Esurance expands online auto and home insurance to Ontario

Esurance has announced that it is expanding its online auto and home insurance to Ontario.

Esurance – an Allstate company with homeowner and auto insurance available across Alberta, Ontario and the United States – uses “advanced technology to offer an easy online experience and intuitive tools that help take the hassle out of insurance,” the company said in a press release dated Sept. 19.

“We are absolutely thrilled to enter the Ontario market, because we know Ontarians are looking for an insurance company that will provide better value and an easy, effortless experience,” Esurance Canada general manager Saskia Matheson said in the release. “Not only do we offer value in terms of dollars, we also help our customers save time by leveraging technology whenever we can.”

The company notes that insurance can be complicated, which is why Esurance “simplifies the process starting with the initial quote, explaining in plain English how rates are calculated. This helps customers become well-informed and empowered to make smart decisions about their coverage. And the claims process is just as easy. Esurance responds fast using smart technology to help customers get back to normal as quickly and painlessly as possible.”

Matheson reported that customers “love that they have access to our services and their policy from anywhere, at their convenience. What’s more, through our intuitive online tools, consumers can see exactly what coverage is right for them and where they’re saving money, bringing a new level of transparency to the insurance process,” she said.

Esurance also noted that as Ontario residents continue to experience some of the highest home ownership and auto insurance costs in the country, a recent survey of 1,000 Ontarians completed by Leger in July found that almost half (45%) of Ontarians do not believe that their current insurance company wants to save them money, almost one quarter (22%) of Ontarians do not trust their insurance company to look out for their best interest and eight in ten (79%) would consider switching providers for one designed to save them money.

Related: Nearly half of Albertans don’t fully understand all aspects of their auto insurance policy: Esurance survey

The survey also found that nearly one in four Ontarians (38%) believe that their insurance provider doesn’t give them better value, and more than half (52%) would consider switching to one that offers value-add tools such as online policy management and easy billing.

“Online policy management and easy billing are at the core of Esurances value-add approach,” the release said. The company reports that it is “leveraging technology to reduce some of the costs that encumber traditional insurance companies, so customers receive quality coverage at an affordable rate.” For example, the Esurance DIY Home Inspection app is a home inspection app tool that enables customers to self-inspect their homes for additional policy discounts. Customers can also bundle their home and auto insurance for additional savings, and new customers can take advantage of the “Welcome Home” discount when they switch to Esurance.

Drivers in Ontario can also benefit, Esurance reported, with special rate savings for safe, experienced drivers, including a “good driver household discount.” Another tool is Coverage Counsellor, a proprietary online tool that provides a customized car insurance estimate in minutes.

Esurance provides homeowners and auto insurance direct to Canadian consumers in Ontario and Alberta and offers multiple insurance products in the U.S., including auto, homeowners, motorcycle, and renters insurance.