I hope everyone enjoyed a happy holiday season with family and friends. As we move into 2018, I would like to invite everyone to join me at my New Year’s Levee on Sunday, January 14, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at University of Toronto Scarborough, UTSC Instructional Centre – Atrium, 1095 Military Trail, Scarborough (N.W. corner of Military Trail and Ellesmere Road). There is free parking on Military Trail, directly opposite the Instructional Centre in lots G and H. Light refreshments will be served and no RSVP is required. I hope to see you there.
There are nearly 10 million drivers in our province and since 2013 the government has introduced a number of reforms that have resulted in lower auto insurance rates. Average auto insurance rates are now 6.6 percent lower than they were in 2013. Today, Ontario is taking further action by introducing the Fair Auto Insurance Plan. Based upon the recommendations made by David Marshall, Ontario’s advisor on auto insurance and a former president and CEO of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, this plan will take steps to promote better care for victims and affordable rates for drivers. It addresses fraud in the system, promotes putting victims first by providing better care for those injured in automobile accidents and strengthens consumer protection. Highlights of the plan include
- Implementing standard treatment plans for common collision injuries such as sprains, strains and whiplash to help people receive the treatment they need after an accident, changing the emphasis from cash payouts to ensuring appropriate care for victims.
- Reducing diagnosis and treatment disputes between insurance companies and people injured in collisions by instituting independent examination centres to assess more serious auto collision injuries.
- Cracking down on fraud by launching the province’s first Serious Fraud Office in spring 2018. The office will use an integrated and dedicated approach to combat serious fraud, with a focus on auto insurance fraud, which has been identified as one of the factors contributing to higher premiums.
- Directing the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) to review risk factors used by insurers to calculate premiums with the goal of ensuring drivers in certain parts of the province are not subject to unfairly high rates.
- Ensuring that lawyers’ contingency fees are fair, reasonable and more transparent.
Additional resources on auto insurance at:
Ontario’s Fair Auto Insurance Plan –
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2017/12/ontarios-fair-auto-insurance-plan.html
Making Auto Insurance More Affordable –
https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2017/12/making-auto-insurance-more-affordable.html
Fair Benefits Fairly Delivered: Review of Auto Insurance System in Ont. – https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/autoinsurance/fair-benefits.html
Understanding Automobile Insurance –
https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/auto/brochures/Pages/brochure_autoins.aspx
As always, my staff and I are here to support you by answering your questions and resolving issues related to provincial government services. Please do not hesitate to contact my Constituency Office. You may stop by in person at 300 Kingston Road, Pickering, Unit 7, call us at 905-509-0336, or send me an email at tmaccharles.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org. If you would like to receive our quarterly e-newsletter, please send your email to the above address with the subject line
“e-newsletter”. You may also subscribe online in the “News” section of my website: http://tracymaccharles.onmpp.ca. I look forward to hearing from you soon.