Goldfinger Injury Lawyers is warning individuals that upcoming changes to Ontario’s auto insurance system could leave accident victims with significantly less financial protection while shifting more responsibility onto consumers.
The changes, set to take effect July 1, will make several accident benefits optional rather than mandatory, including income replacement benefits, death and funeral benefits and non-earner benefits.
Under the new system only basic accident benefits such as medical care, rehabilitation and attendant care will remain standard in all policies, with other protections available only if drivers actively choose to purchase them as add-ons.
PTBOToday spoke with Brian Goldfinger, founder and directing lawyer at Goldfinger Injury Lawyers.
He warns that under the new rules, drivers who opt out of optional benefits could lose access to key supports following a collision. That includes income replacement payments for those unable to work and funeral or death benefits in fatal crashes.
The changes could also impact pedestrians and cyclists who do not carry auto insurance of their own. While previously they would have had access to certain accident benefits if struck by a vehicle, under the new framework access would depend on whether optional coverage had been purchased through their own policy or another applicable policy.
Goldfinger says the shift will place more burden on consumers to understand what coverage they are giving up, noting that many drivers shop primarily based on price rather than policy details.
He says this could leave many injured people with only “bare bones” coverage, particularly those who choose the lower-cost insurance plans.
The province has not yet fully detailed how consumer uptake of optional coverage is expected to offset changes to standard protections.
(Written by: Felicia Massey)
