What to Do if You Get Into A Car Accident in Another Province
If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident in another province the options available to you will depend on a number of factors. The auto insurance industry varies quite significantly between the various provinces, including what benefits are available, which system governs claims, and whether you can sue the other driver(s) involved.
For example, unlike Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, and soon to be Alberta (as of January 1, 2027) have a total no-fault system, which means that if the accident occurs in any of those provinces, you cannot sue the other driver(s) involved.
The next consideration will be whether you are covered under an Ontario auto policy. If you are insured under an Ontario auto policy, you will likely need to choose whether you receive Ontario no-fault benefits or benefits at the level of the province where the accident occurred. This could be further complicated if you were involved in an accident in one province, but the vehicle is insured in a different province.
Finally, if you are injured in an accident in one of the provinces where you can sue the at fault parties and those individuals are uninsured or underinsured, your own Ontario auto policy would be responsible for responding to the claim, similar to what occurs in Ontario if the at fault parties are uninsured or underinsured.
In summary, if you are involved in a car accident in another province, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to understand your options.
Contributors
A born-and-raised Barrie resident, Karen knows and loves her community. She is proud to be a partner in one of Canada’s most successful personal injury law firms—right in her own backyard. Karen joined Oatley Vigmond in 2013 as an associate lawyer. She holds a BA from Queen’s University and her Juris Doctor from Bond University in Australia. Prior to being called to the Bar in January 2013, Karen articled at a well-known personal injury law firm in Toronto.