This article has been updated from a previous version.
When was the last time you reviewed a copy of your driving record? What about your AutoPlus report that details your insurance history?
Knowing your driving record and insurance history is no different than keeping on top of your credit score. Yet, for Ontario drivers, gaining access to this information isn’t as easy as it could be. The information contained in these two reports has a direct impact on a driver’s auto insurance premium.
Auto insurance companies and brokers rely on these records to ensure a policyholder’s coverage is accurately priced.
How to get your Ontario driver record and insurance history
There are two primary records that show you a complete picture of your driving history: your Ontario driver record and your insurance history.
The Ontario driver record is a report which shows the number of demerit points you may have on your licence, as well as any suspensions and Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code of Canada convictions. Currently, it costs $12 to order an online copy of the uncertified three-year driver record, the most frequently requested driving record in Ontario.
Your insurance history report, also called an AutoPlus report, includes information about your most current policy, as well as insurance claims, if any, for the past 20+ years.
It details the type of claim (e.g., collision, theft, bodily injury), how much was paid out and, in the event of a collision, the percentage of fault that was assigned to you. It also includes third-party claims and, if there’s been a policy cancellation, the reason for it.
Your insurance history is free to obtain, but it’s mailed to you within 10 business days of Conseillers en Gestion et Informatique (CGI) receiving your request. CGI is the company that maintains the information about auto insurance policy and claims data in Canada on behalf of the industry.
Both your driving record and insurance history are influential factors in determining what you’ll pay for car insurance. Other factors, like where you live and the type of car you drive, also figure into your premium, but your driving record and insurance history are the most impactful factors as they both indicate past behaviour behind the wheel.
Read more: Can you dispute an auto insurance claim?
94% of drivers want free online access to their driver record and insurance history
Even if you haven’t looked at your reports lately, you can be sure that your insurance company or broker did the last time you purchased auto insurance. It’s a necessary step on the insurance provider’s side. Individuals, however, may find it time-consuming and costly to obtain.
According to a Leger survey conducted on behalf of InsuranceHotline.com, more than 90% of drivers would like barrier-free access to their driving record and insurance history. In addition to that, 94% of drivers and 95% of current auto insurance policyholders believe access to their driving record and insurance history should be free.
With the world going increasingly digital, for many Canadians, specifically 92% of drivers and 93% of policyholders, the expectation is for all information pertaining to one’s driving, and insurance history to be easily and immediately accessible online.
Knowledge is power
Your driving record and insurance history allow you to see, in part, why your premium is priced the way it is, and how traffic tickets and collisions affect insurance rates.
This information in hand can encourage better decisions when driving that can translate into a lower premium in the future.
Drivers are on board with this idea as well: 87% of Canadian drivers and policyholders surveyed agree that with easy access to their driving record and insurance history, they would have a better understanding of how their insurance rates are priced.
Together, these reports contain a considerable amount of information that can give drivers some insight into their insurance pricing. In today’s digital world, it may be just a matter of time until Ontario drivers have barrier-free, online access to their driving record and insurance history.
