Insurance Discounts If You Install Winter Tires

Do you feel like you are paying too much for your auto insurance? So do many Canadians who are responsible drivers and take all the necessary precautions before heading out on the road, like installing winter tires. Ontario motorists who drive with snow tires on their vehicles now receive a mandatory insurance discount. The size of the discount may vary from company to company.

Why The Discount For Winter Tires?

The Provincial Ministry of Finance made it mandatory that all insurance companies in Ontario must provide a discount for drivers who use winter tires. There is no mandate for how much the discount will be as this decision has been left up to the individual insurance companies as a way to promote competition between the companies. It is important to note that each insurer will have different rules and regulations in place regarding winter tires and the discount. The winter tire discount was put in place with the intention to reduce car insurance rates, but more importantly to keep the roads safe in the winter!

What If I Already Have Winter Tires?

For those of you who already take the precautions in our harsh Canadian winters to make sure your vehicle is equipped with winter tires and safer for the winter conditions, you will want to make sure you are being rewarded for something you are already doing. If you do not typically install winter tires this discount is something to hopefully make you reconsider as the end goal is keeping our roadways safe for everyone. Insurance companies are not able to read your mind so you will need to tell them if you have winter tires in order to receive the discount.

Check out this video to see the difference between all season tires and winter tires when driving in the snow or on ice.

A few more pointers for your winter tires:

• Install winter tires in sets of four
• Do not mix tires with different tread patterns or size
• Change tires that are worn close to the tread-wear indicators
• Routinely check air pressure
• Only install certified winter tires, typically marked with a logo of a peaked mountain with a snowflake
• All season tires do not qualify for the discount and are not considered a winter tire
• Some insurance companies who offer the discount require that you have the winter tires on your vehicle from the beginning of November until the beginning of April

How Will My Insurance Company Know if I Have Winter Tires?

You will need to talk to your insurance company and let them know when you had winter tires installed. Some companies require a receipt of the purchase or a receipt of the installation. However, for the most part all they require is your disclosure. A little forewarning however, in the event a claim occurs and your vehicle is not equipped with winter tires, watch out! Your claim may be reduced or void altogether. That is why it is always good practice to keep receipts of winter tires installation as a form of proof that you use them and be honest when dealing with your insurance company.

McDougall is here to help. We will make sure you have the best coverage along with all the required documentation for your insurance provider to get you the discount you deserve. To talk to us about the winter tires discount, give us a call today at 1-800-361-0941 or head to our car insurance page. We look forward to hearing from you!