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The cost for car insurance in Oshawa isn’t standardized because car insurance is an extremely customized product. Your premium will depend on a number of different factors — some which are in your control and some that are not — including the loss ratios of the car insurance company in Oshawa you’ve selected. Car insurance calculator tools geared for Oshawa drivers require less information, but this also makes them less accurate. Keep reading for more information on how you can roughly estimate your car insurance costs in Oshawa.

The postal code with the highest average automobile insurance price in Oshawa is the region of L1L. Britannica Avenue runs right through the centre of this district, which also encompasses a number of parks, schools and recreational areas. The largest of these is Kedron Park, followed by Bridle Park.

The L1N region pays the lowest prices for car insurance in Oshawa, according to data pulled from LowestRates.ca. This postal code region includes parts of Whitby and is marked with several activity spaces. These include Landmark Cinemas, the Iroquois Park Sports Centre and Skyzone Trampoline Park.

Oshawa is home to a diverse set of families and professionals, which means that car insurance prices can fall within a wide range. While car insurance regulation is provincial, however, that doesn’t mean car insurance premiums are. People across Ontario pay vastly different premiums from each other partially depending on what city they live in. Keep reading to learn where you’ll pay the most and least for car insurance in Ontario.

The most expensive cities to purchase car insurance in Ontario (beginning with the most expensive) are:

1. Brampton
2. North York
3. Mississauga
4. Scarborough
5. Toronto

These are the cities that pay the least for car insurance in Ontario (starting with the least expensive):

1. Ottawa
2. Kingston
3. Pembroke
4. Cornwall
5. Brockville

As you’ll notice above, Oshawa didn’t make either list, which means it’s somewhere in the middle. You won’t pay exorbitant fees, but that doesn’t mean cheap car insurance is easy to find.

While where you live in Canada can have an impact on how much you’ll pay in car insurance, it’s not the only factor that influences your bill. Some other things to keep in mind might include how much you drive, your claims history along with a number of other factors.

It’s true that there are many things you can do to encourage a lower auto insurance rate. Some things, however, are out of your control.

These might include your age and gender, along with the insurance company’s loss ratios. These are calculated using the claims histories of the other people insured by the company you’re working with. These can make finding affordable car insurance in Oshawa very tricky.

The best thing you can do is worry about the factors you can control, rather than the ones you can’t. These can include being a safe driver, making insurance payments on time and in ful, and — if you’re a student — maintaining a high GPA.

There are a number of factors that determine your car insurance rates in Oshawa. Here’s are some to consider:

Your licence level: Not having a full licence will cause your premium to be higher. Conversely, having a full licence has a positive effect on your car insurance rates. New drivers looking for car insurance in Oshawa may see higher rates due to this factor. This is also why students who need car insurance in Oshawa may face challenges securing an affordable rate.

Your mileage: How much you drive everyday is another major contributor to what you’ll pay in auto insurance rates. Someone that’s driving 30-45 minutes to and from work each day will pay more in car insurance than someone who only uses their car to run the occasional errand.

Your postal code: Insurance companies determine your rates partially based on the postal code you live in. If your area generally has a higher concentration of claims, you may find yourself paying higher rates than people living in the next postal code over.

Your driving record: Your driving history is another factor that will weigh heavily on how much you pay for car insurance. Someone with an accident or multiple tickets on their record will pay more for insurance than someone with a clean record because they’ll be deemed higher risk. Having little driving experience (approximately less than 10 years), previous claims, and driving convictions will push your car insurance rates up. For this reason, car insurance rates for high-risk drivers in Oshawa may be higher than the average rate.

Your age: Like it or not, the younger you are, the more you’ll pay in car insurance (until you’re about 30). This is because you’re considered a high risk driver until you’ve built up a driving history that demonstrates the opposite. There isn’t much you can do about it, but at least you’re not alone. Young people across Canada face the same high auto insurance rates than the more experienced drivers they share the road with. This is another reason why insurance companies might be hesitant to give new drivers in Oshawa a cheap rate on their car insurance.

However, being young isn’t the only way age can impact your car insurance rates. Adults between the ages of 50 and 70 get some of the lowest car insurance rates in Canada. If you belong to this demographic, you probably have a long history of being insured and you might even have bundled your home insurance policy with the same provider of your auto insurance. After age 70 you might see your rate begin to creep up because people in this age group are statistically more likely to need to file a claim and need longer to recover from an injury. Therefore, seniors in Oshawa who hold car insurance policies may also have trouble finding competitive rates due to a higher rate of accidents in this age group.

