Compare Kitchener Car Insurance Quotes

Kitchener is a city in the region of Waterloo, Ontario. In Its beginnings, it was known as the Town of Berlin due to the high population of German Mennonite farmers. Kitchener’s streets are not laid out in a British grid pattern, but more of a radial pattern (more familiar to the early Germans). The problem with the radial pattern is you can end up with 5 lane intersections and many popular streets narrow as you get closer to the core.

The city is surrounded by highways: 7,8, and 85 and Highway 24 and the 401 so it’s easy to get in and out of the city. Once you’re inside the city, you need to be mindful of roundabouts and avoid downtown King Street altogether.

Car insurance in Kitchener, and across Ontario is a requirement for all drivers. To operate a vehicle in Kitchener, you must have insurance. To get the best car insurance in Kitchener, it's vital to understand how it works. 

Kitchener operates in a no-fault insurance system. No-fault means drivers use their own insurance company regardless of who is at-fault in an accident.  In other words, you only ever deal with your own insurance company for a claim or following an accident. 

Ontario auto insurance is provided by private insurance carriers and is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRAO). FSRAO ensures rate increases are substantiated. Simply put, an insurer can't raise rates without prior approval from the regulatory body and is based on their financial records. 

Available Kitchener car insurance coverage is broken down into two categories - mandatory and optional.

Mandatory Kitchener auto insurance coverage includes:

• Third-party liability
• Accident benefits 
• Uninsured automobile insurance
• Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD)

Optional Kitchener car insurance coverage includes:

• Collision insurance
• Comprehensive car insurance
• Specified perils
• All perils

Also available in any city in Ontario are Optional Policy Change Forms (OPCF) which are coverage enhancements. Here are 4 common Ontario endorsements. 

• OPCF 20 - covers the cost of a rental vehicle while yours is being repaired or replaced
• OPCF 27 - Ports your existing insurance to a rental car or car you borrow
• OPCF 39 - Your insurer forgives your first accident claim so it doesn't impact your insurance rate
• OPCF 43 - Removes depreciation in calculating the value of your car when settling a claim

Kitchener has great rates for car insurance, especially compared to cities like Brampton or Toronto. An area with high congestion creates more accidents, an area with more crime could have more thefts, even neighbourhood break-ins can drive up the cost of insurance for everyone. 

A recent Ratehub.ca revealed 1 in 5 Canadians thought your postal code did not affect your rate. Another 15% didn't know. Some insurers give more weight to your postal code than others when it comes to determining your rate, so shop around for quotes and see which one will give you the cheapest car insurance in Kitchener.