Brampton tops latest list of most costly car insurance rates

BramptonGuardian.com
Oct. 19, 2016
Pam Douglas

Likely to no one’s surprise, Brampton drivers pay the highest car insurance rates in the province – paying 65 per cent more than the provincial average – according to a recent top 10 list.

But the city sitting in the number 2 spot, Vaughan, is not that far behind.

Mississauga ranks third on the list, prepared by online insurance marketplace Kanetix.ca.

“While there are a lot of variables that go into determining what you pay to insure your vehicle, one of the most influential factors is where you live,” said Kanetix.ca vice-president Janine White in a release. “If you reside anywhere in the GTA, chances are you’ll be paying a lot more.”

The numbers used for comparison are based on a single 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record.

In Brampton, that driver pays approximately $2,392 a year. In Vaughan, that same driver pays $2,018 and in Mississauga, $1,930 a year. The provincial average for that driver is approximately $1,448.

Kanetix.ca notes there are several variables that come into play when premiums are calculated, including driving record, make and model of vehicle, how likely it is the vehicle could be stolen, and where the driver lives.

The lowest premiums – around $1,000 annually – are found in Hawkesbury, Renfrew, Petawawa, Pembroke, Port Elgin, Kincardine, Smith Falls, Perth, Gananoque, Carleton Place and Brockville.

There are also several big cities where drivers pay premiums estimated below the provincial average, according to the company. Those cities include: Whitby ($1,443), Windsor ($1,375), Barrie ($1,366), Oshawa ($1,354), St. Catharines ($1,317), Kitchener ($1,251), Cambridge ($1,172), Waterloo ($1,165), Ottawa ($1,142) and Guelph ($1,128).

SIDEBAR
Top 10 most expensive cities for car insurance:
1.  Brampton – $2,392 (65 per cent higher than the provincial average);
2.  Vaughan – $2,018 (39 per cent higher than the provincial average);
3.  Mississauga – $1,930 (33 per cent higher than the provincial average);
4 (a). Toronto – $1,886 (30 per cent higher than the provincial average);
4 (b). Markham – $1,886 (30 per cent higher than the provincial average);
6. Richmond Hill – $1,783 (23 per cent higher than the provincial average);
7. Hamilton – $1,683 (16 per cent higher than the provincial average);
8. Pickering – $1,593 (10 per cent higher than the provincial average);
9. Ajax – $1,556 (7.5 per cent higher than the provincial average);
10 (a). Bradford – $1,484 (2.5 per cent higher than provincial average);
10 (b). Stouffville – $1,484 (2.5 per cent higher than provincial average).