Is Truly a real insurance broker or just a comparison site?

Truly is a full-service insurance brokerage. You get access to our team of licensed insurance brokers who give personalized advice, help you choose the right coverage, and support you through claims. You're never on your own after you buy.

How fast can I get a quote?

Personal quotes typically come back the same day and most commercial coverage is usually bound within a few business days, depending on the coverage and the information you provide. You can also call us at 519.800.4770 and we'll quote over the phone.

What types of insurance do you offer?

We cover auto, home, condo, tenant, business, commercial liability, real estate investor portfolios, and startup insurance — all from top Canadian insurers.

What happens if I need to make a claim?

Call your Truly Insurance broker during business hours and we'll help you report the claim, explain the process, and advocate with the insurer. For after-hours emergencies, our claims page lists 24-hour carrier claim lines so you can report directly, then let us know so we can advocate for you.

Can I switch to Truly if I already have insurance?

Absolutely. You can switch any time, even mid-policy. Any early-termination fee from your current provider is often offset by the savings we find you.

How is Truly transparent about how it's paid?

As a licensed Ontario brokerage, we disclose how we operate, how we're compensated, and any potential conflicts of interest before you buy, in line with RIBO and FSRA requirements.

Why do Kitchener–Waterloo auto insurance rates differ from Toronto?

Ontario insurers rate auto by territory, so traffic density, claim frequency, and theft all factor into your postal code. A Kitchener, Waterloo, or Cambridge postal code is usually rated more favourably than a Toronto or Mississauga one for claim frequency and theft. As a Kitchener-based broker, Truly Insurance knows which carriers rate Waterloo Region competitively and which load it, and routes you to the ones that don't.

What is DCPD and do I need it in Ontario?

Direct Compensation Property Damage covers your vehicle through your own insurer when another driver is at fault, a core part of Ontario's no-fault system. It's standard on Ontario auto policies. Truly Insurance makes sure the deductible and coverage amount make sense for your car's value so you're not under-recovering after someone else's mistake.

What is Ontario's no-fault insurance system?

No-fault means each driver deals with their own insurer for vehicle damage and injury benefits, regardless of who caused the crash. Fault is still determined for at-fault surcharge purposes, but you don't chase the other driver's insurer for repairs — your own carrier pays and then subrogates. Truly Insurance explains exactly how it applies to your specific accident.

What happens to my auto insurance rates after an at-fault accident?

An at-fault accident typically stays on your Ontario driving record for six years and can raise your premium at renewal. The size of the increase depends on your insurer, the percent of fault, and whether you carry accident forgiveness. Truly Insurance re-shops your policy across 17+ insurers after an at-fault to find the carrier that treats it least harshly.

What is accident forgiveness and do I qualify?

Accident forgiveness is an endorsement or loyalty reward that shields your first at-fault accident from a surcharge, usually after six years claim-free with the same insurer. Not every carrier offers it and it doesn't transfer. Truly Insurance tells you honestly whether your policy has it and whether it's worth keeping versus moving to a cheaper carrier.

What are OPCF endorsements and which ones matter?

Ontario Policy Change Forms (OPCF) add or change coverage on an auto policy. The ones that matter most are OPCF 20 (loss of use and rental), OPCF 27 (rental-car liability extension), OPCF 43 (replacement cost for a total loss), and OPCF 44R (family protection against underinsured drivers). Truly Insurance explains each before you buy and adds only the ones that fit your life.

Do winter tires lower my auto insurance in Ontario?

Yes. Ontario insurers are required to offer a winter-tire discount, typically around 5 percent, for four matching winter tires mounted during the required season. Truly Insurance applies it automatically and verifies the discount shows on your policy, because it's often missed when policies are bound remotely.

Am I covered while driving for Uber or DoorDash in Ontario?

Not on a standard personal auto policy — personal use excludes carrying passengers or goods for money. Rideshare and delivery platforms carry some third-party cover while the app is active, but the gap between personal and commercial use is real. Truly Insurance arranges a commercial-use extension or rideshare endorsement so a delivery or rideshare trip doesn't leave a claim denied.

What happens if my car is a total loss?

The insurer pays actual cash value by default, which can leave you financing a remaining loan on a car you no longer own. With OPCF 43 (replacement cost), the insurer pays for a new equivalent vehicle if the loss happens early in the car's life. Truly Insurance tells you when replacement-cost coverage is worth it for a newer or financed car, and when it isn't.

How do I lower my auto insurance premium in Ontario?

