Property & Casualty Insurance

Protecting Your Lifestyle for Over 50 Years

Whether it’s your home, cottage or car insurance our knowledgeable professionals will customize insurance solutions to meet your needs at the most competitive price. Let us help you obtain “peace of mind”.

Automobile

If you drive a car in Ontario, the law requires that you purchase certain mandatory coverages ~ Third-Party Liability, Accident Benefits, Uninsured Automobile Coverage, and Direct Compensation – Property Damage (DCPD).

Standard car insurance policies exclude several important coverages or place limitation on others. In many circumstances, it’s advisable to purchase additional coverage through available policy endorsements to ensure you have the coverage you need and want.

We offer discounts for: Dual Policy, Multi-Vehicle, Graduated Driver Training and more.  Maximize your discounts by combining your auto and home insurance.

At Carruthers Nicol, our knowledgeable professionals will customize a policy that best meets your needs at a competitive price.

Homeowners

If something happens, either to your home or to a detached structure such as your garage, you can make a claim against your Homeowner Insurance policy. As long as the cause of loss is listed under your policy, we'll cover the cost of repairs.

However, protecting your home isn't the only reason to choose property insurance. Your coverage can also protect your valuable personal items, such as jewellery, artwork, furniture and computers. A thorough Household Inventory will tell you where you stand. It helps you itemize your property if you need to make a claim, and it is a good way to test if your overall policy limits are adequate.

Maintain your home as you would your car. Every year, there are important things you should do to reduce the chance that you will experience water damage, fire or other insured loss. Insurance does not pay for routine maintenance or damage resulting from neglect. The cost for proper care should be calculated into your overall budget. It’s your responsibility to be the “risk manager” for your home. If you do your part to reduce insurance losses, not only will your home be safer, it will also save you money on your insurance bill. Our Home Maintenance Schedule lists will help to keep your home in good repair and safe condition.

Most important of all, property insurance protects you against personal liability should anyone be injured while visiting your property or should you accidentally damage a neighbour's property.

Your home should be insured from the moment you take legal ownership-even if it is under construction. Not all house insurance policies are created equal, at Carruthers Nicol we take the time to understand your needs then customize a complete insurance solution.

We offer discounts for: Non-Smoker, Claims-Free, Mature, Mortgage-Free, Dual Policy and more!  Maximize your discounts by combining your home and auto insurance.

Condominium Owners

Condominium owners have special insurance needs. That's because some parts of the property are held in common-exterior walls and walkways, for instance. Condominium insurance covers the parts of the building you own (i.e. interior walls), as well as your personal possessions.

Condominium insurance protects you in four basic ways:

  • Enables you to repair your unit
  • Allows you to replace your property (furniture, clothes, appliances etc.) if it is destroyed, stolen or damaged
  • Covers injuries that happen to other people or their property while in your suite (for which you may be held liable)
  • Covers your additional living expenses if you're forced to leave your suite due to a claim

A condominium insurance policy is a low-cost way to remove some of the financial worries associated with condominium ownership and to protect your personal assets in your unit.

Cottages and Seasonal Residences

Your cottage is like your home. Nothing beats the peace that comes with sitting on your cabin deck staring at the summer stars or sitting by the warmth of a roaring indoor fire. But it needs some special care — especially when it comes to seasonal homeowners insurance.

Getting insurance for your cottage or seasonal home can be challenging if you are not looking to insure your primary home as well. Since cottages and other seasonal homes are often unoccupied for longer periods of time, these properties are more prone to theft and vandalism. As well, they are frequently located far from fire halls, and if there was a fire, the property is more likely to be involved in a total loss.

Due to these considerations, many companies are unwilling to cover your cottage or seasonal home on a standalone basis, however, most will provide coverage as an extension of your primary home insurance package. Cottages or seasonal homes are therefore generally listed on your primary home insurance policy as a "Secondary" or "Seasonal" property.

For that reason, when shopping for cottage or seasonal home insurance it’s best to start by approaching the insurer for your primary residence. Our experienced professionals know the importance of placing coverage with reputable insurers that will be there in the event of a claim.

Hobby Farms

Are you a rural property owner with only a few animals or small yields, or you produce only for your personal use? Insuring yourself against risk requires careful evaluation of your circumstances and the products on offer. We recommend that you speak to one of our qualified broker’s to discuss your situation.

