You can see what you get when you buy a car, or put gas in it, or get it fixed. But when you pay car insurance, you don’t immediately see any tangible benefit. You can go years, maybe your entire life, and never get anything in return for the premiums you pay.
You’ll only see the benefit of car insurance if you get into an accident, or your vehicle is otherwise damaged, stolen or something is stolen from it.
Along with often high car insurance rates, the unseen benefits of car insurance can make operating a motor vehicle without insurance an attractive option for some. That is, until you see the driving without insurance fines in Ontario.
What Is The Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act?
Your obligations for insuring a car in Ontario are set out in the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (CAIA). Under the CAIA, drivers must ensure their vehicle is covered by liability insurance before it can be driven on the road.
Even if someone else is driving, the vehicle’s owner could be charged with permitting the operation of a motor vehicle without insurance.
Driving Fines And Suspensions
It’s important to note that there is a difference between a charge of driving without valid insurance and a charge of driving without proof of insurance. The fines and penalties for driving with no insurance are much more severe.
If convicted, here are the driving without insurance fines in Ontario that you could possibly face.
- For A First Conviction – minimum $5,000 fine + 25% surcharge tax
- For A Second conviction – minimum $10,000 fine +25% surcharge tax
- Potential License Suspension: Up to one year
- Vehicle Impoundment: Your vehicle could be impounded for up to three months
While you will not receive demerit points if you are caught driving without insurance, the charge will appear on your driving record and car insurance companies may increase your insurance rates significantly, deem you a high-risk driver or even refuse to insure you.
The potentially serious consequences of being charged with driving without insurance mean it is crucial that your rights be protected by an experienced team of legal professionals with a track record of getting the best possible outcome. A team like X-Copper’s.
To learn more about defending yourself when you get a traffic ticket, check out our article “Fighting a Traffic Ticket Starts When You’re Pulled Over”.