Bundling home and auto, a clean driving record, increased deductibles, telematics, and winter-tire and approved anti-theft discounts all help. The biggest lever is re-shopping at renewal — insurers' rates shift yearly and a loyal customer is often overpaying. Truly Insurance shops 17+ Canadian insurers and re-shops your auto at every renewal automatically.

Will a speeding ticket affect my auto insurance in Ontario?

A minor conviction, like 10 to 29 km/h over, usually raises your premium for three years; a major conviction, like stunt driving or 50+ km/h over, can more than double it and may require the high-risk market. Truly Insurance re-shops after convictions because different insurers treat the same ticket very differently, and a move often saves far more than staying.

Does my Ontario auto policy cover a rental car?

Often yes for liability and damage if you carry collision and comprehensive on your own vehicle, but coverage extends based on your policy and a credit card or rental waiver can leave gaps. Truly Insurance adds OPCF 27 to extend liability and confirms your physical-damage transfer so you're covered in Canada and the U.S. without buying the counter's expensive insurance.

Is sewer backup coverage worth it in Ontario?

Yes. Mature basements and older municipal infrastructure make sewer backup and overland water endorsements genuinely valuable across Ontario, especially in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge where stone foundations and mature trees drive the most common basement claim. Truly Insurance adds them by default and prices the deductible sensibly so the coverage responds when it matters.

Does home insurance cover flooding in Ontario?

Only with the right endorsements. A standard Ontario home policy excludes overland water and sewer backup unless added separately, and groundwater seepage often needs its own endorsement. Truly Insurance includes the coverages that actually protect Ontario homes and explains each one before you buy.

What's the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?

Replacement cost pays to rebuild or replace without deducting for depreciation; actual cash value deducts depreciation. Contents are often settled on an actual-cash-value basis unless you upgrade to replacement cost, which Truly Insurance recommends for most households because a depreciated payout rarely funds a full re-stock after a loss.

Does home insurance cover jewelry and valuables?

Only up to a sub-limit, often $2,000 to $6,000 per category for jewelry, art, and collectibles, unless you schedule the item individually with an appraisal. Truly Insurance schedules your valuables at agreed value so a lost ring or stolen watch settles at the appraised amount, not the sub-limit that leaves you short.

What is overland water coverage and do I need it?

Overland water covers freshwater flooding from lakes, rivers, and surface runoff, distinct from sewer backup. Homes near the Grand River, the Speed River, or in low-lying parts of Kitchener–Waterloo carry real exposure. Truly Insurance adds it where your property warrants it and declines it where it doesn't, with the reasoning on the table.

Is my home covered while I'm on vacation?

Most policies impose a vacancy limit, typically 30 consecutive days, after which water-damage and theft cover can suspend unless you notify the insurer or add a vacancy permit. Snowbirds and long-trip travellers need a vacancy endorsement or a check-in plan. Truly Insurance sets the terms before you leave so a burst pipe in February doesn't become a denied claim.

Does home insurance cover a burst pipe in winter?

Sudden and accidental water damage from a burst pipe is covered, but freeze damage while a home is vacant and unheated can be excluded if you didn't maintain heat or drain the pipes. Truly Insurance explains the winter-vacancy rules your insurer expects — drain-down, setback thermostat, and a check-in plan — so the claim pays.

Does my home insurance policy cover a finished basement?

Finished basement improvements are part of the dwelling limit, but their water-damage exposure is only covered if sewer backup and overland water are endorsed. A finished basement without water cover is the single most common under-insured gap Truly Insurance sees in Kitchener–Waterloo. We quote the basement honestly and add the water cover its finish value deserves.

What is guaranteed replacement cost on a home policy?

Guaranteed replacement cost pays whatever it takes to rebuild your home to its pre-loss condition, even if the cost exceeds your dwelling limit, protecting you when materials and labour spike after a widespread event. Truly Insurance places it wherever your insurer offers it, because a rebuild that exceeds your limit is exactly the moment you can't afford to be short.

Does home insurance cover a home business?

A standard policy excludes business property and liability beyond a small allowance unless you add a home-business endorsement. Even a low-foot-traffic business can void liability cover after a client-related claim. Truly Insurance adds an extension sized to your operations so a slip, a stolen laptop, or a client-data claim is covered, not a denial.

How is my Ontario home insurance premium calculated?

Insurers rate on rebuild cost, age and construction of the home, postal-code claim frequency, distance to a fire hydrant and station, heating type, electrical and plumbing age, roof age, claims history, credit where permitted, and your deductible and limits. Because so many factors move, Truly Insurance re-shops at renewal to surface a better rate without changing your coverage.

How does bundling home and auto save money in Ontario?

