Québec Automobile Insurance

Since 1978, Québec’s mixed public-private plans provide separate insurance for bodily injury and insurance for property damage. Mandatory insurance can be purchased from a private insurer.

In Québec, there are two auto insurance plans:

A private plan, which covers civil liability and property damage.
A public plan, administered by Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), which covers bodily injury sustained in an automobile accident.

Mandatory Insurance under the Private Plan

The Québec Automobile Insurance Act requires all owners of vehicles on the road in the province to purchase civil liability coverage of at least $50,000 (for private passenger vehicles). This insurance covers:

Legal liability for property damage and bodily injury where the collision occurs outside Québec
Property damage caused to a third party within Quebec for which the policyholder is at fault

Mandatory insurance is provided by private insurers.

Optional Insurance

You’re not required to purchase insurance coverage for damage caused to the insured vehicle. Different options are available from insurers depending on each consumer’s needs. Find out more at infoinsurance.ca.

Mandatory “No-Fault” Coverage under the Public Plan

In a vehicle collision, whether you are responsible or not, it’s the SAAQ that compensates you if you get injured. This is what is commonly called “pure no-fault”. In Québec, you can’t be sued as a result of a car collision, even if it involves a foreign visitor.

What “Direct Compensation” Means

Your insurer establishes your liability in a collision by the Direct Compensation Agreement (DCA). The DCA is binding on all auto insurers that are licensed to write automobile insurance in Quebec.

Under the Agreement, each driver is compensated directly by his/her own insurer for the damage to their vehicle and its contents in proportion they were not at fault. The degree of fault of each party involved in a collision is established using the Driver’s Fault Chart in the Agreement.

Access to Auto Insurance

Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA) is responsible for guaranteeing access to the mandatory civil liability insurance for all owners of a vehicle on the road in Québec.

Simplified Insurance Policies

As of March 2014, auto insurance policies are now simplified into plain language to make them easier to understand. This major overhaul was conducted by a multidisciplinary team to meet the needs of consumers as well as the insurance industry. For more information, visit the Groupement des assureurs automobiles website.

One Policy For All

In Québec, the auto insurance policy is a standard and unique policy. Its content is authorized by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). Every policyholder in Québec has the exact same contract. Your policy is therefore identical to that of your friend or neighbour. Only the coverage and coverage amounts vary, reflecting the individual choices made.

IBC’s Québec regional office has its own website for consumer information.

Stay informed about Québec car insurance.