Optional Accident Benefits Confirmation Form

This week a friend of mine emailed me this document. The document is titled “Optional Accident Benefits Confirmation Form”. It was sent to my friend by her insurance company. She told me that she did not understand half of what it meant.

I reminded her that accident benefits are part of Ontario’s automobile insurance scheme and include income replacement benefits, housekeeping and home maintenance benefits, even death and funeral benefits, to name a few. Medical and rehabilitation benefits may cover occupational therapy, physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatments, and other treatments. The types and amounts of benefits available will depend on the severity of the injury or injuries sustained in the accident.

A lot of Ontario residents are simply not aware that optional accident benefits exist. Or, in the case of my friend, are so overwhelmed by documents like this one, that they take a pass on purchasing the additional coverage.

While purchasing optional accident benefits will slightly increase your premium, I can assure you that you will be glad to have them if you are ever critically injured in an accident. The standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits that you have as part of your current policy are usually not enough.

Given that the 2019-20 winter season is officially upon us, and many of us are getting ready to renew our auto insurance policies, I thought this blog would be timely, and a gentle reminder to contact your insurance brokers and ask them about your options for additional coverage. Ask whether you or your loved ones should purchase an optional income replacement benefit based on the type of work you do, your salary, and other benefits that may be available to you through your employer. Ask about the tort deductible, and the caregiver, housekeeping and home maintenance expenses benefits. Or, you can call me and I will walk you through it.