A multi-line home-and-auto discount typically lowers both premiums 10 to 15 percent, consolidates renewals, and often unlocks additional loyalty or claims-free benefits. Truly Insurance shows the bundled versus unbundled price across 17+ insurers so the saving is real and documented, not assumed.

Is high-risk auto insurance a specialty at Truly Insurance?

Yes. High-risk and non-standard auto is a file we specialize in, not a side line, and our Kitchener team holds appointments with every non-standard carrier that writes in Ontario, Jevco, Pafco, Coachman, and Echelon, plus the Facility Association residual market. We have placed impaired, suspended, and cancelled-driving files for years and we know exactly how each carrier rates the same conviction or cancellation, so your abstract is quoted four times and lands with the carrier that treats your history least harshly.

Which high-risk auto insurance carriers does Truly Insurance write with?

We write with Jevco, Pafco, Coachman, and Echelon, the four Ontario non-standard carriers that specialize in impaired, suspended, and cancelled drivers, plus the Facility Association residual market. Because we hold appointments with all of them, your driving abstract is quoted four times, not once, and placed with the carrier that rates your specific history least harshly rather than being shopped to a single insurer.

Is Facility Association my only option after a DUI in Ontario?

No. Facility is the insurer of last resort, not the first stop, and we quote Jevco, Pafco, Coachman, and Echelon before it is ever considered. All four write drivers with impaired and major-conviction records, often well below Facility, so a DUI does not mean you are stuck in the residual market. Facility is used only if every one of the four declines, which is rare for a single conviction.

What makes a driver high-risk in Ontario?

A major conviction like impaired driving, a licence suspension, multiple at-fault accidents, or a non-payment cancellation moves you into the non-standard tier where standard insurers decline or surcharge heavily. It is a statistical and underwriting decision, not a moral one, and it is the file we place every working day. We know exactly how each of the four non-standard carriers rates that record.

Can I get auto insurance with a suspended licence in Ontario?

Yes. We bind cover before your licence is reinstated so a policy is in place the day it is valid again, and we arrange the proof-of-insurance filing an ordered reinstatement demands. We never bind a policy that lets you drive while suspended; we set it up so you are covered the moment you are legal, and we move you back to a standard carrier as the suspension ages off your abstract.

I was cancelled for non-payment, can I still get insured?

Yes. A non-payment cancellation can lock you out of the standard market, but Jevco, Pafco, Coachman, and Echelon write this history every day and each rates it differently. We quote your record with all four, place you with the carrier that treats the cancellation least harshly, and help you rebuild a clean payment history that qualifies you to move back to a standard insurer at the next renewal.

How long does a DUI stay on my Ontario insurance record?

An impaired conviction typically stays on your Ontario driving abstract and insurance record for three years from the conviction date, and a major conviction can affect your premium for up to six years. We tell you the exact date it falls off, we re-shop the file at every renewal, and we move you back to a standard carrier the moment your abstract allows it.

How much is high-risk auto insurance in Ontario?

It depends on the conviction, the at-fault accidents, the suspension, and which of the four carriers is quoting. A single impaired conviction can more than double a standard premium, but the four non-standard carriers rate the same abstract very differently. We quote your record with all four and show you the full range, not one number, so you see exactly where your file fits.

How do I move back to the standard auto market?

As your convictions age off your abstract and your payment history cleans up, standard insurers become available again. We track your abstract's aging and re-shop you back to the standard market at the first renewal a standard carrier will accept you, often cutting your premium substantially. Moving you back down is the whole point of placing the file, not leaving you in the high-risk tier.

Home/Coverage/Short-Term Rental Insurance

Airbnb & STR hosts

Short-Term Rental Insurance in Ontario

Truly Insurance is a Kitchener–Waterloo insurance brokerage that insures short-term rental hosts across Ontario — Airbnb, Vrbo, and other STR platforms. A standard home or landlord policy typically excludes short-term-rental business use, and relying on the platform's host coverage can leave gaps after a major loss. We shop 17+ Canadian insurers for the business-use coverage that actually responds when a guest is injured, a property is damaged, or a booking goes wrong.

Platform host cover isn't your insurance. This is.

Get a Short-Term Rental Insurance quote Call 519.800.4770

Short-Term Rental Insurance — at a glance

A short-term rental is a business, and most home and landlord policies exclude that business use. We arrange STR coverage that names the hosting activity honestly with the insurer, covers the building, your contents, and guest-injury liability, and sets the terms that match how you host — occasional, full-time, or managed by a co-host.

What Short-Term Rental Insurance protects.

Standard Ontario short-term rental insurance policies include most of the coverages below by default. We add the endorsements and limits specific to your property, vehicle, or operation, and re-shop the policy at every renewal so your premium tracks the market, not the insurer's loyalty habit.

