Some Canadians knowingly going without proper insurance coverage: poll

Some Canadian homeowners, renters and drivers admit having been not properly insured, according to results from an online survey commissioned by Allstate Canada.

Nearly a third (30%) of those surveyed who have owned or rented a house, condo or apartment admitted not having tenant or property insurance, according to the poll of about 1,500 Canadian adults, conducted by Abacus Data.

A much smaller percentage (8%) admitted they had driven without any auto insurance, according to the results.

Among owners and renters, men were more likely than women (33% vs. 28%) not to have insurance, and were also more likely to drive without auto insurance (10% for men vs. 6% for women), according to the poll.

Men were also much more likely not to report a collision to their insurance provider at 21%, versus only 8% of women unlikely to make a report, the results suggest.

Canadians may also be putting their coverage at risk without knowing it, the results suggest. About a third (32%) had renovated their home but had not informed their insurance provider, while 14% of drivers who had been in a collision said they didn’t report it to their insurer.

“Insurance is there to protect us from the unplanned,” notes Ryan Michel, vice president and chief risk officer in Allstate’s enterprise risk management business.

“The best way to be prepared is for each of us to regularly review our policies with our provider to ensure they are meeting our current needs.”