How to Choose Optional Accident Benefits Under Ontario’s 2026 Rules

Ontario’s 2026 auto insurance reforms gave drivers something they did not have before: a choice about many of the accident benefits that used to come automatically. As of July 1, 2026, most statutory accident benefits are optional, which means you can now buy back coverage you once received by default.

That choice is useful, but it also puts the burden on you to think about which coverages you would want if you were seriously hurt. This guide walks through the optional benefits and who tends to be most exposed without each one, so you can have a better-informed conversation with your broker.

Key takeaways

• As of July 1, 2026, most Ontario accident benefits are optional and must be purchased.
• Medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits stay mandatory, so you do not need to buy them.
• The most valuable optional benefits depend on your life: earners, caregivers, and families are each exposed differently.
• Reducing coverage requires your written opt-in — nothing changes automatically until you sign.
• Reviewing your coverage at each renewal, with a broker, is generally the safest habit.

Start with what you cannot lose

Before weighing the options, it helps to know the floor. Medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits remain mandatory in every Ontario auto policy. If you are injured, that core coverage is there regardless of the choices you make about the optional benefits. Everything below is about the coverage you now decide to add on top of that base.

The optional benefits, one by one

Here is a plain-language look at each optional benefit and the kind of person who is often most exposed without it.

Income replacement

This benefit helps replace a portion of income lost because injuries keep you from working. Sole earners, self-employed people, and anyone whose household depends heavily on their paycheque are usually the most exposed if they skip it. Without it, lost income after a serious injury may have to be pursued through a lawsuit against the at-fault driver instead.

Non-earner benefit

The non-earner benefit is generally aimed at people who were not employed at the time of the crash but suffer a serious injury — for example, some students or those between jobs. If income replacement does not fit your situation, this is the benefit to ask about.

Caregiver

This benefit helps when an injured person can no longer care for dependants they were looking after. Parents and others who are the primary caregiver in a household are the most exposed without it.

Housekeeping and home maintenance

This covers help with household tasks you can no longer do because of your injuries. Anyone who runs their own household, and especially those without family nearby to step in, may feel the gap if they go without it.

Lost educational expenses

This benefit can help recover tuition and related costs when an injury interrupts studies. Students, or parents paying for a child’s education, are the ones most likely to want it.

Visitor expenses

This helps cover costs for family and close friends visiting an injured person during recovery. It tends to matter most when a serious injury leads to a long hospital stay.

Damage to personal items

This covers items damaged in the crash, such as clothing and eyewear. The dollar amounts are usually modest, but for people who rely on expensive prescription glasses or similar items, it can still be worth considering.

Death and funeral benefits

These benefits provide support to family in the event of a fatal crash. Anyone with a spouse or dependants who would face financial strain after a death is the most exposed without this coverage.

Dependant care

This benefit can help with the cost of caring for dependants when an injured person cannot. Families with young children or other dependants are usually the ones who feel its absence most.

Who should consider each optional benefit

The written opt-in: nothing changes until you sign

An important protection is built into the reform. The system is opt-in, not opt-out. If your policy renews after July 1, 2026, you keep your pre-July-2026 coverage until you agree in writing to reduce it. That means the decision to trim benefits in exchange for a lower premium is yours to make deliberately, not something an insurer does on its own.

Review your coverage at renewal

Because these are now choices rather than defaults, it is generally wise to revisit your coverage each time your policy comes up for renewal. Your life changes — a new job, a new child, a mortgage, aging parents — and the benefits that matter to you can change with it. A broker can walk you through your options and how they fit your circumstances. This article does not quote premium prices, and costs vary, so a broker is the right person to talk about what each option would mean for your budget.

Know your rights if you are later injured

Even with the best coverage choices, disputes can arise about what you are owed after a crash. Knowing that medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care remain mandatory — and understanding which optional benefits you actually bought — puts you in a much stronger position if you ever need to make a claim. If a benefit is denied, there are avenues to challenge that decision, and getting advice early generally helps.

If you would like help understanding your rights after an injury, or you are unsure how the 2026 changes affect the coverage you already have, Azimi Law is happy to talk it through. Reach out for general guidance about your situation — no pressure and no promises, just a straightforward conversation.