Collector Car Insurance
Sutherland Insurance is a fifth-generation independent brokerage in Guelph, Ontario that places collector car insurance across the province, including with specialty market Hagerty. A collector policy is written on an agreed value basis, and Ontario law still requires third-party liability of at least $200,000 on every registered vehicle.
Key takeaways
- Ontario law requires third-party liability of at least $200,000 on every registered vehicle under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, and a collector vehicle is no exception.
- Collector policies are written on an agreed value basis, so a total loss is settled at the figure set when the policy was issued, without depreciation.
- Ontario collector insurers apply eligibility conditions covering the vehicle's age and condition, storage, permitted annual use and whether a separate vehicle is available for daily driving, and those conditions differ from one insurer to the next.
- Sutherland Insurance holds a contract with Hagerty, a specialty collector vehicle market, alongside its more than 10 personal-lines carriers.
- Who it is for
- Ontario owners of classic, antique, modified and collector vehicles
- Legally required in Ontario
- Yes, Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act, on every registered vehicle
- Statutory minimum third-party liability
- $200,000; higher limits available
- Settlement basis
- Agreed value, set when the policy is issued
- Common eligibility conditions
- Secure locked storage, limited annual use, and a separate vehicle for daily driving
- Specialty market held
- Hagerty, alongside more than 10 personal-lines carriers
What is collector car insurance?
Collector car insurance is an automobile policy written for a vehicle kept for its interest rather than for daily transport. It carries the mandatory Ontario auto coverages, and it settles physical damage on an agreed value basis rather than the depreciated value a standard policy uses. Eligibility, annual use and storage conditions are written into the contract.
The reason a separate product exists is that a standard Ontario auto policy settles a total loss at actual cash value, the depreciated market value at the moment of the claim. That mechanism works for a vehicle that loses value with age and fails for one that gains it. An agreed value contract fixes the figure in advance and pays it in full.
What can an Ontario collector car insurance policy cover?
What a policy can cover
- The mandatory Ontario auto coverages: third-party liability, statutory accident benefits, direct compensation property damage and uninsured automobile coverage
- Physical damage on an agreed value basis, paid in full on a total loss without a deduction for depreciation
- Spare parts, tools and memorabilia stored with the vehicle, where available under the policy and within any sub-limit stated in the wording
- Transport to and from shows, exhibitions, club events, parades and tours, subject to the annual use permitted
- Coverage while the vehicle is with a restoration shop, where available under the policy
- Optional cherished salvage terms, allowing an owner to retain the vehicle after a total loss settlement
Commonly excluded under standard Ontario collector car insurance wordings
- Use as a daily driver, for commuting or for commercial purposes such as ride-hailing or delivery
- Racing, speed competition, track events and timed rallies, unless the corresponding endorsement is added
- Mechanical and electrical breakdown, wear and tear, rust and gradual deterioration
- Loss occurring while the vehicle was stored outside the secure locked storage the policy requires
- Use outside the permitted usage conditions stated in the policy
Exclusions vary by insurer and by policy form; the issued policy governs.
How much does collector car insurance cost in Ontario?
The factors that move an Ontario collector car insurance premium, in approximate order of influence, and why insurers look at each one.
| Rating factor | Why |
|---|---|
| Agreed value set on the vehicle | The agreed value is the insurer's exact exposure on a total loss. |
| Annual distance permitted | Exposure is a direct function of time on the road. |
| Storage arrangements | Secure enclosed storage reduces theft, vandalism and weather exposure. |
| Driver age, experience and record | Driving record is a filed rating factor on every Ontario auto policy. |
| Liability limit selected | Ontario's statutory minimum is $200,000, and higher limits raise exposure. |
| Rarity and parts availability | Repair cost rises when panels and trim have to be fabricated or sourced abroad. |
| Extent of modification | Engine, brake and suspension changes alter both value and risk. |
| Deductible selected | A higher deductible transfers more of each loss to the policyholder. |
Do I need collector car insurance in Ontario?
Ontario law requires every registered vehicle to carry third-party liability of at least $200,000, statutory accident benefits, direct compensation property damage and uninsured automobile coverage under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. A collector vehicle registered and plated in Ontario carries the same obligation. Whether a collector or a standard policy is used is a separate question.
Which policy a vehicle is eligible for, and on what terms, depends on circumstances that vary from one car to the next:
- The age of the vehicle, since most Ontario collector programs set a minimum, commonly twenty or twenty-five years.
- Its condition and whether it has been restored, modified or left original.
- Whether it is stored in a locked private garage rather than on a driveway or in a shared lot.