Your policy: How much you pay in auto insurance is impacted by how much auto insurance you buy. There are a number of different policies to choose from in Oshawa, but everyone in Canada is required to have at least a basic level of car insurance.

Your insurance history: In addition to having a poor driving history, your insurance history can also play a role in determining your rates. If you’ve filed multiple claims or have a history of missing payments, you may be given a higher rate. Furthermore, new immigrants who need car insurance in Oshawa may also face challenges because they have no Canadian insurance history at all.

Third party liability and accident benefits - You must carry this type of insurance to legally operate a car in Ontario. This type of basic car insurance policy protects your liability if you injure someone else in a collision. It also pays for your medical costs. You must have liability benefits worth at least $200,000 and accident benefits worth at least $50,000.

Collision - Covers the cost to repair or replace your car if it is damaged in a collision.

Comprehensive - Covers costs if your car is damaged by things other than a collision, including theft, vandalism, or falling objects.

Specified perils - Protects your car from insurable risks that you specify you want in your policy. If it’s not written in the policy, it isn’t covered.

All perils - A hybrid between collision and comprehensive insurance. Offers coverage if your car is damaged in a collision or by any other insurable risk.

You can customize your car insurance quote to reflect any type of coverage.

Car insurance is a specialized product. This means that there is no one insurance company that provides the cheapest car insurance rates to all its customers. Furthermore, you don’t have complete control over the factors that influence your car insurance premiums.

In addition to the company’s loss ratios — which are calculated using the claims histories of your provider’s other customers — your premium can be impacted by your age, gender and where you live. The best way to ensure that you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to car insurance is to compare the market.

LowestRates.ca compares car insurance premiums from over 30 different providers to find you the best rate. You might be surprised at how much money you can save by going with a different insurance company that favours your risk profile.

Facts

• Automobile production began in Oshawa in 1907 when the McLaughlin Carriage Company sealed a deal with Buick to buy its engines. That year, 198 McLaughlin automobiles were built.
• In 1918, McLaughlin merged with Chevrolet Motor Car Company of Canada to create General Motors of Canada, a brand that's still going strong to this day.
• The list of vehicles recently produced or currently being produced in Oshawa includes the Buick Regal, Chevy Camaro, Chevy Impala, Chevy Equinox, and Cadillac XTS.
• A traffic light was recently installed at the intersection of Harmony Road and Conlin Road in Oshawa. The new light resulted in an immediate reduction in the number of accidents at that location.

Myths

• Simcoe and Bloor Street is Oshawa's most dangerous intersection. False. While Simcoe and Bloor is known as the site of way too many fender-benders, Ritson Road and Bond Street has more accidents per year.
• The section of the 401 running through Oshawa is getting four extra lanes. False. There are no immediate plans to widen the Oshawa portion of the 401.
• You'll only see GM cars on Oshawa streets. False. Oshawa drivers do tend to drive GM vehicles, but you can spot other car brands on the road too. Usually domestic makes like Ford and Dodge.
• Oshawa doesn't have vibrant educational institutions. False. The city is home to the cutting-edge University of Ontario Institute of Technology, plus Durham College and a satellite campus of Trent University.

• Mind those one-way streets. Oshawa is known for its numerous, and at times tricky, one-way streets. The city's two main downtown thoroughfares, King and Bond street, are both one-way. If you've never driven in Oshawa, make sure you're going in the right direction.
• Watch for the other drivers on those one-way streets. You know Oshawa like the back of your hand, but other drivers might not. Stay extra alert, check your blind spots, and watch your mirrors for newbies. Be extremely cautious in areas where two-way roads turn to one-way roads and vice-versa.
• Merge onto the 401 at highway speeds. If there ever is a place to hit the accelerator, it's on a 401 on-ramp. Traffic moves quickly on the Oshawa section of the 401, and the on-ramps are notoriously short. You need to get up to speed quickly so you can safely enter the flow of traffic on the 401.
• Get snow tires. Lake effect snow in Oshawa packs a punch. When the weather turns cold, Oshawa drivers need to outfit their vehicles with a good set of winter tires.