FAQ
All Quebecers are insured by the public insurance plan managed by a government agency called the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ or licence bureau). The plan covers all residents of Quebec, whether they have a driver’s licence.
The plan gives people compensation (money) for injuries from accidents involving a road vehicle. For example, a pedestrian or cyclist hit by a car could receive compensation from the SAAQ. The plan gives compensation to Quebecers for accidents in Quebec and elsewhere in the world.
Also, the plan covers people even if they are responsible for the accident.
Under this plan, you can’t sue anyone for your injuries, but nobody can sue you either.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
In Quebec, all car owners must have at least $50,000 of insurance for responsibility for damage and injuries (in Canada and the United States). This is also called “civil liability” insurance.
This type of insurance is sometimes called “one-way insurance” and covers these kinds of damage you cause to other people or their property:
Material Damage: property damage you cause to others with your car (for example, when entering your parking space, you damage your neighbour’s fence)
Physical Injuries: injuries you cause that aren’t covered by the SAAQ or another public plan
This type of insurance also covers damage to your own car due to a collision with another car that wasn’t your fault. If you caused the collision, you’ll only be covered if you have optional Section B insurance (explained below).
If you don’t have this type of insurance and the police stop you, you could be fined and your driver’s licence could be temporarily taken away.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
This is often called “two-way Insurance.” This type of insurance is optional. (You can decide to get it or not.)
Depending on what you choose, this type of insurance can cover damage to your car due to a collision you caused. It can also cover theft of your car, among other things.
These are the types of optional protection offered under Section B:
damage to your car in a collision with another car or if your car flips over, even if you are at fault
damage caused without a collision, for example, by fire, hail, flood, vandalism or theft
all risk insurance, which covers damage to your car except for anything specifically not covered by the policy, such as rust
specific events mentioned in your policy, such as an explosion or earthquake
If you want insurance for other types of damage, you can buy extra insurance from your insurance company. This extra insurance is officially called an “endorsement” but is more commonly known as a “rider.” It’s optional, but you have to pay more for it.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
The amount you pay for your insurance is called a “premium.” Your insurance premium is based on your personal situation, such as your age, sex, driving record, type of car, where you live and use your car, what you use your car for, etc.
Some insurance companies also look at your credit information (your record of paying your bills).
Depending on the type of insurance you choose, you might also have to pay a “deductible.” A deductible is the amount your insurance doesn’t pay when you make a claim. You have to absorb this amount.
Important! You don’t have to pay the deductible if the accident isn’t your fault. You’ll be compensated under your civil liability insurance (Section A of your policy).
Usually, the higher the deductible, the lower the monthly premiums.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
When your policy ends, it’s renewed automatically on the same conditions, unless your insurer sends you a written notice. Your insurer must send you the notice at least 30 days before your policy ends. This end date is also called the expiry date.
Also, you can cancel your policy at any time by sending your insurer a written notice. You don’t need to give an explanation. If you already paid your premiums, the insurer will refund you.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
The insurer is also allowed to cancel your policy in the first 60 days. The insurer must send you a written notice, and the cancellation takes effect 15 days after you receive the notice. The insurer can’t cancel your policy after the first 60 days unless you didn’t pay your premiums or you have become a bigger risk for the insurer. In this situation, the insurer must send you a written notice, and your policy will be cancelled 30 days after you receive the notice.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
Call the police if someone is injured.
You must stop your car to see whether the vehicles were damaged and whether someone was injured. If you don’t stop, you could be accused of a “hit and run” (that is, running away from the scene of an accident you caused).
If someone was injured, you must contact the police. The police will prepare an accident report and send it to the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
Complete a joint report.
If no one was injured, you don’t have to contact the police to get a police report. However, you do have to exchange some information with the other person involved in the accident. You could be fined if you don’t do this.
You must exchange the following information:
name and address of the drivers involved in the accident
drivers’ licence numbers
name and address of each car owner as shown on their vehicle registration certificate (the card or document that says who is the owner of the car)
licence plate number of the cars involved
information on each driver’s certificate of insurance (the document proving you have insurance and giving details of the insurance policy)
Enter all this information in a “joint report” form. A joint report is a form used to describe the accident and identify the people involved. It is used when no one is injured in the accident.
