Insurance After a Licence Suspension in Ontario: What to Expect (2026 Guide)
Getting your licence back is only half the battle. You also need car insurance before you can legally drive, and a suspension can make that much harder and more expensive. This guide explains what to expect and how to find coverage.
Which Suspensions Hurt Your Insurance Most?
Insurers look at your driving record, including convictions, suspensions and reinstatements. The entries with the biggest impact are generally:
- Impaired driving convictions, including over 80 and refusal
- Impaired-driving roadside suspensions
- Driving while suspended
- Stunt driving and street racing
- Multiple tickets or serious novice driver violations
Suspensions that don’t come from a driving conviction, such as a medical suspension or one for unpaid fines alone, usually affect insurance far less, as long as you didn’t drive while suspended. Every insurer sets its own rules, so ask yours directly.
What to Expect
After a serious conviction or suspension, many drivers see a large premium increase, a cancellation or non-renewal, or a move into the high-risk market. The effect usually lasts several years and eases as the conviction ages and you keep a clean record.
High-Risk Insurance
If your current insurer won’t renew you, some insurers specialize in drivers with convictions, suspensions or multiple tickets. Premiums are higher, but coverage is available. An insurance broker who works with high-risk drivers can compare several companies at once.
The Facility Association
If no regular insurer will cover you, the Facility Association is Ontario’s insurer of last resort. It makes sure drivers who can’t find coverage elsewhere can still get the insurance required by law, though usually at a high price. Most drivers aim to move back to a regular insurer once their record improves.
How to Get Insured After Reinstatement
- Make sure your licence is actually reinstated. See why you should never drive before reinstatement.
- Be honest on your application. Insurers check your driver record, and leaving out a conviction can void your policy.
- Talk to your current insurer first, then compare through a broker.
- Keep any interlock condition and all other conditions perfectly. A new violation makes everything worse.
- Keep your record clean. Time without new tickets or claims is what brings premiums back down.
Never Drive Uninsured
Driving without insurance is a separate serious offence in Ontario. It can also lead to a suspension, which sends you back to the start of reinstatement.
Want to see what an insurer will see? Read our guide to your Ontario driver record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my insurance go up after a licence suspension in Ontario?
Often yes, especially after impaired driving, driving while suspended or stunt driving. Suspensions not tied to a driving conviction, such as medical suspensions, usually have much less effect, but each insurer sets its own rules.
What is the Facility Association?
It is Ontario’s insurer of last resort, making sure drivers who can’t get coverage from a regular insurer can still get the insurance required by law, usually at a high premium.
Can my insurer cancel my policy after a suspension?
Yes. Insurers may cancel or refuse to renew after serious convictions such as impaired driving or driving while suspended.
How long will a suspension affect my insurance?
Usually several years. The impact eases as the conviction ages and you keep a clean record.
How can I lower my insurance after a suspension?
Compare high-risk insurers through a broker, follow every licence condition, avoid new tickets and claims, and re-shop your coverage as your record improves.
Related Guides
- How to Reinstate a Suspended Licence in Ontario: Step-by-Step
- Why You Should Never Drive Before Your Licence Is Reinstated in Ontario
- Ontario Driver’s Abstract and Driver Record: How to Read It and Fix Errors
- How Long Does It Take to Reinstate a Licence in Ontario?
Talk to an Ontario Lawyer About Your Suspension
Every suspension is different, and a mistake can keep you off the road longer or lead to new charges. If you’re facing an impaired driving charge, a licence suspension or a driving-while-suspended charge, an experienced Ontario DUI lawyer can review your record and explain your options.
Find an Ontario DUI lawyer near you →
This article is general information about Ontario rules as of 2026 and is not legal advice. Fees, penalties and processes can change, so confirm your own requirements with ServiceOntario, the Ministry of Transportation or a lawyer.
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