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How car insurance coverage works in Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of Alberta and the 2nd largest city in the province. Due to its recent population surge, the roadways are getting busier causing more congestion. The average annual car insurance premium in Edmonton is just shy of $1,500 and rates are on the decline making it a great time to shop around for car insurance quotes. Whether you’re driving on the Calgary Trail or the Capilano bridge, rush hour traffic and heavy road construction can lead to difficult commutes which has the potential for more collisions. At Ratehub.ca, we help the people of Edmonton shop for the best car insurance rates in just minutes to suit their budget and preferences.

Edmonton car insurance, like all other cities in Alberta, is provided by private insurance companies and regulated by the provincial government. The basic and mandatory coverages for all Edmonton drivers include: $200,000 third party liability coverage, accident benefits up to $50,000 for each person, funeral expenses of $5,000, and death benefits at $10,000, plus additional amounts for surviving dependants. You can opt to pay for more coverage to suit your needs.

Here is a complete overview of the available coverage options for Edmonton drivers:

Coverage	Description
Public Insurance	Basic auto insurance coverage provided by the Provincial government. This generally includes liability, accident benefits and uninsured motorist coverage. Available: No Required: No
Private Insurance	Auto insurance policies created & sold by private insurance carriers. Though these carriers must still abide by Federal and Provincial regulations. Available: Yes Required: Yes
No-fault insurance	Having no-fault insurance doesn’t mean you can’t be found at fault. This coverage means you must first deal with your own insurance company for all claims, whether you’re at fault or not. But, Alberta will allow a no-fault driver to sue an at-fault driver for additional damages and costs that are not covered by their accident benefits. Available: Yes Required: Yes
Third-party Liability Insurance	Protects against damage caused by you while driving and includes injury and death to others and property damage. This is the only insurance coverage that is mandatory across Canada. Minimum coverage for Alberta is $200,000. Available: Yes Required: Yes
Accident Benefits	Covers your medical benefits if you’re injured in a crash, whether you’re at fault or not. The coverage includes your medical costs, while also paying for additional recovery costs, such as rehab, income replacement, and payment for and attendant care, if needed. Available: Yes Required: Yes
Direct Compensation-Property Damage (DCPD)	Covers damage to your vehicle and its contents, and for the loss of use of your vehicle when damaged – if another person was at fault. This coverage only applies if the crash occurs in a province where DCPD is mandatory, if two or more insured vehicles are involved, and if both insurers are licensed within that DCPD province. Available: No Required: No
Uninsured Motorist	Uninsured motorist coverage protects against injuries you and your family members sustain in a crash caused by an uninsured motorist. It can also cover your vehicle damages, if the uninsured driver is able to be identified. Available: Yes Required: No
Collision Insurance	Protects against damages sustained in a collision. This insurance covers you if your car is damaged in a crash – in both cases whether you crash into another other car or whether you crash into a stationary object. Available: Yes Required: No
Comprehensive Insurance	Protects against any losses a car owner may suffer, from events not related to driving. Such losses could include theft or damage from attempted theft; vandalism; environmental damage to a car from floods, fallen trees, and hail, etc. Available: Yes Required: No
Specified Perils	Covers your financial losses for damage caused specific perils – but only for perils chosen specifically for your policy. Available coverages are for theft; fire; damage from hail, lightning, wind, or flooding; earthquakes; explosions; riots; aircraft crash damage; and damage sustained during any transportation relocation. Available: Yes Required: No
All Perils	This combines the coverages you get with collision and comprehensive insurance. Additionally, all-perils also covers you if an employee, or someone who drives or services your car, steals it. It also covers you if someone you live with steals your vehicle. Available: Yes Required: No
Emergency roadside assistance	This service covers you for roadside callouts for emergencies such as dead batteries, towing, flat tires, keys locked in your car, empty gas tank, etcetera. Many insurance companies offer roadside assistance either included or in addition to other coverages. Available: Yes Required: No

*Table information sourced from http://www.ibc.ca (2017)

Factors that impact your Edmonton car insurance rates

20 intersections have received failing grades in Edmonton including: 127 Street and 153 Ave, 142 Street & Yellowhead Trail, and 142 Street & Stony Plain Road. Dangerous intersections can lead to a higher number of collisions. It could be why over 30% of people in Edmonton take transit to work to avoid any potential crashes. However, the ticket handed out the most often is for speeding. There is a big debate on lowering speed limits from the current 50 km/h to 40 km/h, or even 30 km/h, and surveys show over half the respondents support a reduction for residential neighbourhoods. School zones are 30 km/h and are policed regularly. A changing situation like this is one of the decision criteria that are factored into an insurance calculation for Edmonton drivers. Insurance companies also want to understand who you are as a driver, so they will look into your type of driver’s license and how long you’ve had it, your daily commute, as well as any at-fault collisions, traffic tickets, or moving violations currently still on your record. Insurance calculations are complex, and no two companies weigh each criteria the same way. Here are the factors that determine the rate you will receive from a provider of car insurance in Edmonton.

Driver demographics

The age and sex of a driver are demographic factors that an insurance company will include in a car insurance risk calculation based on historical data. Statistics show young men under the age of 25 get into more car accidents than their female counterparts, so they have historically paid more for car insurance. Insurance is all about assessing risk based on data, so companies consider a number of general factors, including time spent driving, type of vehicle, number of accidents, and general driving behaviours. Sometimes factors like being married to a partner with a good driving record will actually reduce your rates.

Where you live

In general, people who live in cities pay more due to the increased risk of accidents, vandalism and theft. All in all, if you live close to major roads or any area with a higher population density, you will pay more - it raises the risk. For example, Brampton pays 65% more than the provincial average based on the amount claims are submitted in the area and the high volume of insurance fraud that occurs.

