![\"Ontario](\"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/iStock-528067122.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n- Accident Benefits Explained<\/a><\/li>
- Standard Accident Benefits<\/a>
- Standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Optional Accident Benefits<\/a><\/li>
- Who is Covered?<\/a><\/li>
- Catastrophic Injuries vs Non-Catastrophic Injuries<\/a><\/li>
- Now What Should I Do?<\/a>
- <\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n
- The named insureds (signed application and name(s) at the top of policy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The spouse of the named insured<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dependants of the named insured and of the named insured\u2019s spouse<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Persons specified in the policy as drivers of the automobile<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This means that some people, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and certain passengers who may have been covered in the past may no longer be eligible for accident benefits unless they are included in the categories listed above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Catastrophic Injuries vs Non-Catastrophic Injuries<\/h2>\n\n\n\nCatastrophic injury:<\/strong> Is a serious and life-threatening injury as described in the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (legal document). It may involve the loss of use of limbs, complete loss of eyesight, as well as other very serious injuries as defined in the schedule. There is a higher limit of benefits available when the injury is catastrophic. After being assessed or examined, the insurance company will refer to the legal document to determine if your injuries are catastrophic or non-catastrophic. If you like reading very technical legal documents, you can find the full definition on the Ontario.ca<\/a> website updated June 01, 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-Catastrophic injury:<\/strong> Essentially, non-catastrophic injuries are injuries that are less severe than the catastrophic injury category, but also do not fall into the minor injury category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minor Injuries:<\/strong> The \u201cMinor Injury Guideline\u201d defines minor injuries as a sprain, strain, whiplash associated disorder, contusion, abrasion, laceration or subluxation (incomplete or partial dislocation of a joint or organ) and any clinically associated sequelae. This term is to be interpreted to apply where a person sustains any one or more of these injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now What Should I Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nNow that you have a rough idea of what these benefits mean, it may be time to take a look at your own situation. The hardest part about accident benefits for a broker is that every single person will have different needs when it comes to these benefits. It\u2019s almost impossible for your broker to sit you down and tell you exactly what you \u201cshould\u201d have for accident benefit buy ups. The most important thing your broker\/agent can do is explain what these coverages are and what the limits are for each benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The accident benefit buy up options are not just for the rich or the well off. You have to take a look at your own personal situation and see how any of these benefits could help you in your own situation if you were injured in an auto accident. The majority of insurance companies have reasonably priced buy up options and in the long run, they could save you more than a few dollars if you needed to use the benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We tell our friends not to buy the cheapest coffee maker or the cheapest mobile phones on the market because it will cost them more money in the long run. This is the same type of advice we should be giving when it comes to accident benefits on our auto policies. Just remember to give good advice to your friends and steer them to the professionals who can explain each and every benefit available to them. At the end of the day, it\u2019s easier to say \u201cI should have done this sooner\u201d than to say \u201cI wish I would have\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- \n
- https:\/\/www.fsrao.ca\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- https:\/\/www.ibao.org\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- https:\/\/www.fsrao.ca\/opcf-47r-optional-accident-benefits-coverage-priority-payment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You have most likely heard on the radio or even on the TV about the changes to the accident benefits on your Ontario auto insurance policy. The changes took place in July 2026 for all auto insurance policies in Ontario. If you are like the majority of people with an auto insurance policy though, you still don\u2019t know what these… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,5,144,4,138,136],"tags":[44,406,402,409],"class_list":["post-662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","placeholder-for-hentry","category-atv-insurance","category-auto-insurance","category-classic-car-insurance","category-commercial-insurance","category-recreational-insurance","category-snowmobile-insurance","tag-accident-benefits","tag-death-benefits","tag-income-replacement","tag-sabs"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=662"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":663,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/662\/revisions\/663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elliottinsuranceservices.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- https:\/\/www.ibao.org\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- https:\/\/www.fsrao.ca\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
Accident Benefits Explained<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Accident benefits are built into every Ontario automobile insurance policy. These are benefits that you or other insured persons may receive if injured or even killed in an auto accident. The Government has mandated what is included in these benefits and what benefits are optional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standard Accident Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These standard coverages are in place on all auto insurance policies in Ontario. These are mandatory, but unfortunately they are significantly less coverage than years prior after the changes in July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care<\/h3>\n\n\n\nStandard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will continue to be mandatory with low limits. These benefits cover medical expenses, therapy, and personal care assistance for injuries from an accident including doctor visits, physiotherapy, and help with daily activities like bathing and dressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can optionally buy up higher limits on this important coverage to increase limits, and increase the coverage to also include catastrophic coverage. We will have more on catastrophic and non-catastrophic injuries and coverage later in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Optional Accident Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIncome Replacement:<\/strong> Helps replace income you or other covered persons lose because of an accident. This benefit commences one week after the accident occurs. This is calculated using 70% of your gross weekly income up to the coverage limit you chose from your insurer. Each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-Earner:<\/strong> This benefit may provide compensation if you and other covered persons are completely unable to carry on a normal life. For example, if you are a student or unemployed and sustain injuries that prevent you from leading a normal life, you may receive a weekly non-earner compensation. Each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caregiver Impairment:<\/strong> This benefit may provide compensation for some expenses incurred if a covered person has been injured and cannot continue as the main caregiver for a member of the household who is in need of care. Examples of members of your household who are in need of care are a child or aging parent. There are catastrophic and non-catastrophic options of this coverage and each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lost Educational Expenses:<\/strong> If a car accident keeps you from attending school or an education program, this benefit helps cover the costs you\u2019ve lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expenses of Visitors:<\/strong> Covers reasonable and necessary expenses of visitors if you or another covered person is injured in an accident. For example, if your parents or children travel to visit you during recovery, their transportation and lodging costs may be covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Housekeeping and Home Maintenance:<\/strong> Helps cover costs if you or another covered person is unable to perform the housekeeping and home maintenance tasks normally done before the accident. There are catastrophic and non-catastrophic options of this coverage and each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damage to Personal Items:<\/strong> Covers the cost to repair or replace personal items (e.g., clothing, prescription eyewear, hearing aids, dentures, etc.) that were damaged in the accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Death Benefits:<\/strong> Compensates some family members if you or a covered person dies due to an accident. Each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funeral Benefits:<\/strong> Helps cover some funeral costs. Each insurer will have their own limits and options for this coverage going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dependant Care:<\/strong> Help cover costs associated with caring for dependants such as a child, or spouse or aging parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indexation Benefit:<\/strong> Help to ensure the income replacement benefit is adjusted to reflect the cost of living changes each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who is Covered?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nStarting July 1, 2026, optional benefits under your auto policy will only apply to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Optional Accident Benefits<\/a><\/li>
- Standard Accident Benefits<\/a>