At Surex, our three-step process will ensure that you end up with the best car insurance in Oshawa. Here’s how it works:

1. Personalized insurance quotes: Surex will capture some of your basic information — either by phone or online — and then shop the market for you. In under ten minutes, you’ll have up to ten personalized insurance offers to choose from.
2. Customize your offers: Once you receive the initial quote, you can edit your information and compare quotes to find the best overall value.
3. Purchase and manage 24/7: Once you’ve selected a quote & reviewed the policy with your dedicated assistant, you can electronically sign documents to receive an instant proof of insurance. If you’d rather speak with someone we will connect you with a Dedicated Insurance Assistant to walk you through all the options and answer any questions you might have. Once finished, your documents will arrive in the mail and you can manage your policy 24/7 with our ‘My Surex’ login feature.

• Mind the students: Oshawa is home to three major post-secondary institutions: Durham College, Trent University Durham, and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. That means students are all over Oshawa’s roads — as new drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. To avoid any on-road incidents, drive cautiously and defensively, especially in the city’s downtown and around the busy campuses. 
• Know the one-ways: In order to calm traffic in residential neighbourhoods and ease rush hour congestion throughout the city, Oshawa has a high volume of one-way streets. Some of Oshawa’s one-way streets are notoriously confusing to navigate, especially for drivers unfamiliar with the city. Be sure you’re comfortable with your route before getting behind the wheel in Oshawa, and always program your GPS navigation device prior to putting your vehicle in drive.
• Be highway savvy: There’s no two ways about it: Oshawa is a city dominated by highways. So whether you’re taking Highway 401, Highway 407, or Highway 412, make sure you merge quickly but carefully, stay updated on inclement weather, avoid distractions (put your phone away!), and follow the rules of the road. 
• Get ready for winter: Situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Oshawa sees harsh winter weather and cold fronts rolling in off the lake. To stay safe on Oshaway’s icy and snowy winter roads, install four approved winter tires, keep a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle, carry a snow scraper, keep your tires at the recommended pressure, and drive with extra caution. 

• Pick your car carefully: People tend to overlook the impact that vehicle make and model have on insurance premiums. Unlike age, gender, and location, your vehicle is one determining factor that you can control, so think about insurance when selecting your next car. There’s a good chance that a safety-focused sedan will attract lower-risk drivers than a flashy sports car (and is likely cheaper to repair or replace), and will therefore fetch lower rates, but the only way to be sure is by getting a free quote and speaking with a Personal Insurance Assistant. 
• Shop around: With car insurance, you should always compare your options! Every driver’s needs are unique, and every insurance provider offers different rates, different coverages, and different discounts, so shopping around is the best way to find exactly what you need. And remember, rates can change — as can your personal situation — so a good rule of thumb is to get an updated quote each year before renewal. This gives you enough time to switch insurance companies without incurring cancellation penalties for not seeing your 12-month policy through to the end. 
• Keep a clean record: One of the best ways to signal to your car insurance company in Oshawa that you’re a low-risk customer is by keeping a clean driving record. By following the rules of the road, avoiding at-fault incidents, and minimizing the number of minor claims you make, you should begin to see your premiums drop in your mid-twenties, and then again in your sixties. Also, ask your Dedicated Insurance Assistant if you qualify for any discounts, such as Accident-Free or Claims-Free. 
• Raise your deductibles: Requesting to raise the amount you pay in the event of a claim is an easy way to lower your car annual insurance premium. However, keep in mind that you should be in a position to comfortably afford the higher deductible should you ever need to make a claim. It’s an effective strategy for lowering your annual rates, but perhaps not advisable to all drivers. 

Finding affordable car insurance in Oshawa — or anywhere in the GTA — can be challenging. Because insurance companies offer different rates, drivers should spend some time comparing their options online before selecting a policy. Rate comparison sites like Surex allow drivers to quickly and easily compare rates from among many of Canada’s leading insurance providers. Once drivers have found a rate they’re happy with, they can then connect with a Dedicated Insurance Assistant and enquire about what discounts they qualify for. Comparing rates online and asking about discounts are effective ways to find cheap car insurance in Oshawa.

Because rates for car insurance in Oshawa are determined by factors that will change for each driver — e.g. age, sex, vehicle make and model, driving history, neighbourhood, occupation, etc. — it’s impossible to pinpoint what it costs to insure a car in Oshawa. What is clear is that drivers in Oshawa tend to pay higher-than-average rates for car insurance, so shopping around to find the lowest rates is especially important. And don’t forget to ask your Dedicated Insurance Assistant if you qualify for any discounts.

Yes. Before you drive a car off the lot, you need to prove to the dealership that you have adequate car insurance in Oshawa. Changing the vehicle on your policy — or adding a vehicle to your policy — isn’t complicated, but be sure to give your insurance company as much advance notice as possible. That way, you’ll be ready to go when you close the deal and have the keys in hand. As for the rest of the paperwork, the dealership will help you sort everything out (ie. ownership, licence plates, finances, etc).

Auto insurance premiums in Oshawa are based on a range of factors, some of which pertain to the vehicle make and model, others look at the situation of the driver. Because of this, it’s difficult to say exactly which cars are the cheapest to insure, as so much is riding on the driver being insured. However, certain cars tend to be deemed safer and lower-risk in the eyes of insurers. Based on data from LeaseCosts.ca, the five cheapest new cars to insure in 2019 in Ontario are: (1) 2019 Toyota Prius, (2) 2019 Chevrolet Cruze, (3) 2019 KIA Sedona, (4) 2019 Nissan Versa, (5) 2018 Ford Focus.

No. This is one of the many myths circulating about car insurance in Oshawa and surrounding areas. The reality is that car colour is not a factor in determining rates, so you can choose the colour of your dreams and rest easy knowing that it won’t have an impact on your premium. While not all of the determining factors are in your control (e.g. age and gender), remember to influence what you can to get low rates: shop around, ask about discounts, never miss a payment, avoid making minor claims, and keep a clean driving record.