Home insurance: Get a quote & buy online
Protect your house, your stuff and yourself with homeowners insurance – in minutes.
Own your home? You could get home insurance in minutes
If you live in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or P.E.I., you can buy property insurance online with Sonnet in just a few clicks. We’ve changed home insurance in Canada for the better with a free online home insurance quote that offers customized coverage, in language that makes sense, at a competitive price. We’ve made getting insurance easier – so you can focus on the important stuff.
Looking for condo or tenant insurance? We’ve got you covered for that too.
How does home insurance work?
Whether it’s your first home, your forever home, or your vacation home, make sure you have the protection you need. When a claim happens, home insurance helps to put you back to where you were beforehand – letting you get back to making memories in the place you love.
What does home insurance cover?
Home insurance covers you for more than just fire, wind and glass damage. Here are some of the main coverages you can find under a standard all risk homeowners policy – and some optional home insurance add ons you might need. Don’t forget, policies can differ between home insurance companies. Always review your policy to understand what you’re covered for and what exclusions may exist.
Standard home insurance coverages
Liability Insurance
Protect yourself and the people in your home in case you’re sued. With personal liability coverage, you’re covered if someone gets hurt while visiting or for damage you may unintentionally cause.
Dwelling and Detached Structures
If something happens to your home, we’ll pay to repair or rebuild it. Also, because your home isn’t just four walls, we also cover things like your detached garage and shed.
Personal Belongings
Often called contents insurance, this protects property you own that you could pack in a bag or put in a moving truck. Personal property like your clothing, electronics, furniture, etc. are covered while they’re on your property or temporarily removed (like when you’re travelling to work – or out of the country).
Extra Expenses
In case something happens and you can’t live in your home – you’re covered while your house is being repaired. Choose to stay in a hotel or with friends and family, we’ll provide you with the cash for living expenses either way. Renting out part of your home at the time of loss? You’ll also be covered for your net rental income until your tenants can move back in.
Identity Theft
This covers you and anyone else on your policy in case your identity is stolen. We’ll reimburse you for legal fees as well as certain other costs that could happen, up to a limit. These could include lost wages if you have to take time off work to sort it out, and payment for services that help you get back to where you need to be.
Additional home insurance coverages
Sewer Backup
This coverage can help in some smelly situations. If water backs up or escapes into your home through a sewer, sump, septic tank, or floor drain, this will cover you for the damage caused. Coverage offered depends on eligibility.
Overland Water
You’re covered for damage to your home caused by fresh water, such as excessive rain, spring run-off and melting snow, coming in at ground level through windows and doors. Coverage offered depends on eligibility.
Hail Coverage
Hail damage can be costly. Having hail coverage on your policy means your home and belongings will be repaired or replaced if a hailstorm happens. Hail coverage is automatically included in our home insurance policies (unless you live in Alberta, where it’s optional but highly recommended).
Earthquake Coverage
In Canada, the coast of British Columbia and the St. Lawrence and Ottawa River valleys are prone to earthquakes. This optional coverage covers you in the event of loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from an earthquake. If a snowslide, a landslide, or other earth movements cause damage to your property as a result of an earthquake, you’re also protected.
Why buy homeowners insurance with Sonnet?
We’re Canada’s first fully online home and auto insurance company. With us, you can quote, purchase and manage your policy entirely online. Here’s why else we think you’ll love being insured with Sonnet:
Above and Beyond
First claim forgiveness, replacement cost guarantee and enhanced deductible waiver are all extra perks of our Above and Beyond coverage.
Express claims
On top of our 24/7 claims support, you have the option of an express claim for small losses.
Customer satisfaction
Online doesn’t have to mean on-your-own. Our licensed Insurance Agents are here to help. Email, chat or call our fully-licensed agents and experience our top-quality customer care for yourself.
Save on more than just insurance
How much does home insurance cost in Canada?
$1,401/year is the median cost of home insurance with Sonnet in Canada. Get home insurance that adds up to about the same amount spent in a year on a daily coffee.
How it’s calculated
The cost of home insurance is based on information about you and your home. An insurer will consider things like how much coverage you need, the building type and the location of your home and your claims history.
