How to compare home insurance quotes in Ontario

While home insurance is not mandatory in Ontario, it’s still one of those things that anyone who owns a home shouldn’t skip out on. That’s because homeowner insurance will protect you in case of damages, break-ins, or accidents, including injuries other people may sustain while on your property. And while finally owning a home of one’s own is an important milestone for many people, it’s important not to forget that a devastating storm or a guest’s large medical bill that you need to cover can quickly sour the excitement of being a homeowner. Thankfully, home insurance keeps you, your property, and your wallet safe by ensuring that you’re covered in the worst-case scenario.

But while having a policy is essential, not all insurers are created equal, and not all insurance policies will offer the same sort of coverage for the same price. One of the most effective ways to ensure you’ll get the best deal is to compare quotes from different providers when shopping around. Here’s how to ensure you’re getting the best deal:

Know what kind of coverage you need

Before you begin shopping around for home insurance, you should make an inventory of your personal belongings to determine what kind of coverage you need. In Ontario, most types of home insurance policies can be split up into the following types of coverage:

• • No frills coverage. This type of coverage is the most basic kind you can get. It often doesn’t include any coverage beyond simple repairs, although every policy is different and should be read carefully before purchasing.
  • Standard coverage. This policy is also known as a “named perils” policy since it only includes coverage for specifically named incidents. So if the coverage says it covers personal liability and damages for theft, loss, or vandalism, then that’s it. If you think you won’t need more than that—meaning that you don’t live in an area prone to earthquakes or flooding and don’t own antiques or extremely valuable artwork—then you may feel satisfied with this kind of coverage.
  • Comprehensive coverage. You can think of this kind of coverage as the opposite of standard coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers everything except for events that are specifically named. So if your comprehensive coverage says it’ll cover everything except for damage from vermin infestations, earthquakes, and damage from neglect, then you can expect everything apart from those things to be covered. If you want to protect yourself against more risks and feel that your property and your belongings may be more vulnerable to specific damages, then you might want to choose comprehensive coverage.
  • Broad coverage. Broad coverage is a midpoint between standard and comprehensive coverage. This kind of coverage may be more comprehensive when it comes to your building, but may also be less thorough when it comes to protecting your personal belongings. As with all other kinds of coverage, it’s worth comparing different insurers to see what they do and don’t cover under broad coverage.

Once you know what kind of coverage you want, you can compare exactly how much different insurers will charge for this kind of coverage, and what may be included in some policies and left out in others.

Always provide the same information to different insurers

If you really want to make sure that you’re getting the best picture of all the offerings out there, you should make sure that you’re providing consistent information across the board. If you indicate to one insurer that you plan to use part of your home as a home office, but fail to mention it when asking for a quote from another insurer, then you won’t get an accurate quote and won’t be able to adequately compare the offers.

It also pays to be as detailed and truthful as possible. This will give you more accurate quotes, avoiding unpleasant surprises down the line when you choose a policy and realize it’s more expensive than you actually thought it would be.

Compare quotes online

Traditionally, if you wanted to get a free quote from an insurance provider, you’d have to either call up the insurance or go through an independent insurance agent, who would present you with different options for you to choose from. These processes require you to do a lot of homework in advance since you have to research different providers, find out what kind of policies they offer, and reach out for a quote. An independent insurance agent will often require one, if not multiple, phone calls to discuss coverage options.

Thankfully, we’re in the digital age, and no one needs to get on the phone if they don’t want to. At YouSet, we’ve taken over all the legwork of researching and comparing different policies so that you don’t waste valuable time trying to find the best deal. All you need to do is answer a couple of questions on our website—it takes less than five minutes—and we’ll create a list of all possible policies for you, in an appealing interface that allows you to quickly and easily compare the different aspects of the chosen policies, including monthly premiums, deductibles, and coverage conditions. 

You can also rest easy knowing that you’re getting the best price—we guarantee it. And once you find a policy you like, you can purchase it right there on the spot, on our site. It’s as easy as ordering pad thai from your favorite takeaway joint. 

We aim to make the process of comparing insurance quotes and purchasing insurance as easy as possible. If you don’t want to waste your valuable time researching different policies and calling up insurance agents for quotes, then YouSet might just be the thing for you. Come check us out!

With YouSet, get a free online quote for an insurance that suits your needs and budget, in only 4 minutes!