What you need to know about the winter tire discount program in Ontario
Winter tires are an important part of Canadian driving and starting January 2016, Ontario auto insurance companies will be offering a discount to those customers with the right equipment.
Here are the top three things you need to know about the Ontario winter tire discount program:
Just the basics
In a bid to make auto insurance more affordable to consumers, the Ontario government recently announced they would be asking auto insurance companies to offer a discount to drivers with winter tires. The markdown is to be in place by January 2016.
The government won’t be dictating what the winter tire discount program looks like, but most insurers will be offering between a 3% to 5% reduction. It’s not clear how all insurance companies will choose to handle the discounting process and whether proof will be required. All that will be determined by each insurer. It’s best to contact your insurance company to get those details.
The next steps
If you’re looking to take advantage of the winter tire discount program, it might be best to start with when your own policy will be renewed. Start by shopping around for the best deal. If you do your shopping online, make sure to call the companies and get the specifics on how they plan to implement the discount.
If your policy doesn’t expire until later, make sure you contact your insurance company and ask for a mid-term discount to be applied. You might be able to save some money on your car insurance, even before your policy renews, using this winter tire discount program.
Get your tires
When shopping for winter tires, make sure you look for tires with a logo of a peaked mountain and a snowflake on them. It’s also important that tires are installed in matched sets of four. Having different tire models, sizes and tread patterns will impact the way your car will handle in frosty conditions. You want to buy in sets to ensure compatibility between tires so you get the best performance.
It’s been shown that winter tires in good working condition can decrease the stopping distance by as much as 25%. Prices vary widely when shopping for tires, so take your time and find the ones that are right for you.
Once you have the tires, It’s important to check tire pressure once a month and to change them for new ones when they are worn close to the tread wear indicators. While you be spending more than you save on your insurance premiums, the safety perks for winter tires make these a wise choice for anyone looking to cut down on fender benders.
The winter tire discount program can encourage you to save money, and to get better tires that will improve your safety on the winter roads.
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