How can I save on my home insurance?
At Sonnet, we combine your unique information with a whole lot of math and analytics to build our best price just for you – savings automatically included. Here are a few ways you could save on your house insurance:
Claims free
No claims in the last 5 years? This could mean extra cash in your pocket.
Multi-location
Insuring more than one property could qualify you for a multi-location saving.
Bundle home and auto
Bundling your home insurance and car insurance could mean up to 20% savings for you.
How to get a home insurance quote
Adulting is hard – but Sonnet makes it simple to get a home insurance quote, and you can do it all online! Here’s how:
Step 1: Choose your property type. Let us know if you’re a homeowner, condo owner, or renter. Are you a landlord? If you already insure your primary residence with Sonnet, you can also get a home insurance quote for your rental property.
Step 2: Tell us about yourself and your home. Give us your address and the date you’d like your home insurance policy to start. To save you time, we ask only the questions we need to and gather the rest from trusted sources.
Step 3: Add your group discount. Members of certain groups could get a juicy discount. We offer savings to Canadian University and College Alumni, accounting and engineering professionals, eligible employees and union members, plus more.
Step 4: Customize your coverage. Choose your limits for things like your personal belongings, and set your deductibles. You should also consider important optional coverages like Sewer Backup, Overland Water, Hail, and Earthquake coverages.
Step 5: Save your quote – or go ahead and buy! If you’re ready, you can buy your home insurance policy online instantly. You don’t even have to call! Or, save it and we’ll email it to you. Your quoted price will be saved for 45 days if your personal details, coverages and policy effective date haven’t changed.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help you along the way if you have any questions about your home insurance quote. Just contact us.
Questions about home insurance? We’ve got your back
Insuring your home should be simple. We’ve made getting a home insurance quote quick and easy, and we’re here to help from start to finish. Read through our current blogs or most commonly asked questions on home insurance to get started.
What is Above and Beyond home coverage?
If you upgrade your Custom Limits for your special belongings, you’ll receive our Above and Beyond home coverage, which adds three extra perks to your policy:
First Claim Forgiveness. This means your rate won’t increase after your first claim. We’ll pretend it didn’t even happen.
Replacement Cost Guarantee. You’ll have the flexibility to settle claims at replacement cost, even if you decide not to repair or replace the damaged items.
Enhanced Deductible Waiver. We’ll waive your deductible for claims of $10,000 or more. Sorry, this doesn’t include claims caused by earthquakes.
Heads up! These perks cannot be added to a tenant or landlord policy.
Does my Sonnet homeowners insurance policy cover me for short-term rentals or home sharing through networks like Airbnb?
No. Sonnet doesn’t cover short-term rentals through any home sharing service, including Airbnb and Vrbo. This applies to all our property policies (homeowners, condo, and landlord). Under the terms of our renters insurance, tenants aren’t allowed to offer short-term rentals of their apartment or house – or a room in their unit – through one of these networks.
Want to know more about how Sonnet covers long-term rentals? Check out our FAQ about renting out your home, condo, or rental property. Or, contact us. We’re here to help.
Does my age affect my home insurance premium?
In general no, your age doesn’t affect your home insurance premium. When it comes to home insurance, it’s the age of the structure or building being insured that impacts your premium – not so much the age of the person buying the policy. The fact is older homes often come with more risk. They can be more prone to fire, problems with older HVAC, roofing and plumbing, and a whole lot more – which means you’ll probably be paying more for your home insurance.
How much does home insurance in Canada cost?
The cost of home insurance varies across the country. Several things can influence the cost of your home insurance with claims being one of the factors. It depends on how likely it is that you'll have to make a claim – and how much that claim will cost.
Here are some of the things your insurer looks at when determining your premium:
- The age, location, and construction of your home
- The type of home you have (single family, townhome, condo)
- Your home’s value
- How often severe weather events (like hail or wildfire) happen in your area
- Any safety measures you have installed (like smoke detectors, etc.)
- The coverages you have, including add-ons
- Your claims history
Getting a quote is the fastest and easiest way to find out how much you could be paying for home insurance in Canada. With Sonnet, you can do it in just a few minutes! Get an online quote today.
