"No-fault" means that your insurance company will pay benefits to you, the driver, and to anyone else injured in your vehicle who doesn't have his or her own Ontario automobile policy, no matter who caused the accident. Their insurance company pays for injuries sustained by persons in the other vehicle.

A person cannot be penalized for a lapse in insurance coverage unless:

• the driver's licence was suspended because of a conviction related to the use or operation of the automobile such as impaired driving;

• an accident or conviction happened that would result in higher premiums and the individual did not notify the insurance company;

• the insurance policy was cancelled for non-payment of an insurance premium.

As much as the insurer is willing to sell you. Most companies will sell up to $2,000,000 on an auto policy. The difference in premium is usually only around $25.00 or less to go from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. At Mitchell and Abbott Group we strongly recommend that all of our clients purchase $2,000,000 liability.

If the accident is an emergency, call 911 and follow the instructions given to you. Use 911 for emergencies only!

If the accident is not an emergency, call the local police for instructions. In Ontario, all personal injury accidents and all accidents resulting in property damage of $2,000 or higher must be reported to the Police. A number of areas have special programs in effect. Metropolitan Toronto, for example, has several Collision Reporting Centres (CRC)* where you must report in person to these centres within 24 hours. (Only if Police were not present at the scene.) Find out what is required in your area, and keep this information handy.

If safe to do so, remove vehicles from the roadway.

Record details of the accident. How, when and where it happened. Include time, date, location, speed of your vehicle, weather and road conditions. Draw a sketch or take a picture of the accident scene indicating the position and direction of the vehicles and cross streets.

Exchange information with the other involved parties. Name, Driver's Licence number, addresses, phone numbers, insurance and vehicle particulars.

you should report any accident within 24 hours of it occurring. Even if the damage is minimal (less than $2000) and you decide not to file an insurance claim, you will have a record of the accident.

Typically, you must inform your insurance company within seven days of when the car accident occurred. You must file an accident benefits claim within 30 days of the accident. If your claim for accident benefits is denied, you have two years to take action against the insurance company.

If you or any party has sustained injuries, or there has been property damage beyond the stipulated amount in the region where the accident occurred, particularly if there is damage to public property, a Police report is required. If you are unsure, it's always best to call the Police for guidance.

Although every policy is different, the average cost of a premium increase for experiencing one at-fault accident is about 15%. If you have a second at-fault accident, that increase will double to about 30%.

Car insurance in Ontario allows others to drive your vehicle. The person driving your car must have your permission along with a valid licence. They must also be using your car legally (not for stunt driving, for example).

Comprehensive insurance does not generally cover items stolen from your vehicle. It will cover the theft of your vehicle or its equipment, such as an aftermarket GPS system or a child's car seat. Comprehensive insurance will provide coverage for repair costs resulting from break-in damages to your vehicle.