Accident Benefit Changes · Effective July 1, 2026
Your coverage is safe at renewal.
Ontario is giving drivers more choice over their accident benefits. Your policy renews with the same protection you have today, and most people don't need to do anything.
The short version
- Your policy renews automatically with the same coverage you have now.
- Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care stay mandatory.
- You'll only need to act if your life circumstances have changed.
What's Changing?
Ontario is introducing changes under the Insurance Act that give drivers more choice over their Statutory Accident Benefits, often shortened to SABs. These benefits are "no-fault," so they're paid no matter who caused the accident, and that isn't changing. The essentials stay mandatory, while some benefits become optional when you renew on or after July 1, 2026. Before the full breakdown, two things to understand: who the optional benefits cover, and how your medical expenses get paid.
Who's Covered?
Even though your policy renews with the same coverage, the people covered by the newly optional benefits change on July 1, 2026, regardless of your renewal date. Optional benefits will cover:
- The named insured
- The spouse of the named insured
- Dependants of the named insured and of their spouse
- Drivers listed on the policy
How are Expenses Paid?
There's also a change to how some medical and rehabilitation expenses are paid. After the changes take effect, your auto insurer will generally become the first payer for these expenses, excluding medication, before any workplace or supplementary health plan.
Keep it in mind if you also carry benefits through your employer or a private plan.
How every benefit breaks down
| Benefit | What it covers | If you opt out |
|---|---|---|
| Medical, Rehabilitation & Attendant CareMandatory | Medical expenses, therapy and personal care after an accident, including doctor visits, physiotherapy and personal support during recovery. | Always included. This coverage can't be removed. |
| Income ReplacementOptional | Helps replace lost income if you, or anyone covered under the policy, is injured and can't work. | You'd have no income support from your auto policy, and may need to rely on Employment Insurance, CPP disability or Ontario Disability Support. |
| CaregiverOptional | Helps cover caregiving costs if a covered person can no longer care for a household member, such as a child or aging parent. | Removed from your policy. |
| Non-EarnerOptional | Provides support if a covered person is a student or unemployed and an accident keeps them from leading a normal life. | Removed from your policy. |
| Lost Educational ExpensesOptional | Reimburses certain costs for education programs a covered person can't attend as a result of an accident. | Removed from your policy. |
| Visitor ExpensesOptional | May cover reasonable travel and lodging costs for family visiting a covered person during treatment or recovery. | Removed from your policy. |
| Housekeeping & Home MaintenanceOptional | Helps cover costs when a covered person can't do the housekeeping and home maintenance they handled before an accident. | Removed from your policy. |
| Damage to Personal ItemsOptional | Covers repairing or replacing personal items such as clothing, prescription glasses or hearing aids damaged in an accident. | Removed from your policy. |
| Death BenefitOptional | May compensate some members of your family if a covered person is killed as a result of an accident. | Removed from your policy. |
| Funeral BenefitOptional | May pay for some funeral expenses if a covered person is killed as a result of an accident. | Removed from your policy. |
Questions worth asking yourself
The optional benefits aren't one-size-fits-all. These four questions can help you decide which ones to keep for your household before you renew.
IncomeReplacement
If you couldn't work after an accident, where would your income come from? Income replacement helps cover the gap when you have no workplace or disability plan to fall back on.
CaregiverBenefits
Are you the main caregiver for a child, aging parent or someone with a disability? Caregiver benefits help cover the cost of their care if an accident leaves you injured.
Non-EarnerBenefits
What if an accident kept you from daily life while a student or between jobs? Non-earner benefits provide financial support through your recovery when no income is coming in.
Housekeeping& Home Care
Who would handle the cleaning, shovelling and yard work if an injury stopped you? Housekeeping benefits help cover the cost of those everyday tasks while you focus on recovery.
Your next steps
A few simple steps will help you feel confident about your coverage at renewal.
-
1
Check your current policy
See which accident benefits coverage you already have.
-
2
Review your other coverage
Look at workplace or private benefit plans, including life and health insurance.
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3
Consider your needs
Think about which optional benefits are right for your household.
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4
Talk to your broker
Get advice and explore your options before making any changes.
Need Help? Let's Talk.
Your coverage is safe at renewal. If you'd like to review your benefits or talk through your options, our team will walk you through everything and recommend the package that fits your life.
Review My CoveragePrefer to talk now? Call us toll free at (866) 955-2281.
Common questions
The questions we hear most often from policyholders about the upcoming accident benefit changes.
Ask Us AnythingNo. Your policy renews automatically with the same coverage and limits you have now. The optional benefits stay on your policy unless you ask, in writing, to remove or change them.
These changes are about giving you more choice. They're not a rate increase. If you keep your current benefits, your coverage stays the same. Removing optional benefits could lower your premium, though it may leave you paying out of pocket after an accident. A review helps you weigh the short-term saving against the long-term cost.
Possibly. Some workplace and private health plans overlap with the optional accident benefits, so compare the two before you decide. Your broker can help you see where you're already covered and where a gap might remain.
That benefit would no longer be part of your policy, so you wouldn't be able to claim it. For example, opting out of income replacement means you'd need to rely on other sources, such as Employment Insurance sickness benefits, if you couldn't work.
Optional accident benefits cover the named insured, their spouse, dependants of the insured and their spouse, and any drivers listed on the policy.
Contact your Erion broker. We'll walk through your current benefits, look at coverage you may already have elsewhere, and recommend the package that fits your situation.
This page is a plain-language summary of the statutory accident benefits set out in Ontario Regulation 34/10. Please don't rely on this summary alone. For full details, refer to the accident benefit wordings at fsrao.ca or speak with a licensed Erion insurance broker.