Car insurance for Alberta drivers

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Get customized car insurance coverage for Alberta drivers

Do you spend your weekdays navigating rush hour traffic in Edmonton? Driving often from Airdrie to Calgary to visit friends and family? Love cruising the mountain roads to enjoy the beauty of Jasper and Banff? No matter where you drive in Alberta, protect you and your car with the best auto insurance. Sonnet has you covered. Get customized coverage written in plain language at a competitive price. Plus it’s easy to get an auto insurance quote and buy completely online. We’ve made car insurance in Alberta better, so your drive is worry-free.

Why do you need car insurance?

In Alberta, if you own a vehicle, by law you must have auto insurance. But this isn’t the only reason. Think of it as a future investment. The average cost of a car repair claim in Alberta is $5,549. Save yourself from the cost of having to repair or replace your vehicle if it’s damaged or in an accident. Plus, you can limit how much you’ll have to pay if you cause damage or injuries to other people while driving. We all know that accidents can happen, even to the best drivers. Make sure you have the financial help you’ll need, with the best car insurance in Alberta.

What does car insurance in Alberta cover?

In Alberta, insurance is regulated by the provincial government. Whether you lease, finance or own your car, you need certain basic coverages to be able to legally drive. You can also add coverages to increase protection for yourself and your vehicle. Here’s a look at how your car insurance policy has you covered. You should always review your auto policy so you know exactly what you’re covered for – and what you’re not.

Mandatory car insurance coverage

Liability

In Alberta, you must have liability coverage in order to drive. This will protect you and other drivers financially in case of an accident where you’re at fault. Liability covers any damages, injuries or losses experienced by another driver or individual.

Accident Benefits

If you sustain any injuries or damages from an accident, the standard benefits in Alberta will cover your costs for medical, rehabilitation, and income replacement – whether you’re at fault or not.

Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD)

This covers loss or damage to your vehicle and its contents in an accident with another vehicle to the extent that you’re not at fault. In the event of a claim, you’ll always work directly with us – not the other person’s insurer. We’ll also set you up with a rental car if you need it!

Collision or Upset

This covers loss or damage to your vehicle and its contents caused by specific events. These events include an accident with another vehicle where you’re at fault, an accident with an object (like a guardrail or a tree), or if your car rolls over.

Although it’s optional, this coverage is considered essential. Without it, you’ll have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace your vehicle if these events happen. If you lease or finance your car, this coverage is usually required by your lessor or lender.

Comprehensive

It’s not just when you’re driving that your vehicle could be damaged. Comprehensive insurance in Alberta has your vehicle covered for damage from things like falling objects, hail, vandalism, fire, theft, lightning, windstorm and earthquake. This coverage is usually mandatory if you’re leasing or financing your vehicle.

Heads up! Want protection in case of a parking lot hit and run? Be sure to add this coverage to your policy.

Optional car insurance coverage

Accident Forgiveness

Clean record for the last 6 years? We won’t increase your rate due to your first at-fault accident and we automatically apply this protection again if after another 6 years you’ve got a clean record.

Heads up! Accident Forgiveness applies to your first at-fault claim only. If you have another at-fault accident, your Accident Forgiveness will be removed from your policy. You’ll be rated for both accidents – and any at-fault accidents after that.

Rental Extension Bundle
  • Rental Costs. We’ll take care of your rental car after an at-fault collision or during a comprehensive claim (that’s not theft). Even better – there’s no arbitrary limit, so you’ll get a rental car comparable to your own.
  • Non-Owned Vehicle Coverage. We’ll cover you for the loss or damage to any borrowed or rented vehicle.
Vroom Service Bundle
  • Roadside Assistance. We’ll reimburse you for up to $50 for related emergency expenses.
  • New/Used Vehicle Replacement. We’ll replace your vehicle without any adjustment for depreciation.
  • Hit-and-Run Deductible Waiver. We’ll waive your deductible up to $1,000 in the event of a hit-and-run, as long as it’s reported within a reasonable time (like a day).

