Self-Assessment Questions: Do You Need Optional Accident Benefits?

Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario is changing auto insurance to give you more flexibility and control over your accident benefits coverage.

This checklist is intended to help you think about whether any optional accident benefits may be appropriate for you or others covered under your policy.  For complete details and personalized advice, please speak to your insurance broker.

Before You Begin:

If you have a workplace or private benefits plan, you may already have coverage for some of the benefits listed below.

Before making changes to the optional accident benefits on your auto insurance policy, review your existing coverage or speak with your employer’s benefits advisor to ensure you have appropriate protection.

Income Replacement Benefit

• Do you rely on your employment income to support yourself or others?
• If you were injured in an automobile accident, would you have disability benefits through your employer or a private policy?

Non-earner Benefit

• Are you a student, unemployed, or retired?
• Would an injury affect your ability to live independently or continue your education?

Caregiver Benefit

• Are you the primary caregiver for children, aging parents or disabled family members?
• Are you a single parent?

Lost Educational Expenses

• Are you a full-time or part-time student?
• Would an injury delay or prevent you from completing your studies?

Expenses of visitors benefit.

• Do your immediate family members live far away?
• Would they need to travel to visit you if you were seriously injured?

Housekeeping & Home Maintenance Benefit

• Would you need to hire someone to take over housekeeping or home maintenance duties if you were injured?

Damage to Personal Items Benefit

• Do you regularly carry valuable items in your vehicle, such as glasses, hearing aids or mobility devices?
• Would replacing these items be costly if they were damaged in an automobile accident?

Death Benefit

• Would your family need financial support to cover ongoing expenses if you passed away as a result of an automobile accident?

Funeral Benefit

• Would your family struggle to cover funeral or burial expenses?

Increased Medical, Rehabilitation and Attendant Care Benefits

• Do you feel standard coverage may not be enough for your situation?
• Do you have underlying health conditions, a high-risk lifestyle, or limited coverage elsewhere?

Dependent Care Benefit

• Do you have children or dependents who rely on you for daily care?
• Would an injury prevent you from working and caring for them at the same time?

Indexation Benefit

• Are you concerned about rising costs reducing the value of your benefits in the future?