Choosing a home insurer in Canada is less about finding one company that wins everywhere and more about knowing which insurers compete hard in your province and for your type of home. The insurer that is cheapest for a new detached house in Calgary may be expensive for a century home in Halifax. This guide compares the national insurers, lists the regional and member-based companies worth adding to a quote list in each province, and explains what to compare beyond price. For how policies work, see the guide to home insurance in Canada; for typical premiums, see average home insurance costs by province.
National home insurers compared
| Company | What it is | Sold through |
|---|---|---|
| Intact Insurance | Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer; owns belairdirect | Brokers (Intact) and direct (belairdirect) |
| TD Insurance | Insurance arm of TD Bank; bundling and online-purchase discounts | Direct, including online |
| Aviva | Large national property and casualty insurer | Brokers |
| Desjardins | Quebec-based co-operative financial group | Direct |
| Wawanesa | Mutual insurer founded in 1896 in Wawanesa, Manitoba | Independent brokers |
| The Co-operators | Co-operative insurer | Its own advisors |
| Definity (Economical) | Economical Insurance, now becoming Definity Insurance | Brokers; Sonnet is its online brand |
| CAA Insurance | Auto-club insurer with savings for CAA members | CAA agents or brokers |
| Square One | Vancouver-based online provider; customizable policies | Direct online |
TD Insurance
TD sells directly, and its main pricing levers are bundling home and auto and discounts for buying online or through affiliated alumni and professional groups. Discount amounts change with its promotions, so check the current offer. Claims experiences reported by customers vary, so it is worth reading recent reviews for your province.
Intact Insurance
Intact is the largest property and casualty insurer in the country and also sells directly as belairdirect, which absorbed the Johnson Insurance brand in 2023, so two quotes that look like competing companies can come from the same group.
Wawanesa
Wawanesa is a mutual insurer, owned by its policyholders, that started in Wawanesa, Manitoba, in 1896. It sells across the country through independent brokers.
Regional and member-based insurers by province
National insurers compete everywhere, but in several provinces a local or auto-club insurer is also worth quoting:
| Province | Insurers to add to the list | Province guide |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | AMA (Alberta Motor Association), Peace Hills Insurance, SGI Canada | Alberta |
| British Columbia | BCAA, Square One | BC |
| Saskatchewan | SGI Canada | Saskatchewan |
| Manitoba | Wawanesa | Manitoba |
| Ontario | Gore Insurance (now part of Beneva), Desjardins, CAA Insurance | Ontario |
| Quebec | Desjardins, Promutuel, Beneva | Quebec |
| Atlantic Canada | CAA Atlantic, belairdirect (formerly Johnson Insurance) | Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador |
Auto clubs such as BCAA and CAA give their members lower insurance prices, so when comparing their quotes, the membership fee belongs in the price.
How to compare home insurance companies
Price is the easiest thing to compare and the least informative on its own. Two quotes can differ because one includes sewer backup and a higher liability limit and the other doesn’t. When lining up quotes, check that each one has:
| What to match | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The same dwelling limit, based on rebuild cost | A lower limit makes a quote look cheaper and leaves you underinsured |
| The same policy form (comprehensive, broad or named perils) | Named-perils policies cover much less |
| Replacement cost or guaranteed replacement cost | ACV settlement pays much less on older property |
| The same deductible | A higher deductible hides part of the price difference |
| Overland water and sewer backup endorsements, with their limits | These are common gaps in a claim |
| Liability limit | A higher limit costs more and protects more, so compare quotes at the same limit |
Beyond the policy, look at how each insurer handles claims: whether there is 24/7 claims reporting, whether you can use your own contractor, how quickly adjusters are assigned after a regional storm, and complaint records with the provincial regulator and the General Insurance OmbudService. The insurance broker vs direct guide explains the two ways to buy.
Bundling, loyalty and when to switch
Bundling home and auto is a widely available discount, but its size varies by insurer. Insurers reprice regularly, so re-quoting every few years, or after a renovation, a new roof or paying off the mortgage, keeps the policy competitive; switching at renewal avoids cancellation penalties. The full list of discounts is on the average home insurance cost page, and renovations that lower home insurance premiums covers upgrades insurers reward.
Choosing a policy for a condo, rental or tenancy
Not every insurer is equally strong in every product. Condo owners need a unit-owner policy with loss assessment coverage, and the condo insurance guide explains what to look for. Renters buy tenant insurance, compared separately in the best tenant insurance companies guide.
A house you rent to someone else needs a landlord (rental dwelling) policy rather than a homeowner policy, and renting out a home must be disclosed to the insurer. Landlord policies add loss of rental income coverage, which pays the lost rent if a covered loss leaves the property unrentable. A lease can require tenants to carry their own insurance; tenant insurance covers the tenant’s belongings and liability.