Kanetix Forum

Can I get a car insured in Ontario if I only have a valid foreign license? I cannot get my license exchanged due to the DriveTest strike. I am still allowed to drive with my foreign license since I have been in Ontario for less than 60 days, but the insurance companies I called don't want to insure me. Can I find a company that will?

The strike continues to be a problem for new Ontario drivers. Unfortunately, without a valid Canadian licence, most standard insurance companies cannot insure you. The only place that will insure you is the Facility Association, a high risk market which is the insurer of last resort. This is not an ideal solution since the prices associated are quite high.

Have you been in contact with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to confirm that exchanging your licence is not available? You can find information about the strike, and how the MTO is trying to help Ontario drivers at: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/statement.shtml

If in fact you cannot exchange your licence until the strike is over, resulting in you having to get your policy through Facility, you should still get quotes from top insurance companies. While you will not be able to act on purchasing a policy from these companies until you have a valid Canadian licence in hand, this will at least give you an idea of the cost of premiums you might expect to pay with a standard insurance company. Insurance quotes can be obtained by entering your licence date as if you acquired your licence today.

Sean Graham, Principal Broker at KTX Insurance Brokers.

Neither Kanetix® nor the KanetixForum.ca is an insurance broker or agent. Although this information has been passed along to you from KTX Insurance Brokers through the Forum, we are not responsible for the opinions expressed by them. Insurance can be complicated. When reading these answers, keep in mind each person¿s situation is unique. Individual responses may vary depending on your insurer, geographic location, and specific circumstances. If you have a similar situation, always speak with your insurance provider, or a licensed insurance representative, for terms and conditions that may apply to you.

Important Information on the Partial Resumption of DriveTest Services:

Due to the ongoing labour disruption, DriveTest will be providing very limited services at six DriveTest Centres:

- Toronto Port Union
- Kitchener
- Brampton
- Thunder Bay
- Ottawa Canotek Road, and
- North Bay

For customers that can prove that they require their licenses for employment or if they have registered for driver training, DriveTest will be providing the following services for those customers:

- Written tests for all classes of license,
- Road tests for commercial classified licenses, and
- Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country license exchanges

For more information, please visit:
http://www.drivetest.ca/

The Ontario DriveTest strike may be close to ending!

Cbc.ca reports that a tentative deal has been reached and the DriveTest centres will re-open province-wide on January 4, 2010 at 1pm, and DriveTest's 'Travel Points,' found in smaller communities, will open Jan. 5, 2010, assuming the agreement is accepted.

For more information, visit:http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/12/21/drive-test.html