Whether you’re shopping for tenant, condo, or home insurance in Canada, one name you’ll likely come across is Sonnet.

Owned by Economical Insurance, one of Canada’s largest property and casualty insurance providers, Sonnet brings a lot to the table.  But is it enough to trust your home and belongings to? That’s a decision only you can make.

In this article, you’ll learn more about Sonnet insurance for your home, the potential pros and cons to consider, and how it’s different from an digital insurance broker like YouSet. That way, you can make the most informed decision and choose a provider that matches your needs and expectations.

How is YouSet different from Sonnet?

YouSet combines the convenience of an online platform with the advantages of a licensed insurance broker, while Sonnet is a direct-to-consumer insurer that underwrites and sells its own policies.

As such, there are key differences between YouSet and Sonnet to consider, which you can see outlined clearly in the table below.

	YouSet	Sonnet
Type of provider	Digital insurance broker	Direct-to-consumer (D2C) insurer
Products	Home, tenant, condo, and car	Home, tenant, condo, car, pet, and landlord
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 Sonnet

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Sonnet home insurance pros and cons

Whether you’re a homeowner, renter, or condo owner, if you’re considering Sonnet for home insurance, then it’s important to understand what it offers and what it doesn’t. This is key to helping you determine if it aligns with what you’re looking for in a home insurance provider.

Basic offering of personal insurance products

Sonnet offers a range of insurance products, including coverage for tenants, homeowners, condo owners, cars, and pets. However, the availability of these products may be limited based on your location within Canada.  

Limited regional availability

Sonnet home insurance is available in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, and Alberta. While they no longer offer car insurance in Alberta, they say they “remain committed to serving Albertans by offering home insurance.”   

Part of a broader insurance network

Sonnet Insurance was launched by Economical Insurance in 2016. In 2021, following Economical’s transition from a mutual to a publicly traded company, it became part of Definity Financial Corporation. This structure aligns Sonnet with other established companies, creating a sense of stability as part of a broader insurance group.  

Restricted to Sonnet products and pricing

Sonnet refers to themselves as a “direct writer,” which simply means that they (Sonnet Insurance Company) are the underwriters of all their own policies. Unlike brokers such as YouSet, which scans a network of multiple insurers to find you the best price, with Sonnet, you’re limited to the products, prices, and discounts they offer.

Discounts for recent graduates

Sonnet offers discounts for alumni of select universities and colleges, helping graduates save on insurance. Given that young adults aged 18 to 29 are more likely to be renters (15.2% of renters aged 25 to 29 and 13.1% of renters aged 18 to 24), these savings can be especially helpful for those just starting out.  

Limited after-hours support

Besides a 24/7 emergency claims phone line and chatbot, support from a live Sonnet employee is only available “Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET”. If you need help from a human outside of these hours or live outside the Eastern Time Zone, you’ll likely have to wait until at least the next business day.   

Access to third-party deals for customers

Sonnet offers access to exclusive discounts, promotions, and free offers from partner brands like TELUS, Homewise, and Tangerine. While it’s a nice perk, if none of the offers apply to your lifestyle or needs, the value may be limited.  

Bundling savings may be limited

Bundling home and car insurance with Sonnet can save you money, as advertised. However, bundling with a single insurer doesn’t always offer the most savings possible. Rather, a mix-and-match approach to bundling, where products and pricing from multiple carriers are considered and combined, can sometimes help you maximize your savings and find the most cost-effective solution.  

Sonnet vs. YouSet home insurance

After getting a home insurance quote from Sonnet, it’s wise to compare quotes 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.