    Heads up! This bundle is not available in Ontario. Our Enhanced Protection Bundle offers the best comparable coverage for Ontario drivers.

How much does car insurance cost in Alberta?

Car insurance rates in Alberta are unique to each driver. We’ll consider things like your driving record, claims history, and how you use your car. Insurance companies also look at the type of vehicle you drive and what part of Alberta you live in. Want to see some numbers? Here’s a look at the average cost for auto insurance with Sonnet throughout Alberta. It’s quick and easy to find out how much car insurance will cost you. Just get a free quote online.

$162/month avg.

Teachers in Calgary will typically pay less for auto insurance than the average household spends monthly on takeout dinners.

$187/month avg.

A university graduate in Edmonton can expect their car insurance to cost around the same as a monthly house cleaning service.

$242/month avg.

The average cost of bundling home and auto insurance in Alberta is about as much as your typical monthly online shopping bill.

“I loved the online chat! I received reliable answers instantly, which saved me a lot of time instead of having to call in. Sonnet offered everything that I needed and at a good rate.” “We switched to Sonnet last year after 20 years of loyalty to another insurance company. It’s so easy to make changes to our policy and someone is always at the ready to answer our questions.”
How you can save on auto insurance in Alberta

Engineering & accounting graduates in Alberta

Whether you crunch numbers or design solutions, we have savings for you. Get an exclusive discount for engineering and accounting graduates in Alberta.

Alberta Teachers

We want to educate teachers on how they can save more on auto insurance. Learn how you can get an exclusive discount as an Alberta Teacher.

Canadian University Alumni

Calling all university grads – save on auto insurance in Alberta as a Canadian University Alumni.

Questions about car insurance in Alberta? We’ve got answers

Getting an auto insurance quote with Sonnet is quick and easy – with plenty of help along the way. Read through our current blogs or most frequently asked questions about car insurance to get started.

How can I save on my auto insurance?

We give you our best price that’s specifically tailored for you. We’ve come up with a number of ways to help make sure you get the best price on your insurance.

There are a number of ways you could save on your auto insurance:

  • Exclusive Sonnet Savings. Self-service has its benefits! You’ll save just for purchasing your insurance online. How easy is that?
  • Claims Free. If you’re lucky enough to have been claims-free for six years, you could save.
  • Convictions Free. Good driving behaviour deserves to be rewarded!
  • Multi-Vehicle. Insuring more than one vehicle with us? Awesome! You may qualify for a multi-vehicle saving.
  • Multi-Policy (home and auto). You could save when you insure both your home and your vehicle with us.
  • Winter Tires (only in Ontario). They’ll keep you safe and help you save on your auto insurance.
  • Canadian University Alumni and Canadian College Alumni. You could save when you are a Canadian University or College alumni or student.
How do I get the eSlip or pink slip for my new car insurance?

Once you've purchased your car insurance, we’ll send you an email with a link to activate your Sonnet account. Your pink slip and proof of insurance will be accessible directly through your account dashboard. Here you can also get the steps to add your eSlip right to your phone’s digital wallet.

If you would like to download an eSlip, here are the steps to add it to your phone:

  1. Download the Sonnet Insurance app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play store app (Android).
  2. Log in to your account in the app using the same email and password you set up for your Sonnet account.
  3. For first-time users, tap the ‘Get your eSlip’ banner over the ‘More’ tab. Agree to the terms and conditions for eSlips. Choose your vehicle (for single policies) or choose your policy then vehicle (for multiple polices).
  4. eSlips will automatically update in your digital wallet app after a policy change or renewal. If you notice that it hasn’t automatically updated, tap on the ‘More’ tab, then tap ‘Pink Slip’. Choose your vehicle (for single policies) or choose your policy then vehicle (for multiple polices).
  5. Your eSlip will automatically be added to your phone’s digital wallet.

Heads up! If you are an iOS (iPhone) user, the Background app refresh setting must always be turned ON. This setting allows eSlips to automatically update when you make a policy change or renew your policy.

