As a well-recognized and long-established car insurance brand in Quebec, iA car insurance has become a familiar choice for many drivers.
But as car insurance premiums continue to rise due to record-high repair costs, pricier materials, historic car theft rates, and increasingly complex vehicle technology, is iA the right choice for you? That’s a decision only you can make.
If you’re after a policy that truly balances cost and coverage, iA might be the answer, but there’s only one way to find out.
It starts with doing your homework (as you’re doing right now), comparing a range of providers, and weighing the pros and cons of each. Only then will you know whether iA car insurance is the right choice for you, or if an alternative provider like YouSet can do the same (or more!).
How is YouSet different from iA?
YouSet combines the convenience of an online platform with the advantages of a licensed insurance broker, while iA is a direct-to-consumer insurer that underwrites and sells its own policies.
As such, there are key differences between YouSet and iA to consider, which you can see outlined clearly in the table below.
| YouSet | iA | |
| Type of provider | Digital insurance broker | Direct-to-consumer (D2C) insurer |
| Products | Home, tenant, condo, and car | Home, tenant, condo, car, life, travel, and health |
| Number of insurers | 18 insurers (Full list of YouSet insurers) | 1 insurer (themselves) |
| Price comparison | Side-by-side comparison, shows multiple quotes | No comparison, only shows one quote (their own) |
| Underwriting | Does not underwrite policies | Direct writer (underwrites its own policies) |
| Checkout | Online checkout or by phone | Online checkout or by phone |
| Claims | Claims handled by the insurer, additional support from YouSet, as needed | Claims handled directly by iA |
iA car insurance pros and cons
As with any insurance provider, it’s important to understand what iA offers and what it doesn’t. This is key to helping you determine if it aligns with what you’re looking for in a car insurance provider.
Pros
- Backed by iA Financial Corporation Inc.
- Discount for iA clients
- Range of insurance products
- Small discount for online checkout
Cons
- Only available in Quebec
- Limited online checkout
- Restricted to iA products and pricing
- Limited access to in-person support
Backed by iA Financial Corporation Inc.
iA Financial was the sixth-largest insurance company in Canada in 2023 based on total assets, according to Insurance Business Magazine, and has consistently reported strong financial results in 2025. Its financial strength and stability help ensure that the company can reliably meet its obligations to policyholders.
Only available in Quebec
As of November 2025, iA car insurance is only available to drivers in Quebec. However, in 2021, iA Financial acquired a majority stake in Surex, an Alberta-based insurance broker. Surex is now part of the iA Financial Corporation and offers car insurance to drivers outside Quebec, though the policies are not under the iA brand.
Discount for iA clients
If you already have life, disability, or critical illness insurance, or one of iA’s savings products, you may be eligible for up to 10% off your car insurance. This could make iA car insurance more appealing to customers who prefer the convenience of having one provider for multiple products.
Limited online checkout
On the iA website, it is noted that you “may not have the option of purchasing insurance online” and that online quotes are “estimates for new clients only.” This indicates that a phone call with an agent may be required to verify your details and confirm the final price of your quote.
Range of insurance products
In addition to car insurance, iA offers a variety of other coverage options, including home, life, RV, disability, and travel insurance. Like most insurers, they have the option to bundle policies together for additional savings. However, it’s always a good idea to compare the total savings of bundling with a single insurer versus purchasing policies from separate providers.
Restricted to iA products and pricing
If you buy car insurance from iA, your policy will typically be underwritten by the company itself or one of its affiliated companies. If so, it means that you’re limited to their coverage options, pricing, and discounts. By comparison, a digital insurance broker like YouSet compares multiple insurers, with different underwriting and pricing structures, to help you find the coverage you need at the best price.
Small discount for online checkout
iA incentivizes customers to buy online with $50 off policies purchased through their website. This is common among insurance providers that traditionally sell policies by phone or receive high call volumes and want to shift more customers to digital channels.
Limited access to in-person support
While there are several physical iA Financial locations in Quebec, the one nearest may not offer in-person support for car insurance. The agents working in these local offices typically offer iA financial and wealth management products instead. So, check before visiting to confirm whether the location nearest you can handle car insurance inquiries in person.
iA vs. YouSet car insurance
After getting a quote from iA and doing your own research, it’s always wise to compare the quoted price to a policy from an alternative provider, such as YouSet, to see if that’s truly the best price you can get or if there’s a better deal available.
Since 2017, YouSet has been making it easier for Canadians to buy home and car insurance online. Why spend hours manually comparing quotes when our proprietary technology can do it all for you in less than 4 minutes? Not only that, but we’ll also have Canada’s top insurance providers competing for your business, ensuring you get the best price year after year. With over 300,000 users and an average online review rating of 4.9 stars, YouSet is a broker well worth considering.
Best price year-after-year
YouSet’s algorithms are designed to do one thing - find you the best price. Not just the first time you buy, either. If your price increases at renewal, we’ll alert you and even help you re-shop with another carrier.
Transparent renewals
Anytime a YouSet insurance policy comes up for renewal, our team will make sure you’re paying the best price possible for your policy. If that’s no longer working, we’ll help you re-shop another carrier for a better deal.
Mix-and-match approach to bundling
YouSet is the only digital broker in Canada that automatically compares the cost of bundling home and car insurance from a single carrier against the cost of mix-and-matching home and car carriers. Whichever option offers the maximum savings is the one we present to you.
Buy, manage, and renew your policy online
How much easier would it be if you could purchase a policy, personalize it to fit your needs, make modifications to it, and renew it, all without having to make any phone calls or wait on hold? With YouSet, you can do all that and more with our self-serve features.
Highly reviewed by Canadians
With an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Google, the general consensus among YouSet users is that YouSet is making it easier to find affordable insurance and buy it online at the best price year after year.
We do the searching, you get the savings