You can order a joint report form from the Info-Insurance website. You can also get one from your private insurance company.
You can also get a joint report form using a mobile app available through the Groupement des assureurs automobiles (association of car insurers).
Sometimes you’re the only person at the scene of an accident. If you hit an animal weighing more than 25 kg, a parked car or some another object, you must contact the police to give them the information listed above.
If you fill out a joint report, does this mean you’re admitting your responsibility for the accident? No. Only your insurer can determine whether you were responsible. Not even the police (if they were called) will determine who was responsible.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/
Compensation for Damage to Cars (“Material Damage”)
Your private insurance contract covers material damage. If your car was damaged in the accident, you should contact your insurer.
To speed things up, you can send your insurer the joint report or the number of the police report.
Your insurer will determine what part of the accident was your fault. This allows your insurer to calculate how much compensation you’re entitled to based on a document called the Compensation Agreement. This is an agreement among car insurance companies. Your insurer uses it to determine what it will pay you for your loss.
The amount you receive depends on the following:
what part of the accident was your fault
what your insurance contract covers (depends on whether you took the optional Chapter B insurance covering, among other things, damage resulting from accidents you caused)
any deductibles that apply, that is, the amount your insurer does not cover and that you have to pay
It is important to read your insurance contract carefully.
Depending on what your contract says, your insurer will either repair or replace your car.
Important! Before you get your car repaired, you must wait for your insurer to evaluate the damage and authorize the repairs.
You can choose the repair shop and send the shop’s contact information to your insurer.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/capsules/car-accidents-what-do
As a Quebec resident, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) compensates you for injuries you suffer in an accident. You’re entitled to be compensated even if you’re responsible for the accident.
Anyone who uses the road, such as pedestrians, cyclists and passengers, are compensated if they’re injured in an accident involving a road vehicle.
The SAAQ covers various expenses related to the accident, such as medical costs, the cost of getting someone to help you at home and the income you lost.
To learn more about what the public insurance plan covers, visit the SAAQ website.
Important !
This article explains in a general way the law that applies in Quebec. This article is not a legal opinion or legal advice. To find out the specific rules for your situation, consult a lawyer or notary.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/capsules/car-accidents-what-do
Yes, you must report the accident if your insurance contract covers that type of accident.
Keep in mind that your insurer could learn about the accident if the other driver reports the accident to his or her own insurer.
All car accidents in Quebec are entered into the Automobile Claims Database. This is a bank of information on all car accidents that are reported to an insurance company. All insurers have access to it.
So if you don’t report the accident, your insurer can find the other driver’s report. Your insurer will only have the other driver’s version of the accident. Your insurer might then think that you were responsible for the accident. This could affect whether your insurer will renew your contract or increase the amount you must pay for the insurance.
After you report an accident, you can still decide to pay for the repairs yourself. Your insurer will enter the accident in your file but will indicate that you are not getting any compensation.
Source: https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/capsules/car-accidents-what-do
As a Quebec resident, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) compensates you for injuries you suffer in an accident. You’re entitled to be compensated even if you’re responsible for the accident.
Anyone who uses the road, such as pedestrians, cyclists and passengers, are compensated if they’re injured in an accident involving a road vehicle.
The SAAQ covers various expenses related to the accident, such as medical costs, the cost of getting someone to help you at home and the income you lost.
To learn more about what the public insurance plan covers, visit the SAAQ website.
Important !
This article explains in a general way the law that applies in Quebec. This article is not a legal opinion or legal advice. To find out the specific rules for your situation, consult a lawyer or notary.
Generally speaking, insurers will quickly declare a flooded car a “total loss” if it has been submerged to the floor or higher. Their owners are therefore quickly compensated, provided they have chosen to add the following coverage found in Section B of their auto insurance policy :
B3: Accident without collision or upset
B1: All perils