Follow these steps to turn this setting ON:

  1. Go to your iPhone Settings and scroll down until you see the Sonnet Insurance App.
  2. Simply tap the Background App Refresh toggle, so it is ON (green).

Want to view your physical pink slip in your account? Follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your account and click on the ‘Easily access your digital pink slip’ card.
  2. For single policies click ’Download’. For multiple policies, choose your policy number and then click ‘Download’.

We’ll also send you a hard copy of your pink slip through the mail (which takes about 5 business days).

Haven’t received your liability slip in the mail? First, double check the mailing address listed on your account. You can do this by signing into your account and selecting Settings. If your mailing address is incorrect or you would like to request a new pink slip be mailed, contact us.

Is car insurance mandatory in Alberta?

Yes. In order to legally drive a vehicle in Alberta, you must have at minimum third-party liability and accident benefits coverage. Collision and comprehensive coverages aren’t required. But, many drivers opt to add them to their policy. Without them, damage to your car won’t be covered and you’ll have to pay out of pocket if something happens. 

If you have any questions about what you might or might not need, check out our FAQ page or reach out to one of our Insurance Agents via chat or email. They’re always happy to answer your questions about Alberta car insurance coverage, pricing and more. Remember, every driver has different needs depending on where they live, how they drive and what car they own. It’s best to find out from an auto insurance expert what’ll work for you.

Can you switch car insurance companies at any time in Alberta?

Yes, with most insurance companies you usually can. But, timing matters. Depending on where you are in your policy term, you could be charged a cancellation fee. This is also known as a short rate fee. To avoid paying a hefty penalty out of pocket, the best time to switch insurance providers is typically right before or at renewal. But, you might just find that you could save more by switching now, despite a cancellation fee.

Heads up! If you do switch insurance companies, always secure coverage for a new policy before cancelling your current policy.

How do I know how much auto insurance coverage I need?

There are a couple of things you need to consider:

Liability limits. We'll cover you and the people on your policy for valid claims, and the cost of settling those claims, if you're held liable for injuries or damage to someone else's property as a result of an auto accident. Tip: Minimize how much you could be financially liable for in the case of a major accident by increasing this limit.

In Quebec, we cover the damages to your vehicle as well as those to someone else’s property. However, injuries are covered under the Quebec public insurance plan, SAAQ.

Extra coverages. If your vehicle would cost more than the deductible amount to repair it, you might consider adding Collision: Your Fault and/or Comprehensive coverage. (In Quebec, Collision coverage is called “Collision and Upset”, and Comprehensive is known as “All Perils Other than Collision and Upset”.) If your vehicle is involved in a collision with another object or tips over, Collision coverage will help cover the damage. Comprehensive covers your vehicle against loss or damage other than what's covered by Collision. This includes falling or flying objects, missiles and vandalism, and all the things listed under Specified Perils.

Review our guide on what coverages you should choose when getting a car insurance quote in Toronto.

How much is car insurance in Alberta for new drivers?

The cost of car insurance for new drivers in Alberta is generally higher than what more experienced drivers pay, no matter who you’re insured with. The best thing you can do as a young or new driver is drive safely. A ticket- and accident-free driving record helps to keep your premium lower, since to insurers, a good record means lower risk.

As a new driver, taking a driver’s ed course could help you save on your insurance. And, as long as you keep a clean driving record while you gain more driving experience, you’ll likely see your premium go down over time. So, keep driving safely!

How do you buy car insurance in Alberta?

The provincial government in Alberta decides which coverages drivers are required to have by law. It’s also in charge of approving rates and pricing for car insurance, which is sold through private insurers. 

Our advice? Get in touch with several different companies to compare car insurance quotes. Then, you can select which one works best for you based on coverage, price, claims service, and customer care.

Looking to change car insurance companies?

Answer a few questions to find out how much it could cost you to switch to Sonnet.

Average monthly premiums for auto insurance in Alberta are based on current Sonnet policies as of October 2020, with assumptions made to determine demographic groups.

The average cost of an auto claim in Alberta is based on 2019 claims data from Sonnet and Economical Insurance.