Your Path to Lower Rates

Canadians are no strangers to commuting. Living in such a vast country, Canadians often rely on cars as part of daily life. From daily urban trips to multi-day road trips, there is much to explore. Canada's road network spans almost 900,000 kilometres — longer than a round trip to the moon. Even when following all safety rules, accidents can still happen. In Canada, there are 160,000 car accidents each year. Depending on where you live, Canadian weather can play a role — snow, slush and black ice are major contributors to accidents in winter months. When Accidents Happen Collisions or neglecting safety rules can be the result of as little as a two-second lapse in alertness. While driving tired or upset is discouraged, people sometimes do it anyway. This is why accidents can happen to anyone. When multiple traffic violations or collisions occur, however, the driver can be considered “high risk” by insurers. When a driver accumulates multiple traffic violations or accidents in a short period of time, insurance companies assume the trend could continue. As a result, highrisk drivers end up paying higher premiums. This can be frustrating and expensive — the good news is that it doesn’t have to last forever. Our Easyway Insurance Brokers team is here to help. Our Approach to High-Risk Auto Insurance We understand through our clients how difficult this time is. Our insurance specialists take a non-judgmental approach by actively listening to concerns while finding the right rates. We’re here to guide our clients through this time and walk them back to lower rates in the future. Walking You Back to Lower Rates After your high-risk period ends, we advocate on your behalf to transition you back to the standard auto insurance market. Here are a few of the benefits of staying with NFP, especially after your high-risk period ends: 1. Easier access to standard insurance rates. Our team of specialists is dedicated to transitioning you back to standard auto insurance providers. Having worked with you and built a trusted relationship, we are well-positioned to advocate for you to find the rate that works for you as you recover from the high-risk period. 2. Save up to 20% with our group programs. Whether you’re an alumnus or employee, NFP has hundreds of group programs set up with your local school, employer or professional association. Simply let your insurance broker know where you went to school, where you work or which association(s) you belong to, and they will check if you qualify for a group program. 3. Confidence in an insurance partner. When choosing to go with an insurance broker, you’re choosing a trusted partner to protect your home, car, cottage, boat, pets, trips and so much more. We have knowledgeable experts in every industry who know the right questions to ask and can provide a tailored solution. It’s coverage for only what you need with rates that work for you. No one plans to become a high-risk driver, but it doesn’t have to define your future. Once your high risk period ends, you can return to the standard insurance market — often with a greater awareness of safe driving habits. The experience can serve as a valuable lesson and a reminder to prioritize road safety for yourself and those around you. Are you nearing the end of your high-risk auto insurance term? Speak to your insurance broker to discuss the options available to you.

When a driver gets behind the wheel, they need to be focused and alert to reach their destination safely – and to do so without endangering others. Ontario’s RIDE Program (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) helps make our roads safer. Sharing the road with hundreds and even thousands of other people during a trip presents the possibility for danger. No matter how safe and responsible you are, certain factors can raise the risk of accidents. Those who choose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk. RIDE programs minimize the chances of these tragedies occurring. The sobriety-testing program is usually put into effect in high-risk areas or at high-risk times like the holidays to detect if motorists are under the influence while behind the wheel. These programs aim to reduce accident rates by taking drunk drivers off the road. What is RIDE? RIDE is a sobriety-testing initiative. Used by police in Ontario, the program was developed in 1977. Originally known as Reduce Impaired Driving in Etobicoke during its 1977 inception, the program was eventually given a more universally applicable name. The program involves police-conducted roadside checks to determine whether drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Designed in response to an increase in drunk-driving accidents and fatalities, the program serves as both a preventive measure and a deterrent. Since people are more likely to attempt driving after a couple drinks during times of celebration, RIDE is more prominent during the holiday season. Big-traffic events like Christmas, New Year’s Eve or even the night after major sporting events can make for some dangerous road conditions. How Does the Program Work? Police set up a checkpoint on common throughways. Officers who oversee the checkpoint use are usually from the jurisdiction where it takes place. Upon entering the checkpoint, drivers must roll down their window and speak to the officer. The officer then greets the driver. If the officer believes the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they can ask the driver to participate in a roadside sobriety test or breathalyzer test. It is illegal to refuse a breathalyzer test. A breathalyzer unit detects the presence of alcohol in a person’s system. This highly advanced technology can detect the presence of alcohol in a person’s system, even if it is only present in very small amounts. Even a driver who barely feels the effects of alcohol can be a risk. Meaning, it is important for officers to detect this before an accident occurs. OPP specialists known as Drug Recognition Evaluators can also help identify drug impaired drivers. RIDE Program Controversy Some people believe that RIDE programs are a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Many believe the program serves to erode privacy, especially since it requires the participation of drivers who are not under the influence. An exemption was made as officials ruled the Charter could be violated in this case but only for instances regarding the RIDE program. Officials have cited the program’s potential to create safer travel as a reason for allowing the change. RIDE programs have spawned many incarnations around the world that function similarly. No matter the type of program, police officers create a checkpoint with their cruisers, pylons and flares. Most programs require drivers to speak with an officer before moving on. In some cases, drivers must get out of their vehicle to take a test before proceeding. Local police often warn drivers of upcoming RIDE programs. Some people believe that warning drivers about upcoming campaigns defeats the purpose of the program. However, sometimes just knowing law enforcement will be out in a local area is enough to deter drunk driving. The Effect on Safety and Insurance The prospect of sharing the road with an inebriated driver is scary for anyone. The Ontario Provincial Police state that in 2015 there were 72,039 impaired driving incidents. Of those, 122 resulted in death. The impact of these incidents has led to strong support for the program. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are proud supporters of the RIDE Program. Not only does the possibility of drunk drivers create a tense situation for everyone, it changes the game regarding insurance. Insurance providers understand these dangers, and many worked to offer this type of protection in their policies. Impaired drivers face steep penalties and fines. Impaired driving is a serious offence. As a result, drivers with a conviction cannot return to the road until they prove they are responsible. Continuing To Combat Impaired Driving Many automotive manufacturers, legal departments and safety advocates have turned to technology to tackle the drunk-driving problem. Some of these solutions use similar equipment as those in the RIDE program. Some vehicles have breathalyzers installed in them. Like the ones used in roadside checks, these devices require the driver to blow into a tube. This then activates a device to check their blood-alcohol content. These units are installed onto ignitions. The units prevent a car from starting until the driver has tested negative for alcohol. RIDE programs have been a big factor in the history of improving transportation safety. Despite their mixed reputation, their effectiveness in tackling impaired driving has seen proven results.

