I'm a RIBO licensed insurance broker based at 400 Dundas St E in Whitby, working with clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Bowmanville and Courtice. Coverage is placed through The Insurance Lab, a division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc., which gives me access to 25+ Canadian carriers on home, auto and commercial files.
The office is on Dundas East in Whitby, a few minutes off the 401 and easy to reach from anywhere in Durham. Most people prefer a quick call or a Zoom, but I'm always happy to meet in person — especially for commercial files or when we're reviewing an older home together.
A Durham resident driving into downtown Toronto is often putting on 30,000+ km a year. Ontario insurers rate that very differently from a 12,000 km/year local driver, and the gap between carriers on high-mileage commuters can be significant. I re-shop at renewal because the cheapest carrier for a 401 commuter this year is often not the cheapest one next year.
New builds in north Oshawa, Brooklin and Courtice usually have modern wiring, copper or PEX plumbing, a newer roof and a full breaker panel. Many carriers give meaningful credits for the age of the electrical, plumbing, roof and heating — but those credits only apply if the broker actually asks the right questions. When you move from a captive insurer to a broker, this is often where the difference shows up.
Central Oshawa and downtown Whitby have a lot of pre-1960 homes, and the same four things come up on almost every quote: knob-and-tube wiring, 60-amp electrical service, galvanized or lead plumbing, aging shingles, and above-ground oil tanks. Several standard carriers now decline any of these outright. There are still carriers that will write these homes fairly — I know which ones, and what upgrades open up better options at your next renewal.
A finished basement with a second kitchen and a separate entrance is a secondary suite as far as any Ontario insurer is concerned, whether it's rented to a family member or to a tenant off Facebook Marketplace. Not telling the insurer is one of the most common reasons a Durham water or fire claim gets reduced or denied. If you have (or are thinking about) a suite, we place the policy with a carrier that actually writes owner-occupied homes with a rental unit, and price it correctly up front.
Homes near Ontario Tech and Durham College are often rented room-by-room to students. That is a landlord policy with rented-dwelling wording and a loss-of-rent endorsement — not a homeowners policy — and the leases should require every tenant to carry their own tenant insurance. I can set both sides up so the building, the rental income and each tenant's belongings are all covered properly.
A large share of my Durham book is small commercial: general contractors, landscapers and snow-plow operators, independent auto shops, restaurants and takeout, and plaza owners along Dundas, Simcoe and Taunton. I package CGL, commercial auto, tools and equipment, and commercial property together so the whole business lives with one broker and one renewal date.
Yes. My office is at 400 Dundas St E, Unit 201 in Whitby, and I meet clients from Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Bowmanville and Courtice in person, by phone or by video — whichever works for you. Coverage is placed through The Insurance Lab, a division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc.
It can. Annual kilometres and daily commute distance are rating factors for every Ontario auto insurer, and long GTA commutes push some drivers into a higher usage band. It's worth an honest number rather than an estimate — under-declaring mileage can affect a claim, and over-declaring costs you money on premium.
Often yes, but not every standard carrier will write it. Knob-and-tube, 60-amp panels, older galvanized plumbing, aging shingles and above-ground oil tanks are the four things that most commonly get a Durham home declined by a captive insurer. I place these files with carriers that still write older housing stock and walk you through what upgrades would open up better options at renewal.
Yes — always. A basement apartment or secondary suite changes the risk (extra kitchen, extra tenant, shared exits) and every Ontario insurer requires it to be disclosed. Undisclosed suites are one of the most common reasons Durham homeowners see a claim denied. There are carriers that write owner-occupied homes with a rented suite; we just have to place it there on purpose.
That is a rented-dwelling (landlord) policy, not a homeowner policy. It covers the building, loss of rental income, and your liability as a landlord. Your tenants need their own tenant insurance for their belongings and their own liability — most leases in Durham now require it.
Yes. A big part of my book is Durham-based contractors, landscapers, auto shops, restaurants and plaza owners. I can quote CGL, commercial auto, tools and equipment, commercial property and plaza packages together so the whole file lives with one broker.
Abhishek is a Registered Insurance Broker of Ontario (RIBO) working with clients across Durham Region, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, Brantford and Windsor. Coverage is placed through The Insurance Lab, a division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc., giving clients access to 25+ Canadian insurers so the policy fits the risk — not the other way around.
Send me the address and a few details — I'll compare Ontario carriers on your home, auto or commercial file and walk you through the wording before anything binds.
Coverage placed through The Insurance Lab · Division of BrokerUnion Insurance Inc.