Building

The dwelling, rated for short-term-occupancy guest traffic, not owner-occupied use.

Your furnishings and the belongings a turnover guest could damage or take.

Short-term rental liability

Guest bodily injury and property-damage cover that responds to STR-specific risk, not a home-policy exclusion.

Loss of rental income

Cover when a covered loss takes the unit offline during peak booking season.

Damage by guest

Guest-caused damage and theft, where endorsed, beyond platform host guarantees.

Business-use endorsement

The wording that converts an owner-occupied or landlord policy into one that covers short-term hosting legally.

Who Short-Term Rental Insurance is for

Built for the drivers, owners, and operators who pick us.

Occasional hosts

Owners who list a primary residence while travelling a few weeks a year.

Full-time STR operators

Investors running dedicated short-term rentals year-round.

Airbnb & Vrbo hosts

Hosts on the major platforms who need cover beyond host-protection programs.

Cottage & second-home hosts

Seasonal property owners hosting guests during the off-use months.

Co-hosted & managed units

Properties handled by a property manager or co-host on your behalf.

Locally based in Kitchener

Short-Term Rental Insurance, arranged by a local Kitchener-Waterloo broker.

Short-term rental is a fast-growing file across Ontario and a frequent gap we close. Too many hosts assume Airbnb's or Vrbo's host coverage is their insurance, when it's a limited guarantee that responds after your own policy and leaves real gaps. From our Kitchener office we place STR coverage that names the hosting activity honestly — occasional, full-time, or co-hosted — covers the building, contents, and guest liability, and sets loss-of-rental-income terms that match a peak-season booking calendar. We also coordinate with the insurer on the municipal STR licensing rules many Ontario cities now require.

Start a quote Talk to a broker

Short-Term Rental Insurance FAQ

Short-Term Rental Insurance questions, answered.

Does my home insurance cover an Airbnb?+

Usually not. Most home and landlord policies exclude short-term-rental business use, and relying on the platform's host guarantee can leave gaps after a major loss. We arrange a business-use endorsement or a dedicated STR policy so a guest injury or property damage is actually covered.

Is Airbnb's host cover enough?+

Platform host coverage is a limited guarantee, not a full insurance policy, and it responds after your own coverage and with conditions and caps. We place real short-term-rental insurance so you're not relying on a platform program when a guest is injured or a unit is badly damaged.

Can I insure an occasional short-term rental?+

Yes. Occasional hosts who list a primary residence only while away can often add a short-term-rental endorsement to a home policy. We structure the cover to match how often you actually host so you're not paying for full-time cover you don't need.

What does short-term rental liability cover?+

Guest bodily injury and property damage tied to the hosting activity — a slip on icy steps, a guest injury inside the unit, or damage to a neighbour's property. We set limits that reflect guest-traffic risk, not a homeowner liability assumption.

Does it cover damage caused by a guest?+

Guest-caused damage and theft can be covered with the right endorsement, beyond what a platform host guarantee pays. We add it where the insurer offers it and check the deductible and limits so a wrecked unit is covered.

Do Ontario municipalities affect my STR insurance?+

Many Ontario cities now license and regulate short-term rentals, and some insurers ask for registration confirmation. We coordinate with the insurer on the local STR rules so the policy reflects your legal hosting status and won't lapse on a licensing issue.

Is loss of booking income covered?+

With a loss-of-rental-income endorsement, yes — cover when a covered loss takes the unit offline, including during peak season. We set the term to match your booking calendar so the income you depend on is protected.

Can I bundle STR cover with a longer-term rental policy?+

If you host across both short and long-term uses, we structure a policy that covers both honestly rather than misstating either. Mixing uses on the wrong policy is a common denial reason, so we name each activity with the insurer correctly.

From the Journal

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Compare Short-Term Rental Insurance quotes today.

A licensed Kitchener broker compares the available insurance markets and explains it before you buy.

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Short-Term Rental Insurance in Ontario

What Short-Term Rental Insurance protects.

Building

Contents

Short-term rental liability

Loss of rental income

Damage by guest

Business-use endorsement

Built for the drivers, owners, and operators who pick us.

Occasional hosts

Full-time STR operators

Airbnb & Vrbo hosts

Cottage & second-home hosts

Co-hosted & managed units

Short-Term Rental Insurance, arranged by a local Kitchener-Waterloo broker.

Short-Term Rental Insurance questions, answered.

Short-Term Rental Insurance insights from our brokers.

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Serving Kitchener–Waterloo & Southwestern Ontario

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