There is no getting around it: If you want to drive a car in Ontario, you need to have auto insurance. Lying on your insurance application can leave you without coverage. Without it, you could be looking at fines between $5,000 to $50,000, a license suspension or, worse yet, getting into an accident that causes injury or death and being held personally responsible for the costs. It pays to have auto insurance. It also pays to tell the truth on your insurance application. Ten percent of Ontarians think it’s okay to defraud an insurance company. However, as tempting as it may be to understate how many kilometers you drive each year, lie about where you park your car at night, or misrepresent who the main driver is, being dishonest on your application could cost you a lot more in the long run. Five Biggest Risks of Lying on Insurance Application Here are five of the biggest risks of lying on your insurance application. 1. Your Claims Will be Denied Once you misrepresent yourself on an insurance application, your provider no longer has an obligation to pay your claims. For instance, if you said you always install winter tires during the icy months but then skid out of control one snowy December night with your summer tires on, your insurance provider can say you misrepresented the state of your car and promptly deny your claims. As a result, your insurance will be invalid, and you’ll have to cover any costs out of your own pocket. 2. You Will Face Higher Premiums Insurance companies do not like being lied to. If they find out you did not tell the truth on your application, they are likely to penalize you with higher premiums. This does not only go for your current provider. Even if you switch companies, you may still face higher premiums. You will find yourself longing for your old premium that once seemed so expensive. 3. Your Insurance Policy Will be Cancelled Your insurance provider could also choose to simply cancel your policy outright. After all, it is not in their best interest to keep a client that misrepresents themselves. This leaves you in the tricky position of not being able to drive until you have a new policy, with all the consequences that may come with not having access to a car. You will also have to find an insurance company willing to take you on despite your last rejection, which could prove difficult. 4. You Will Have a Black Mark Against You You will be seen as a fraudulent and high-risk client, which may make finding a future policy extremely expensive, if not impossible. 5. You Will be Charged with Fraud Insurance fraud is a criminal offence. If convicted, you can face up to 14 years in prison. Even after imprisonment, you will have a criminal record that could make everything from finding a job to renting an apartment difficult, not to mention the stigma of being a criminal, which could affect your family and personal relationships. Auto insurance fraud is a big business. In a recent report, fraud was found to cost the industry in Canada up to $2 billion per year. That is why insurance companies invest heavily in investigators whose sole purpose it is to verify applications and find those that are not accurate. You can help fight fraud and lower premiums for yourself and all other drivers. Be sure to fill out your application forms correctly and not make any mistakes. If you are unsure about something, call your insurance provider to discuss. There is no question that car insurance can be expensive, which makes looking for ways to ease the financial burden more tempting. The annual average cost of car insurance in Ontario is $1,920. The odds of getting caught in a lie may seem small but the consequences are not worth the risk. The same goes for home or any other kind of insurance. Deliberately misrepresenting your home on an insurance application will catch up with you. Lying can wind up costing you much more in the end. Bite the bullet today and be upfront in all your insurance applications. It will save you from potentially expensive or even criminal consequences down the road.