The Ontario legislature is considering a private member’s bill, recently introduced to encourage the automobile insurance industry to give premium discounts to those using snow tires. The bill – if passed – is non-binding.
And it won’t have any tangible effect. Here’s why:
- Ontario’s insurers – over 75 of them – are struggling to climb out of a deep hole and back to profitability. That was verified by government-audited stats, resulting in the McGuinty Liberals’ massive overhaul of the healthcare side of mandatory coverage, significantly reducing benefits (effective September 1st, 2010). Consequently, no insurer is looking to give back premium any time soon.
- On the surface, it sounds logical for better equipped cars to be rewarded with lower premiums. But, Ontario is a no-fault environment meaning that most injuries and the majority of damage gets paid for by that vehicle’s insurer, regardless of fault. So if my vehicle is equipped with snow tires (which it is), but another driver slides through an intersection colliding with my car, my insurer still pays.
- And how does an insurer verify if snow tires are in fact installed? Do over-worn snow tires provide better grip than new “all-season” tires? Do drivers always understand the difference between snow tires and “all-seasons”?
Note to politicians: snow tires are a good idea for winter traction – but the insurance industry is not going to voluntarily subsidize the practice.
Tags: Automobile, claims, damage, driving, environment, no fault, ontario, premium, rating, safety, tires, winter
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KH
December 8, 2010 at 8:32 am
With or without insurance discounts…it’s good practice to have snow tires…I know I feel safer!
M.R.
December 8, 2010 at 9:18 am
Another waste of our Goverments time and money.
HC
December 8, 2010 at 9:29 am
Winter tires make such a difference. People need to realize there is a reward in using them anyway.
pl
December 8, 2010 at 9:30 am
Why worry about the discount – be content snowtires may
save your life.
SD
December 8, 2010 at 9:53 am
I believe in snowtires for winter driving especially in the north, the benefit of safer driving should be enough.
jp
December 8, 2010 at 9:56 am
I agree, discount or no discount, snow tires are a great investment for all drivers, especially up here in the North.
james
December 8, 2010 at 10:12 am
How about surcharges for people who don’t use winter tires? That sounds like a better idea.
MB
December 8, 2010 at 10:22 am
Snow tires in the hands of a careless driver don’t make the roads any less risky. Let the facts be the facts; earn your discount for the way you drive as an individual who has not had any at fault accidents or tickets, and if your snow tires help you become a safer driver than you’ll earn one of those discount’s soon enough. I am not convinced that snow tires had decreased the frequency of at fault claims.
se
December 8, 2010 at 11:36 am
For me, I really don’t care whether I get the discount or not…I would not drive at all in the winter without snow tires – I just feel so much safer.
gc
December 8, 2010 at 11:53 am
Safety is more important than a discount. Winter tires on a snow covered road provide more grip and traction than all season tires.
km
December 8, 2010 at 12:37 pm
It’s a pain to switch tires every season, but it’s worth it if it saves injuries and saves lives.
LR
December 8, 2010 at 1:51 pm
I agree – snow tires are a great investment. You feel much safer driving with them.
GK
December 10, 2010 at 11:35 am
SAFETY FIRST…BUY MICHELIN
HG
December 13, 2010 at 10:43 am
All season tires do not work as well as snow tires. Why not pass a law that snow tires be mandatory for winter driving.
sl
December 13, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Glad I had my snowtires on this morning …roads were terrible. Along with the obviouse safety factor of snowtires people should also remember to drive according to weather conditions… ei. Winter driving requires everyone to slow down.