- Whether the household has a separate vehicle for daily driving and commuting.
- The annual distance expected, and whether use is limited to shows, tours and club events.
- Whether the vehicle carries Ontario Historic plates, which restrict permitted use in their own right.
What situations does Ontario collector car insurance commonly address?
Collector policies are arranged for a wide range of ownership circumstances across Ontario, and the terms available differ in each. The situations below are common among Sutherland Insurance clients in Guelph and across the province. Each may affect eligibility, valuation, available coverage options, and the insurer willing to insure the vehicle.
- A Guelph owner of a 1969 muscle car driven to weekend shows through the summer and stored from October.
- An owner midway through a multi-year restoration, where the agreed value may be reviewed as the work progresses.
- A collector with multiple vehicles, each insured with its own agreed value and usage requirements.
- An owner of a modified vehicle whose engine and drivetrain changes place it outside a standard rating table.
- A vehicle carrying Ontario Historic plates, used for parades, exhibitions and club tours.
- An inherited family car kept in original condition and driven only a few hundred kilometres a year.
How do I get collector car insurance from Sutherland Insurance?
A quote is requested online or by calling 519-822-0160. A licensed Sutherland Insurance broker confirms the vehicle, its condition, the agreed value under consideration, the storage arrangements and the annual use, then compares the specialty and standard Ontario markets.
- Request a quote online, or call Sutherland Insurance at 519-822-0160.
- A licensed broker confirms the year, make, model, condition and any modifications, with photographs and any appraisal on file.
- The broker records the storage, the annual distance expected, and the separate vehicle used for daily driving.
- Sutherland Insurance compares its specialty collector market, Hagerty, alongside the standard Ontario markets it holds.
- The agreed value is set, coverage is bound, and proof of insurance is issued for registration.
What makes Sutherland Insurance different from a direct insurer?
When a claim happens, Sutherland Insurance acts for the client with the insurer, and an in-house claims representative is available on any claim. Sutherland Insurance is an independent brokerage and compares 10+ Canadian insurers rather than selling one company’s product. A person answers the phone at Sutherland Insurance, 519-822-0160, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insure a classic car in Ontario?
A classic car registered in Ontario carries the same mandatory coverages as any other vehicle: third-party liability of at least $200,000, statutory accident benefits, direct compensation property damage and uninsured automobile coverage. Physical damage is written on an agreed value basis through a specialty collector market, subject to conditions on storage, annual use and daily-driver availability.
What is agreed value coverage for a collector car?
Agreed value means the insurer and the owner fix the vehicle's value when the policy is issued, commonly supported by photographs or an appraisal. On a total loss the insurer pays that figure without a deduction for depreciation. A standard Ontario auto policy settles instead at actual cash value, the depreciated market value at the time of the claim.
Is collector car insurance cheaper than regular auto insurance?
Collector policies are rated on limited annual use, secure storage and an experienced driver, and those inputs sit well below a daily-driven profile. They also carry conditions a standard policy does not: restricted use, storage requirements, and a separate vehicle for commuting. Which policy costs less on a particular vehicle depends on the insurer's filed rates.
What age does a car have to be for collector insurance in Ontario?
Ontario collector programs set their own minimum age, commonly twenty or twenty-five years, and some accept newer vehicles of recognized collector interest. Age alone is not sufficient: insurers also assess condition, originality, storage and how far the vehicle is driven each year. The eligibility rules differ by insurer, and the issued policy governs.
Can a collector car be driven daily in Ontario?
Collector wordings restrict use to shows, exhibitions, club events, tours and pleasure driving within a stated annual distance, and they exclude commuting and commercial use. A household holding a collector policy is generally required to keep a separate vehicle for daily driving. Ontario Historic plates carry their own separate restrictions on permitted use.
Does collector car insurance cover a restoration project?
Specialty collector markets write vehicles under restoration, including while the vehicle sits at a shop, and several allow the agreed value to rise in stages as the work progresses. Coverage for parts held off the vehicle is written within a stated sub-limit. Terms vary by insurer, and the issued policy governs.
Which insurers does Sutherland Insurance use for collector cars?
Sutherland Insurance holds a contract with Hagerty, a specialty collector vehicle market, alongside the more than 10 personal-lines carriers it compares for standard auto business. It is an independent brokerage licensed by the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario. It is not tied to any single insurer.
Get your collector car insurance quote
A licensed Sutherland Insurance broker compares the available markets on every quote request.
Get your collector car insurance quote Call 519-822-0160
A real person answers, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.