Trying to find the right insurance for your needs and your budget can sometimes feel a little frustrating. Finding that sweet spot between the deductible you’re willing to pay and a manageable monthly premium can often feel like an impossible task.
The key to finding the right insurance often includes asking for quotes from various providers and then comparing them to find a policy that best suits your needs. However, anyone who’s tried to purchase an insurance policy before knows that this process often requires answering a fair few questions, which all might feel a bit personal.
For many Canadian insurance shoppers, this raises the question – can you get a quote for home, car, condo, or tenant insurance without providing personal information? In this article, you’ll learn that while it’s possible to get what’s known as an anonymous insurance quote in Canada, there are reasons why you might not want to.
Can You Get an Insurance Quote Without Providing Personal Information?
Yes, you can get an insurance quote without providing personal information. While this approach will not yield a precise quote, it does prove useful in certain situations.
For example, say you’re out shopping for a new car and you want to be sure you choose one that won’t cost you a fortune every month to insure. In this case, you might choose to request a quote without giving any personal information in order to simply gauge the average cost of car insurance in your area for the specific vehicle you’re interested in. This would be a low-commitment way to gather the information you need before you start looking for real.
Similarly, suppose you’re contemplating switching insurance providers but prefer not to share sensitive personal details, such as your social insurance number, with multiple companies right away. In that case, you might ask for quotes without providing such information. This would allow you to discreetly compare offerings and assess potential savings without committing to a formal application process until you’re ready.
In the insurance industry, this is called an anonymous insurance quote.
What Is an Anonymous Insurance Quote?
An anonymous insurance quote does not require you to provide personal details such as your name, address, or social insurance number. It is, therefore, an estimate and will be less accurate compared to one that has all the required personal information included. This might work for those who are not ready to begin a detailed application process or do not want to expose their sensitive personal data to multiple insurers unnecessarily.
The way to get these anonymous quotes is usually to use an insurance calculator, like YouSet’s home insurance calculator or tenant insurance calculator. These tools usually just require your postal code, the date you want your policy to start, and what kind of coverage you’re looking for (personal liability, theft, loss, vandalism coverage, etc). Then the tool will be able to provide a rough estimate of what quote you might get charged based on the average rate insurance providers in the area charge for similar coverage. It’s also worth reaching out directly to the insurance provider you’re interested in and asking if they can give you an anonymous quote.
Again, an anonymous quote might be good enough for now if all you want is to get a general sense of how much insurance costs in your area. Just remember that you’re only going to receive a rough estimate and nothing more. Keep in mind that when you do decide to purchase insurance from a specific company or broker later on, you will inevitably need to provide the required personal information, as insurers will need it to assess the risk involved in insuring you and to give you exact pricing.
What Personal Info Is Needed to Get a Car Insurance Quote?
If you’re wondering what kind of questions you’ll be asked during the car insurance quote process, here’s a list of the personal information insurance companies typically need to give you an accurate quote.
- Your name
- Your birthday
- Your gender
- Your driving history
- Your insurance and claims history
- Your accident history
- What kind of car you have (make, model, year)
- Ownership status of the car (leased or owned)
- Where you keep your car (address, parking details)
- How many kilometres you drive a year
- The primary use of the vehicle (commute, pleasure, business)
- Occasional drivers of the car and their driving history
- Any safety features or anti-theft devices installed in your car
- Current insurance coverage and desired coverage limits
What Personal Info Is Needed to Get a Home, Tenant, or Condo Insurance Quote?
If you’re wondering what kind of questions you’ll be asked during the home insurance quote process, here’s a list of the personal information insurance companies typically need to give you an accurate quote.
- Your name
- Your birthday
- Your gender
- Your marital status
- Your social insurance number
- Your insurance and claims history
- Details about your home (ex. type of construction, square footage, and age)
- Occupants of the home (including pets)
- Information about any detached structures on your property (like garages or sheds)
- Proximity to emergency services (like fire stations and hospitals)
- Security features in your home (ex. alarms and locks)
- Protective devices (ex. smoke detectors and fire extinguishers)
- Any recent renovations or upgrades to your home
- Current insurance coverage and desired coverage limits