Vehicle type

Your insurer will determine your rate based on the year, make, model, and engine size. In fact, vehicles with high safety ratings often have lower insurance rates, while expensive cars and vehicles that are statistically considered to be a higher theft risks, will generally pay more. Lastly, how much it costs to replace or repair after a crash will also affect your car insurance premium.

Driving history

Not all accidents are treated the same, but an at-fault accident will raise your premium for up to 10 years. Driving convictions, such as speeding tickets, stay on your driving record for three years. Even though one speeding ticket may only increase your rates slightly, repeated offences will have a significant impact on the price you pay. Major automobile crimes resulting in court convictions (e.g. distracted driving) have a significant negative impact on your car insurance premiums and may even result in the cancellation of your policy.

Driving activity

The more you drive, the more you pay for car insurance. The length of your daily commute to work or the amount of distance driven annually will impact your premiums. The more you drive and the longer you driver daily will increase the price you pay for auto insurance. Cutting your mileage by using public transit or biking will help to reduce your car insurance.

Type of insurance coverage

Edmonton drivers need to understand that there are a few mandatory coverage types, third-party liability, accident benefits, uninsured driver protection, and direct compensation property damage that are included in their policy. Optional coverages are also available and while they will increase your premiums they could save you a lot of money should the need arise. The most common additional coverage options are: comprehensive, collision, transportation replacement, and the removal of vehicle depreciation.

Applicable discounts

There’s lots of ways to save money on your car insurance in Edmonton. Installing winter tires, bundling your auto insurance with your home insurance, and being a member of a union or an alumni organization can save you money. So, make sure to ask your insurance provider for ways to save!

How to get cheap car insurance in Edmonton?

Shop and compare

Research which car insurance company provides the best value for you and your car. In Alberta, rates change four times a year, but lucky for you comparing rates with us is free.

Stay with your current insurer

Some auto insurance companies will give loyalty discounts to drivers who remain active with them for years. Especially if they add family members or multiple vehicles to their policy.

Bundle Your Policies

If you use the same insurance company for both your home and auto insurance, your insurer will often thank you with a discount on your premium.

Get a multi car discount

If you have multiple drivers and vehicles in the same household, by putting them all on one policy can save you money.

Increase your deductible

This is the portion you pay when settling a claim before your insurance provider will pay the rest. If you’re willing to double down on your deductible, it could save you money.

Ask about discounts

If you’re a member of an Alberta faction of CAA, a large corporation, union, or a school alumnus, it could help you get cheaper car insurance.

Pay premiums annually, instead of monthly

Paying monthly adds administrative costs to your insurer. If you can help them by paying one lump sum annually, they will thank you by lowering your premiums.

Maintain a good driving record

Be a safe driver, the insurance companies love it. Obey the rules of the road and drive according to road conditions, they look upon this fondly. If you, through these practices, can reduce your chances of an accident, you will pay less.

Install winter tires

You can save up to 5% simply by adding winter tires to your car. With winter driving conditions being so treacherous throughout Alberta it pays to be safe!

Keep track of your driving

There are telematics devices that collect driving data. With user-based insurance (UBI) you can earn your discounts if you’re not driving far or often. These devices even look at advanced stats like how carefully you brake and accelerate.

Take a course

Are you new to driving? A driver’s education course can save you money. Car insurance providers will think of you as a safe driver if you’ve received lessons by professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions about Edmonton auto insurance

Where do I park in Edmonton?

EPark is a parking system launched in 2016 and managed by the city of Edmonton. It allows you to find parking and pay on its website, through the app, or at the machine. The city is currently exploring an automated parking enforcement program where cameras can identify license plates in an EPark system and issue tickets accordingly. There are other parkades and lots available. Check out parkopedia.ca for a big list of pricing and availability.

Do I need to yield to buses in Edmonton?

While it’s not law for a public city bus, it’s a great idea. The city has a campaign to promote it, “Keep traffic flowing smoothly. Give the Bus a Brake.” When you’re driving, it’s best to allow buses to re-enter traffic from bus stops.

The roads in Edmonton are too congested. How else can I get around?

The Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) is the city’s public transit company, operating both an LRT and a fleet of buses. You can also look to ridesharing services from Uber if you don’t want to drive. Edmonton was the first Canadian city to regulate and allow ridesharing services. (Lyft does intend to eventually launch in Edmonton, TappCar is available now). There’s also plenty of taxi cab companies operating in Edmonton including Greater Edmonton Taxi Service, Alberta Co-Op taxi, and Edmonton Yellow Cab.

If I want to drive, how can I avoid Edmonton traffic?

If you can drive to work outside of rush hour times, it’s the best way to avoid congestion. The weekends will vary on what activities are scheduled, like Eskimos and Oilers games. The best thing to do is to plan ahead, allow yourself the appropriate amount of time to reach your destination and use traffic apps like Waze or Google to help you navigate in around the city by avoiding the more troublesome areas.

Do I need a licence to drive a Zipcar or Car2Go?

In order to operate any vehicle in Canada, whether it’s your own, a rental, or part of a car sharing service fleet, you must have a valid driver’s licence.

Do I need personal insurance to drive a Zipcar or Car2Go?

No, you don’t need to have your own insurance policy to operate a rental car. Ridesharing services include their own commercial auto insurance with your fees. Remember it’s illegal to operate a vehicle without car insurance in Canada.

Are there red-light cameras in Edmonton?

Yes, Edmonton has both red-light and speed-on-green cameras. There is also something an average driver can use for free - you can view current traffic live on edmontontrafficcam.com to monitor traffic all the way from St. Albert Trail to Gateway Blvd.

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