Boats and Yachts

Usually, a canoe or small 'non-motorized' boat will be covered under your home insurance policy as one of your belongings. If you need to insure a larger, faster boat you'll need boat insurance. It's a separate insurance policy - not an endorsement to your home insurance. Many things will determine the cost of your boat policy, but typically the boat insurance company will look at the size, type and value of the boat (or personal watercraft like a jet ski) as well as the location where you use it, to determine the final cost.

Let our professionals review your individual situation to ensure that your boat, motor and trailer is protected.

Tenants Packages

If you rent a home or apartment, your landlord probably carries insurance on the property. But that coverage won't cover your possessions should something happen. Regardless of whether you’re renting for the short or long term, one thing remains true: your belongings follow you. That’s why your contents insurance is so important. Our Tenant's Insurance provides coverage for your personal property and personal liability, all in one policy.

Personal Umbrella Liability

What if you were sued for a weather-related mishap on your property? Or you were found at fault in a major traffic accident? An umbrella policy would have you covered. If you are active in the community, volunteer for organizations, or car-pool ~ this coverage may be for you.

Umbrella liability insurance is so named because it acts like an umbrella, sitting on top of your auto and homeowners liability policies to provide extra protection. (Even if you don’t own a home, remember that you still need tenants insurance to cover both your liability and your personal property). Some examples of where umbrella coverage often comes into play:

  • An auto accident in which you’re sued under your auto insurance policy.
  • Your neighbor slips and falls on your property, and you’re sued under your homeowners insurance.
  • A natural disaster in which another person's property is damaged by, say, a tree on your property crashing down on their vehicle or home. This usually falls into the, "I thought that was covered by my homeowner’s policy" category.

Your automobile and homeowners policies have at least some liability insurance that would be used to settle legal claims. But what if a settlement (or judgment, if it goes to court) is $800,000 and you only have $300,000 of liability insurance? The insurer would pay its $300,000, but where are you going to get the other $500,000? Virtually everything you own would be fair game to pay off the debt. The only good news is that some states protect certain assets (like your home) from seizure.

Umbrella coverage, if nothing else, offers peace of mind. You’ll know that if your neighbor falls on your front steps or you rear-end the car in front of you that you’re protected.

Recreational Vehicles

You wouldn't think of driving your car without auto insurance protection, so why risk it when you're driving a recreational vehicle? No matter what your path of travel, you can be confident that Carruthers Nicol can provide insurance for your ~ Snowmobile, ATV, Motorcycle, Camper trailer, Motor home. The coverages you need for your recreational vehicle are the same as those on your automobile.

By adding coverage for your recreational vehicle to your existing auto policy, you're eligible for a discount on your RV premium.

Antique / Classic Automobiles

Some things get better with age. Your classic or antique car is one of them. At Carruthers Nicol we offer special auto insurance plans to give your Antique or Classic car the attention it deserves. They are designed to complement your existing auto insurance policy. Choosing which program is for you is as simple as knowing your car. Consult one of our professionals -- we’ll put the right policy together for you.
Is your car a true classic or a fine antique?

While many drivers consider their cars to be classics, ING classic car insurance coverage is for vehicles that are between 15 and 24 years old, are considered collectors’ items and haven’t been modified in any way from the manufacturer’s original specifications. Your classic car must also:

  • Not be driven for regular transportation (not more than 5,000 km per year)
  • Have been appraised within the last five years for renewals, within the last 24 months for new applications.
  • Have been granted up-to-date safety approval and photos

Antique cars, on the other hand, follow the same specifications as classic cars, but they’re more than 25 years old and considered collectors’ items. The other difference is that your antique car:

  • Is only driven in parades or exhibitions
  • Has been issued special Historic Value license plates

Home Based Business

When you start a home-based business, insurance may not be your first priority, but you cannot afford to ignore it either. When the unexpected happens having insurance coverage may mean the difference between the success and failure of your home-based business. More and more people are starting home-based businesses, for everything from marketing homemade products to keeping a home office for a consulting business. From an insurer's perspective, this adds new types of risk to your home, and therefore, may require additional insurance. Anything you use in running your home-based business is subject to the limits of insurance and/or might not be covered at all.

If you meet the eligibility criteria we can add optional coverages to your current property policy (including home, condominium or tenants) which will protect your investment. Talk to one of our experienced professionals. We can help you make sure your needs are covered.