Can I get home insurance coverage with Sonnet for my vacation home?
Yes, you can cover your vacation property with a separate home insurance policy. Your vacation home must be located in Canada.
If you’re not at your second home during the winter, there are a few things you’ll need to do to protect your home. Drain the plumbing system and close the water inlet to keep the pipes from freezing and bursting. If your vacation home has central heating, set the thermostat low enough to conserve energy but high enough to keep pipes from bursting. Burst pipes due to freezing isn’t covered under your vacation home coverage if you’ve been away from the property for more than 14 days and haven’t had anyone checking on it.
Does where I live affect my home insurance premium?
Yes! When it comes to your home insurance costs, where you live can make a big difference. Across Canada, in every neighbourhood there are different types of properties and events, like weather that could affect those properties. Insurance companies are constantly reviewing these factors to better estimate the impact on your home insurance premium, including any claims that you could experience. So for example, if you live in an area that experiences natural disasters causing increased amount of claims, the cost to insure homes in your neighbourhood may increase. Other factors that can affect your home insurance costs are:
- Proximity to a fire station or fire hydrant
- Crime rates
- Traffic patterns
- Distance to other buildings
To see how much your home insurance premium will cost where you live, get a quote with Sonnet. It only takes a few minutes!
What are some extra home coverages I should know about?
Depending on where you live, additional coverages are available to add on for certain events that aren’t covered by a standard home policy. These coverages are hail, sewer back up, overland water and earthquake. All of these coverages can be added when making your quote.
Already purchased? You can add on these coverages at any time through your account.
How are home insurance premiums calculated?
During home insurance calculation, insurance companies look at a complex set of factors. These will determine the likelihood of you making a claim – and how much a claim could cost. The higher the likelihood is, the higher your premium will be.
Factors that can affect your home insurance premium include:
- Where your home is located
Based on your postal code, an insurer can find out how many claims are made in that area – and why they happen. For example, if your area has frequent windstorms, there could be more frequent claims for damage. This could cause your home premium to be higher than that of a house in an area that doesn’t have windstorms very often. - Home age and condition
The older the building, the higher the likelihood of a claim. That’s because things like old wiring (fuses, for example) are a bigger risk for fire. And, old plumbing increases your risk of claims due to sudden leaks or burst pipes. - Heating equipment
If your home is heated with oil (like it is in many rural areas), your premium could be higher. Oil tank leaks increase risk of damage and environmental hazards. Wood stoves are also a common source of house fires, so they could raise your payments, too. - Proximity to fire support
If your home is close to a fire station and fire hydrants – like in an urban area – your premium could be lower than a home in a rural location, where travel distance is longer. - Number of past claims
The longer you’ve been claims free, the lower your premium will be. If you’ve had a claim in the last year, you can expect your premium to go up at renewal. - Your age and other information about you
As you get older, your premium will tend to decrease. The fact is, many insurance providers consider homeowners with more experience as less risky to insure. Some insurers could also look at your credit score. - How you use your home
Do you rent out rooms or a basement unit in your house? Factors like this may also impact your premium since they can increase damage and liability risks.
Do I need property insurance in Canada?
Whether it’s a house or a condo, buying a new property is a big investment. But, it’s more than a piece of property, it’s your home. That’s why it’s important for every home and condo owner to buy property insurance in Canada. Without property insurance, you’d be responsible for covering the cost if something were to happen to your home or your stuff, you’d have to pay out of pocket for covering the cost.
Plus, if you have a mortgage on your house or condo, your lender will also likely require you to have home insurance coverage.
I rent my home out from time to time. What kind of coverage should I get?
Well, it depends. If there are no more than two renters, you’re allowed to rent part of your house out under your Homeowners Policy. You’re also covered if you have one additional unit within your home that’s rented to one family only.
If you’re renting out a property separate from your home our Landlord Policy will make sure you’re covered if there’s any damage to items that belong to you and the property. Things like major appliances, fixtures or tools (a lawn mower or snow shovel are a couple of examples). If you live in your home, but you have more tenants than our Homeowners Policy allows for, you can purchase our Landlord Policy in addition, to cover you and your home adequately.