed period (10, 20 or 30 years are common) and pays out only if you die during the term — it is the straightforward, lower-cost way to protect dependents during the years they rely on your income. Permanent policies (whole life, universal life) last for life and build a cash value, but cost several times more for the same death benefit. Note what the online sellers on this page deliberately do not sell: PolicyMe, for example, offers term and a term-to-100 conversion option, but no whole or universal life, arguing most families are better served by cheaper term coverage. For most young families, the practical question is how much coverage is needed and for how many years — often estimated as a multiple of income plus outstanding debts — rather than which product has the most features.
Deductibles: the trade-off
The deductible is what you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in. A higher deductible lowers your premium but raises your cost when you claim — so choose one you could actually afford on short notice. If a $2,500 deductible would force you into debt, the premium savings are not worth it. Review deductibles separately for each coverage section: auto policies, for example, often have different deductibles for collision versus comprehensive claims, and you can set them separately when you quote with Sonnet, belairdirect or a broker-sold Intact policy.
Compare the policy, not just the premium
The cheapest quote can be the most expensive policy if it excludes what you need. When comparing, line up coverage limits, exclusions, deductibles and claim conditions side by side — not just the annual price. In Ontario auto, watch the accident-benefits elections: several benefits became optional on new policies in July 2026, so two quotes at the same price may no longer cover the same things. Read the exclusions section of the policy wording before you buy: flood, earthquake, sewer backup and valuables sub-limits are classic areas where assumptions and reality diverge. And revisit your coverage after big life changes — a move, a renovation, a new driver in the house — rather than auto-renewing blindly.
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Ontario in 2026?
Ontario's regulator, FSRA, reports an average annual premium of $2,218 across the province for the 12 months to June 2026. The Greater Toronto Area averages $2,868, other urban areas $2,131, and rural Ontario $1,791. Individual quotes vary widely around those averages with postal code, vehicle theft risk, driving record and coverage choices — in some GTA cities, averages run well above $3,000.
What is the difference between PolicyMe, Emma and Manulife CoverMe?
PolicyMe and Emma are digital insurance platforms that sell term life insurance online; PolicyMe's policies are issued by Canadian Premier Life Insurance Company and backed by Securian Canada. Manulife CoverMe is Manulife's own direct brand — you are buying from the insurer itself. All three quote and sell term life online without an advisor. The practical move is to get the same coverage amount and term from all three and compare the monthly premium, since pricing for identical coverage differs by insurer.
Do I need a medical exam to buy term life insurance in Canada?
Often not. PolicyMe gives many applicants an instant decision with no exam, Manulife CoverMe waives the exam for applicants aged 18 to 55 buying up to $250,000, and Sun Life Go Term skips exams for healthy applicants aged 40 and under (and up to age 50 for coverage of $500,000 or less). Larger coverage amounts, older ages or disclosed health conditions can still trigger a questionnaire, phone interview or nurse visit.
Which Ontario auto insurer is the cheapest?
There is no single cheapest insurer — each company prices the same driver differently. The reliable approach is to quote the identical coverage through at least three channels: a direct online insurer such as Sonnet or belairdirect, a broker who can shop Intact, Aviva and others, and any group program you qualify for through TD Insurance or The Personal. Usage-based programs (Intact myDrive, belairdirect automerit, Desjardins Ajusto) can cut premiums by up to about 25% for consistently safe drivers.
Is tenant insurance mandatory in Ontario?
Not by law — but many Ontario leases require it as a condition of the tenancy, and landlords can insist on proof. Tenant policies from digital insurers such as Square One and Sonnet can be bought online in minutes and cover your belongings plus personal liability, which is the part that protects you if you accidentally flood a neighbouring unit or injure a visitor.