Beautiful Oakville and Burlington:
Although two distinct municipalities, the city of Burlington and the neighbouring town of Oakville are often considered a single region, together representing the heavily populated part of the GTA that lies between Toronto and Hamilton, along the north shore of Lake Ontario.
With populations of 183,314 (Burlington) and 193,832 (Oakville), according to the 2016 census, the region is home to 377,146 residents. Because of the close location to both Toronto and Hamilton, many people pass through both Oakville and Burlington on their daily commutes, making the area a major travel hub — both for drivers and transit users.
However, despite their close proximity, the cities have separate identities — Oakville being more an upscale suburb that caters to wealthy retirees and shoppers, whereas Burlington has a reputation for its waterfront festivals, a strong economy, and multiple highway routes. Whatever the reason for passing through the Oakville/Burlington corridor, drivers should have a car insurance policy that meets their needs and fits their budget. With Surex, that’s exactly what they can expect to find.
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Know your highways. Oakville and Burlington are home to many major highways routes, including the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), Highway 403, Highway 407, and the nearby Highway 401. Before using one of these busy throughways, make sure you plan your route in advance and are prepared to handle highway speeds, congestion, semi-truck traffic, and driving conditions than can make navigating the major routes very difficult.
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Take the leisurely way. If you’re not in a hurry, leave yourself a little extra time and drive along the scenic Lakeshore Road. Passing south of Highway 403 — and hugging the shore of Lake Ontario — Lakeshore Road is home to a multitude of sprawling estates, popular trails, and lively parks and green spaces.
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Consider parking. Heading to picturesque downtown Oakville is a great way to spend a summer day. The waterfront, shops, parks, and boulevards are world-class, just make sure you leave extra time to find parking. Downtown Oakville a very popular destination for regional tourists and getting a parking spot for the day can be difficult.
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Festival season. Both Oakville and Burlington put on some of the area’s most popular music festivals, including the Oakville Jazz Festival and the Burlington Sound of Music Festival. If you’re planning to take in some of the festivities, be extra careful when navigating the downtown areas — the intersections are crowded, kids and cyclists are everywhere, and some streets may be temporarily closed to allow for foot traffic.
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Combining your policies. If you own a vehicle and a home — or even if you rent your residence — you should consider bundling your insurance policies with the same company. Combining your policies can result in significant savings to your annual premiums, often up to 15% for your car insurance and up to 10% for your property (home/tenant/condo) insurance. Ask your Dedicated Insurance Assistant what price breaks you should expect to see by bundling.
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Review your policy annually. Car insurance rates are never static, nor is your driving situation. Because many of the variables that affect premiums can and do change, it’s imperative that Oakville and Burlington drivers get an updated auto insurance quote once per year, prior to their current policy renewal date. Rate comparison sites like Surex allow drivers to quickly compare coverages and prices from many of Canada’s leading insurance companies — an easy practice that could lead to a significantly lower premium.
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Ask about discounts. Most drivers are aware of bundling and winter tire discounts, but did you know there are many more ways to save on your premium? Before closing your policy, ask your Dedicated Insurance Assistant about what discounts you qualify for. Here are a few discounts to keep in mind: Early Renewal, Electric Vehicle, Private Parking, Anti-Theft & Safety Technology, Retiree Discounts, Loyalty Discounts, Driver’s Education, CAA Membership, Occupational Discounts, Good Student, Telematics, and Claims-Free Driving.
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Consider make and model. Different vehicle types attract different kinds of drivers. Because of this, insurance companies may view some new vehicles as more ‘high-risk’ than others, based on who is likely to purchase and drive the vehicle. So before selecting your next car, do your homework. Is a sports car going to be more expensive to insure than a safety-first sedan? It probably is, but the only way to find out is to get free car insurance quotes using the different makes and models.
At Surex, our three-step process will ensure that you end up with the best car insurance available in Oakville & Burlington. Here’s how it works:
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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 10 minutes, you’ll have up to 10 personalized insurance offers to choose from.
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Customize your offers. Once you receive the initial quote, you can edit your information and compare quotes to find the best overall value.
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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 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.
- Bronte Creek Provincial Park
- Coronation Park
- Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park
- Spencer Smith Park
- Paletta Lakefront Park
- LaSalle Park
- Mount Nemo Conservation Area
- Royal Botanical Gardens
- Mapleview Shopping Centre
Insuring a vehicle in the cities of Oakville or Burlington can be a very expensive undertaking, which is why it’s so important for drivers to compare options online and find a policy that meets their needs and fits their budget. In addition to shopping around for the lowest rates, drivers can lower their rate by installing winter tires during the cold months, increasing their deductible, keeping an accident-free driving record, avoiding making minor claims, keeping their car in secure parking (if possible), bundling their policies with the same provider, and asking their Dedicated Insurance Assistant if they qualify for discounts.
All car insurance companies offer a variety of coverages and a range of rates. Car insurance companies also offer drivers different discounts. Because of these reasons, it’s difficult to identify which car insurance is the best. Different drivers require different coverages, and will end up paying different amounts for their policies, based on a range of personal factors. So instead of getting too attached to a single car insurance company or coverage type, it’s important that drivers educate themselves by shopping around and speaking with a Dedicated Insurance Assistant about their unique insurance needs.
Insurance companies in Ontario are not allowed to access the credit history of their customers, nor are they allowed to set their rates based on income. So technically, employment status does not affect car insurance premiums; all that matters to insurance companies is that policyholders pay their premiums on time. However, if you are unemployed, your Dedicated Insurance Assistant may be able to assist you in lowering your premium by offering you some cost-saving tips, such as putting fewer kilometres on your car, installing winter tires, or bundling your different insurance policies.
Drivers in Oakville and Burlington are required by the provincial law to have the following basic auto insurance coverages: Third Party Liability Coverage (covers drivers for damages they cause to third parties), Statutory Accident Benefits Coverage (covers drivers for uncovered healthcare costs, income replacement, etc., in the wake of a no-fault vehicle accident), Uninsured Automobile Coverage (protects drivers if they’re involved in an accident with an uninsured or unidentified third party), and Direct Compensation & Property Damage Coverage (covers the costs of the policyholder’s vehicle and its contents if damaged by another driver). Beyond these mandatory auto insurance coverages, drivers can opt to include a range of additional coverages to their policy — such as Comprehensive and Collision — that will protect them against a range of non-accident related damages.
Generally speaking, if your vehicle is damaged by road debris, it’s going to be covered under either Collision (if it’s debris that was on the road, thus technically you could have avoided) or Comprehensive (if it’s debris that was flying, and thus was unavoidable). If the claim is made with Collision, there’s a good chance that your rate will increase, as it will be considered an at-fault claim. On the other hand, if the claim is made with Comprehensive, it should not affect your rates, as the incident will be considered unavoidable. In either case, be prepared to pay the deductible before collecting the payout.
