Car insurance in Thunder Bay: Quote online today
Take advantage of our bundling discounts, group savings and more! Switch and you could save over $600 with Sonnet.
Getting car insurance in Thunder Bay is easy with Sonnet!
If you live in Thunder Bay, driving is essential – and so is having the right coverage. At Sonnet, we make getting the right car insurance simple. You can get a quote and buy car insurance online in just a few clicks. Get customized coverage, in language you’ll understand, at a competitive price – and do it all online. We’ve changed insurance to be a breeze, so you can worry less whether you’re running errands in town, enjoying scenic rides down Terry Fox Lookout, or visiting the iconic Sleeping Giant.
Why do you need car insurance in Thunder Bay?
You're required to have car insurance to operate a vehicle in Thunder Bay. Beyond that, car insurance protects one of your biggest investments from the unique challenges faced by Thunder Bay drivers! Hail, wild animals, and fire are all very real perils up north that aren’t as common for cities in Southern Ontario.
Having the right coverage, including add-ons like Comprehensive and Collision or Upset, can save you from having to cover the cost for repairing your vehicle – or even replacing it – if these things happen. It can also foot costly bills if you cause property damage, or injuries to other people, while driving.
Mandatory and optional car insurance in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay follows the same rules for car insurance as the rest of Ontario. To make sure everyone has basic protection, certain coverages are required by law. Here’s a list of car insurance coverages that are
Essential car insurance coverage in Thunder Bay
You must have liability coverage in order to drive in Ontario. It protects 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.
If you sustain any injuries or damages from an accident, the standard benefits will cover your costs for medical, rehabilitation, and income replacement. In Ontario, there is additional coverage for caregiver and housekeeping or home maintenance benefits. You can also choose to upgrade any of your standard accident benefits coverages or purchase optional benefits.
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!
DCPD isn’t mandatory in Ontario, but it’s considered essential. Without it, you’ll have to pay to repair or replace your vehicle if you’re not at fault in a collision with another vehicle.
Heads up! Vehicle hit and run accidents aren’t covered under DCPD. Want coverage in case of a hit and run accident? Make sure you have Collision or Upset coverage added to your policy.
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 or an accident with an object (like a guardrail or a tree). This also provides coverage if your car rolls over, or if your vehicle is subject to a hit and run and reported to police within 24 hours.
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.
It’s not just when you’re driving that your vehicle could be damaged. Comprehensive insurance in Ontario has your vehicle covered for damage from things like falling objects, vandalism, fire, theft, lightning, windstorm and earthquake.
Heads up! This coverage is optional but highly recommended. If you don’t have it, you’ll have to cover the costs if any of the above (and more) happen.
Do you lease or finance your vehicle? Having both comprehensive and collision coverage may actually be required by your lessor or lender. Find out more about insuring a
Optional car insurance coverage in Thunder Bay
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!
Protect that squeaky-clean history and your rate! When it comes time for renewal, your minor ticket won’t impact your rate. We’ll pretend like it didn’t even happen.
Ontario drivers get the benefits of four great coverages and savings to match, all in one convenient bundle.
Loss of Use Coverage
We’ll take care of your rental car costs after an at-fault collision or during a comprehensive claim. You’re covered for up to 30 days per occurrence for a rental car comparable to your own. This doesn’t cover loss or damage to a borrowed or rented vehicle.
Damage to Non-Owned Vehicle Coverage
We’ll cover you for the loss or damage to a borrowed or rented vehicle comparable to your own.
Roadside Assistance
We’ll reimburse you up to $50 for emergency expenses. This includes tow truck services, battery replacement, or installing a spare tire.
Hit and Run Deductible Waiver
We’ll waive your deductible up to $1,000 in the event of a hit-and-run if it’s reported to the police within 24 hours.
How much is car insurance in Thunder Bay?
$195/month is the average cost of car insurance in Thunder Bay with Sonnet. Get car insurance for less than a week’s worth of groceries for two people in Thunder Bay.
How car insurance is calculated in Thunder Bay
Car insurance prices are calculated on the likelihood of a claim. This is why auto insurance prices are generally cheaper in Thunder Bay than in denser cities like Toronto where people are more likely to get into accidents on the road. Other individual factors such as your driving record and claims history are also at play. We get it – having cheap car insurance is a must for anyone on a budget. But having the best car insurance also means having the right coverage for you and your car.
