2026 Ontario Auto Reform Changes – Frequently Asked Questions
Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario is modernizing its auto insurance to give drivers more choice and flexibility. Drivers will be able to choose benefits to fit their needs and budget. Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will remain mandatory to ensure everyone has access to essential recovery support. All other accident benefit coverages, such as income replacement, will become optional.
The only benefits that will remain mandatory are medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits. All other accident benefits will become optional, including:
- Income replacement: Helps replace income you may lose because of an auto accident.
- Non-earner: If you are a student or unemployed and an auto accident impacts your daily activities, this coverage can provide financial support while you recover.
- Caregiver benefits: This benefit covers caregiving expenses if you, or another person covered by your policy, are injured in an auto accident and can no longer provide care for a dependant. This may include a child, an aging parent, or another adult in your household who relies on you for daily care.
- Lost educational expenses: If an auto accident keeps you from attending school or an education program, this benefit can help to cover the costs you have lost.
- Expenses of visitors: Covers reasonable and necessary expenses for certain visitors of the insured person who visit you after an auto accident. These visitors could include a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent or sibling.
- Housekeeping and home maintenance: Helps pay for housekeeping or home maintenance services if you or another person covered by your policy, are unable to perform these tasks because of auto accident-related injuries.
- Damage to personal items: Helps cover the cost to repair or replace personal items damaged in an auto accident, such as clothing, prescription eyewear, and hearing aids.
- Death benefits: Provides financial compensation to certain family members if you, or another covered person, dies as a result of an auto accident.
- Funeral benefits: Helps cover the cost of some funeral expenses if you, or another covered person, die due to an auto accident.
- Supplementary medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits, indexation and dependant care benefits will continue to be optional.
OPCF/OEF 47R is a new, FSRA-approved endorsement that all Ontario auto insurers are now using. It outlines which optional Accident Benefits you chose to purchase — or chose not to purchase — on your auto policy.
It also protects you in situations where, due to Ontario’s priority of payment rules, you may need to claim Accident Benefits under someone else’s policy (for example, a family member’s policy or policy on another vehicle). In those cases, that other policy may not include the same optional benefits you specifically chose and paid for.
With OPCF/OEF 47R, you’re still entitled to receive both the mandatory and optional Accident Benefits you purchased, even if the claim must be processed through another policy first.
Please note: If there is a discrepancy between this endorsement and the Certificate of Automobile Insurance, the Certificate of Automobile Insurance will prevail. It is the document that contains the correct and binding information. The endorsement is only added to the policy if optional coverage is selected.
Yes, we are offering AccidentCare Plus, an exclusive optional bundle from Northbridge Insurance designed to make choosing additional benefits simple and convenient. It includes coverage for:
- Lost Educational Expenses
- Expenses to Visitors
- Damage to Personal Items
- Death Benefit
- Funeral Benefit
Please note that AccidentCare Plus is only available as a bundle and cannot be purchased on its own.
Every policyholder can add or remove optional accident benefits from their policy.
Beginning July 1, 2026, optional benefits under your auto policy will only apply to:
- The named insured
- The spouse of the named insured
- Dependants of the named insured and of the named insured’s spouse
- Persons specified in the policy as drivers of the automobile
Pedestrians, cyclists, passengers or others are not covered for optional benefits unless they fall into one of the above groups.
Some Ontarians already pay for benefits through their employer or private insurance plans. These reforms eliminate a one-size-fits-all approach, and consumers will no longer have to pay for benefits they may already have elsewhere or do not want to buy.
Beginning July 1, 2026, you can tailor your auto insurance to fit your personal situation. That means you will not have to pay for benefits you do not need, and you can choose to add benefits that provide extra protection for you and your family.
Before adding or removing optional benefits, take a moment to review your current auto insurance policy and any benefits you may already have through your workplace or private plans. Think about your personal needs and whether certain coverages are practical for your situation. Your broker can walk you through your options and help you choose the benefits that best fit your needs and budget, so you can make a confident and informed decision.
To learn more about optional benefits, speak with your broker.
Before speaking with your broker, you should review your current auto insurance policy to better understand what coverage you currently have and think about your needs. Thoroughly review your workplace and private benefits plans to see what other coverage you may already have.
If you’re a renewing customer, all accident benefits except medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care will become optional. Your current coverage will automatically continue as is, unless you choose to remove or add optional benefits. You can review and update your coverage based on your needs and budget.
Customers who are purchasing auto insurance for the first time or who are starting a new policy on or after July 1, 2026, can choose which optional accident benefits they would like to purchase. Ask your broker which benefits are included in your quote. You may want to add optional benefits to your policy based on your needs.
You may need to change your optional accident benefits if your situation changes, such as starting a new job, having children, or taking on caregiving responsibilities. Only the coverage in place at the time of an auto accident will apply to your claim. To update your coverage, contact your broker to review your options and make sure your policy reflects your current needs.
Please review your auto insurance policy and contact your broker to discuss making changes to your optional benefits prior to renewal.
If you are shopping for a new policy on or after July 1, 2026, you may choose which optional accident benefits you’d like to purchase. Ask your broker which benefits are included in your quote. You may want to add optional benefits to your policy based on your needs.
Yes. You can update your optional accident benefits at any time during your policy term. Only the coverage you have in place on the date of an accident will apply to your claim.
Speak to your broker to add the optional accident benefits to your auto insurance policy.
Yes, the changes to accident benefits optionality will impact all drivers and auto insurance policies in Ontario, including personal private passenger, commercial, motorcycle, snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle policies.
You may be covered for certain accident benefits coverage when renting a car. Remember to review your auto insurance policy and the rental contract to understand what you’re covered for.
As of July 1, 2026, optional accident benefits coverage will only apply to the named insured, their spouse, dependants of the named insured and of the named insured’s spouse and listed drivers. Passengers injured in an auto accident will not be covered for optional benefits unless they fall into one of these groups under an auto insurance policy that includes optional benefits. However, standard accident benefits will still apply to all passengers.
Standard accident benefits will still apply to uninsured pedestrians and cyclists. Optional accident benefits coverage will only apply to the named insured, their spouse, dependants of the named insured, the name insured’s spouse, and drivers listed in the policy. Pedestrians and cyclists injured in an auto accident will not be covered for optional benefits unless they fall into one of these groups under an auto insurance policy that includes optional benefits.
There is no impact to ongoing claims, the auto insurance coverage you had at the time of the accident applies to your claim.
If you’re injured in an auto accident, you may have coverage through both your auto insurance and your supplementary health insurance plan. Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario is making changes to ensure that auto insurance will pay first for medical or rehabilitation benefits (except for medication costs) for any injury sustained in an auto accident. This means your auto insurance provider will cover these costs before your workplace or private health plan, helping you preserve those benefits for other life events.