High-risk auto insurance in Ontario is coverage for drivers standard insurers decline — usually after a cancellation for non-payment, a lapse in coverage, multiple tickets or at-fault claims, an impaired conviction, or having no Canadian driving history. It is placed through specialty markets and the Facility Association. Being high-risk is almost always temporary.
Standard carriers underwrite to a narrow box. A lapse in coverage, a cancellation for non-payment, multiple convictions, at-fault claims, a licence suspension, or being new to Canada with no local driving history can all push your file outside that box. Once flagged, most standard markets will decline until enough time has passed.
The Facility Association is Ontario's insurer of last resort — not a company you buy from directly. It exists so every licensed Ontario driver can legally get insured, even when no standard or specialty market will write the risk.
A licensed broker places you into Facility when the file has been shopped and declined by the private markets first. The coverage meets the same Ontario minimums as any auto policy; the premium is higher because Facility absorbs risk no one else will.
You don't apply to Facility yourself, and you shouldn't stay there any longer than necessary. My job is to place you correctly, then move you out as soon as a specialty or standard market opens up.
Most events age off your insurance record over time. Exact rules vary by insurer, but these are the general Ontario benchmarks I quote every day.
Generally 3 years from the conviction date — speeding tickets, minor traffic offences and similar.
Typically 6 years from the date of loss for insurance rating purposes across most Ontario carriers.
Shorter — often 1 to 3 years of continuous coverage clears a lapse, depending on the insurer and length of the gap.
High-risk is a temporary label for most drivers. The formula is boring on purpose — and it works.
How a high-risk file is presented matters as much as what's in it. Clean explanations, complete documents and the right coverage structure — before the file ever hits an underwriter's desk.
Specialty carriers first, non-standard markets next, Facility Association only if nothing else fits. Skipping this order costs you money every single month.
You'll know exactly what needs to change, and when to expect a lower renewal. I re-shop at every term and move you back to standard markets the moment your record allows.
Driver's licence, current or last policy, and a quick note on what happened. Two minutes.
Specialty carriers, non-standard markets and Facility Association — whichever fits your file best.
Bind coverage same day in most cases. Pink slip in your inbox before you hang up.
12–36 months of clean driving and on-time payments moves you back to standard rates. I'll re-shop every renewal.
Yes. A cancellation for non-payment is one of the most common reasons drivers end up in the high-risk market, and every specialty carrier in Ontario writes these files daily. You'll pay more than a standard rate while the cancellation is on your record — typically for up to 3 years — but you can be legally insured the same day you call. Staying on time with every payment from here on is what moves you back to standard pricing.
No — no licensed Ontario driver is uninsurable. An impaired, careless or stunt driving conviction will disqualify you from every standard insurer and most specialty markets, but Facility Association will write the policy. Impaired convictions typically affect your insurance rating for 6 years from the conviction date, after which specialty and eventually standard markets reopen.
It depends on the event. Minor convictions generally affect rating for 3 years, at-fault claims for around 6 years, and lapses in coverage clear faster — often within 1 to 3 years of continuous insurance. Exact rules vary by insurer, which is why re-shopping the file every renewal matters.
Rarely. Facility is the true last resort. Before quoting Facility I shop specialty and non-standard markets first, because they're almost always cheaper. Facility only makes sense when the private markets have declined the file — and even then, I keep re-shopping every renewal to move you out.
Yes, provided you also stay conviction-free and pay every instalment on time. As tickets, at-fault claims and cancellations age off your record, specialty markets requote lower and standard markets eventually reopen. Most drivers see meaningful drops at the 3-year mark and a return to standard pricing between years 3 and 6.
Yes — always. Ontario insurers share cancellation and claims history through industry databases, so a past cancellation, non-renewal or claim will be visible to any carrier that quotes you. Not disclosing it is misrepresentation and grounds for the new insurer to void the policy. Being upfront gets you accurate pricing and protects the coverage you're paying for.