Ways to lower your car insurance cost in Thunder Bay
There are a number of ways to make sure you get the best price on your car insurance:
- Exclusive Sonnet Savings
Sonnet is partnered with a range of associations and offers discounts to specific groups related to education, profession or affinities. Plug in your details while you’re getting a quote to see if you’re eligible for any of our group discounts. - Convictions Free
Good driving behaviour deserves to be rewarded! A driving record free of tickets and driving infractions lets us know that you’re a responsible driver, and could lower your car insurance. - Claims Free
Your claims history is another way we determine how well you drive. Being claims-free for six years or more can be reflected in your driving record and could help you score a better insurance rate. - Multi-Vehicle
Have more than one car in your household? If you insure more than one vehicle with us you may qualify for our multi-vehicle savings. - Watch your daily commute
Your insurance rates are impacted by how much you drive. Why? A longer daily commute (km) means you run a higher chance of coming across busy streets like Memorial, and the more likely you are to get into an accident. By taking public transportation to school or work, you may be able to lower your car insurance! - Winter Tires (only in Ontario)
Install a full set of winter tires and you’ll be eligible for a winter tire insurance discount. Just make sure the set you have are true winter tires, marked with a logo of a three-peaked mountain and a snowflake. You’ll usually need to have them on between November 1st and April 1st. - Choose your next car wisely
Car theft has been on the rise in Canada, and some makes and models are more targeted than others. If you’re in the market for a new car and don’t want a potential theft claim to jack up your insurance prices, you may want to avoid getting a high theft vehicle in the top stolen vehicles list.
Drive safe and save up to 35% with Sonnet Shift
Want more control over your auto insurance premium? With
Our free, easy-to-use smartphone app monitors your driving and scores it. Every three months you could earn savings of up to 35% for driving safely, and at renewal, you could be rewarded for driving less through our
Bundle home and auto
Bundling your home and auto insurance could mean up to 20% in savings. Insuring more than one vehicle could also qualify you for multi-vehicle savings.
Engineering & accounting graduates in Ontario
Engineers and accountants can appreciate a well-designed solution. Use our online platform and claim your
Canadian University Alumni
Get more from your degree.
Online auto claims
Report car insurance claims online 24/7 directly through your account, and chat with a live Claims team member if you need help. Or, do it over the phone – the choice is yours.
Customer satisfaction
Online doesn’t have to mean on-your-own. Email, chat or call our fully-licensed Insurance Agents and experience our top quality customer care.
24/7 towing
Get a tow you can trust. On top of our 24/7 claims reporting, Sonnet provides 24-hour
Questions about car insurance in Thunder Bay? 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.
Collision and comprehensive coverage work together to protect your car from many kinds of damage. When you have both, you’ll be covered for most types of damage. Plus, you won’t need to pay out-of-pocket to repair or replace your car.
Collision coverage protects your car when you’re at-fault in an accident, such as:
- Your car hits another car
- Your car hits an object (like a road sign or a street light)
- Your car rolls over
Heads up! For some not-at-fault accidents, like if you’re involved in a
Comprehensive coverage is a little different, because it protects your car from damage that’s caused from things other than an accident. This could be a rock hitting your windshield or a tree falling on your car during a storm. While comprehensive coverage can differ between insurers, here’s what it commonly covers you for:
- Your car is damaged by fire
- Your car is vandalized
- Your car is stolen
- Your car is damaged by a falling object
- Your car is damaged from a wind or hailstorm
Heads up! Although not mandatory coverage, if you lease your vehicle, both collision and comprehensive coverage are usually required by your leasing or financing company. Learn more about
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 andCanadian College Alumni . You could save when you are a Canadian University or College alumni or student.
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:
- Download the
Sonnet Insurance app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play store app (Android). - Log in to your account in the app using the same email and password you set up for your Sonnet account.
- 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).
- 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).
- 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
Follow these steps to turn this setting ON:
- Go to your iPhone Settings and scroll down until you see the Sonnet Insurance App.
- 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:
- Log in to your account and click on the ‘Easily access your digital pink slip’ card.
- 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,
Yes, you’ll still need to get car insurance for your leased or financed vehicle. It’s not included in your lease or contract.
The leasing or financing company may have specific car insurance requirements as a condition of your contract with them. These could include a minimum deductible for collision and comprehensive coverages. You’ll also need to list them on your policy as an additional interest, since they have a stake in your car. And, they’ll require you to provide them with proof of insurance.
Still have questions? Learn more about how
In Ontario, the minimum coverage required by law is:
Liability - Uninsured Automobile Coverage
Accident Benefits
You can’t legally drive without these three.
Heads up! As of January 1, 2024, Ontario auto insurance policyholders can opt out of Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD). DCPD was previously mandatory in Ontario. This coverage is also known as Collision – Not Your Fault.
Think carefully before removing DCPD from a vehicle. If you decide to opt out, here’s what to consider:
- You’ll have to pay out of pocket to repair or replace the vehicle even if you’re not at fault in an accident.
- You won’t be compensated by anyone else’s policy. And, you can’t sue anyone to recover damages. This includes anyone at fault for causing the damage. It also includes their insurer.
- If you have Collision or All Perils coverage, they will be removed from that vehicle.
- Extras like towing, storage, and a rental vehicle will also be removed.
- If you lease or finance your car, the contract with your lender might not allow it.
- You can’t remove the coverage through your Sonnet.ca account. You must call in and we’ll send you a paper consent form to fill out and send back to us.
We always want you to be fully protected! Have questions about your policy?
Getting car insurance in Canada is easy. With Sonnet, you can get a car insurance quote online in minutes. All you’ll need is your driver’s license number, vehicle identification number (VIN) and the answers to a few simple questions – we do the rest of the work for you!
Did you know? Your