License Plate Sticker cost going up! Sept 1,2012

 This is for everyone whose birthday is after September 1, 2012

As of September 1,2012, the price of the sticker will be going from $74 to $82 ($8.00 increase). Then, in Jan 2013 it will go to $90 ($16.00 increase) and in 2014 it will be $98 ($24.00 increase).

Did you know that you can purchase your sticker up to 6 months in advance? So if your birthday is after September 1,2012  you should go and get your sticker before that date even if your birthday is in Dec. You can also purchase a 2 year sticker at $74.00 per year.

 If there is a way to keep your money in your pocket instead of the governments, why not take advantage of the opportunity.

I hope this info can help someone save a few bucks!

What Canadians know .... about insurance.

67% of Canadians believe that, when calculating home insurance premiums, insurers consider whether the outside of a house is brick or aluminum siding.

They are right. Most insurance companies do use type of construction as a rating factor when calculating home insurance premiums. For instance, construction type is factored in when insurers calculate the building replacement cost (i.e., what it would cost to rebuild the dwelling with materials of like kind and quality, if it were destroyed). Click here to learn more about how home insurance rates are calculated. Click here to watch the "Home Replacement Cost" video. (3min., 15 MB)

73% of Canadians believe that the cost of their home insurance is affected by the type of electrical wiring in their home.

They are right. How much you pay for home insurance depends on a number of factors including the kind of wiring you have in your home.  Some older types of wiring, such as knob-and-tube or aluminum, can increase the chance of fire, especially if the wiring has deteriorated or been damaged during renovations.   Some insurance companies want a guarantee that a home does not have this wiring, some may give you time to have it removed, while others might request an inspection to ensure its safety.  Click here to learn more about how home insurance premiums are calculated.

39% of Canadians believe that their home insurance covers them for damage caused by flooding due to spring run-off – the melting of large quantities of snow and ice.

They are wrong. Damage caused by melting or moving snow is generally not covered by home insurance. Home insurance is meant to help policyholders cope with the financial consequences of unpredictable events that are “sudden and accidental.” Predictable or preventable events are not covered. These are called “uninsurable perils.” Damage caused by melting or moving snow is considered predictable, so it is an uninsurable peril. For more information about home insurance, click here.

50% of Canadians believe that their home insurance doesn’t cover damage caused by an “act of God,” such as high winds.

They are wrong. There is no blanket exclusion in a home insurance policy for “acts of God” or “acts of nature.” In fact, you will not find either of these terms anywhere in your policy. The truth is, some damage caused by nature and the environment is covered, and some isn’t. For example, damage to your home caused by wind or hail is generally covered by home insurance if the damage is done to the outside of the building. However, items such as antennas, satellite dishes, etc., are not covered. The interior of a building and its contents are covered only if the storm has first created an opening. Damage caused by flooding is generally not covered (see #1, above). Damage caused by the shaking of an earthquake is also generally not covered, but this type of coverage can be purchased as an add-on to your policy. For more information about home insurance click here.

60%  of Canadians believe that the colour of their cars does not affect what they pay for insurance.

They are right. The colour of your car does not affect your automobile insurance premium. You will not be asked to specify the colour of your vehicle on your auto insurance application. However, many other variables (such as your driving record, how expensive it would be to replace your car, and government regulations) are considered when setting auto insurance rates. Click here to learn more about how auto insurance rates are calculated.

61% of Canadians believe that the cost of their home insurance is affected by whether their appliances are powered by gas or by electricity.

They are wrong. The types of appliances in your home do not affect your insurance rates. Insurance companies base the cost of your home insurance on how likely you are to make a claim and what that claim is likely to cost them. Generally speaking, the lower the risk, the lower the premium. When it comes to the choice between gas and electricity, neither power source appears to be riskier than the other. So, the way your appliances are powered doesn’t affect what you pay for home insurance. For more information click here.

58% of Canadians believe that the contents of their vehicles are not covered by their automobile insurance.

They are right. Your automobile insurance covers the driver, the passengers and, depending on your policy, the car itself. It does not cover the stuff you carry around in your car. Typically, any sporting equipment (e.g., golf clubs), DVDs and MP3 players or other items that may get stolen from your car or damaged in a collision are covered by your home or tenant’s insurance. However, if you run a home-based business, your standard home or tenant’s insurance policy will likely not cover items related to that business (e.g., products or equipment) if they get stolen from or damaged in your car. Check with your insurance representative to find out what types of vehicle contents your home or tenant’s insurance covers.

68% of Canadians think that auto insurance covers damage to their vehicles if they hit a moose, a deer, or any other wildlife.

They are right, if they have Comprehensive coverage.
If your vehicle hits a deer, or any other wild animal, any resulting damage to your vehicle is covered, likely under the Comprehensive section of your car insurance policy.

Talk to your insurance representative to learn more. For more information about car insurance, click here

Tips to Recognize Car Insurance Myths: The Top 5 Misconceptions

Car insurance can be confusing, and it doesn’t help that there is plenty of misinformation being passed off as truth. Some car insurance myths have been circulating for so long that they’ve become entrenched, and the more they are passed along, the more they are believed. InsuranceHotline.com has the truth behind five common car insurance myths.

Myth #1. Every ticket affects car insurance rates. While getting a ticket is the most common reason why a driver sees an increase in rates, it’s not true that every single ticket results in a rate increase. Most insurance companies charge only for a select list of violations, and they are generally moving violations. This means that parking tickets won’t affect insurance rates. There are also a variety of other tickets that won’t cause an increase. While this varies based on the insurance company’s policies, the fact remains that not every ticket is a chargeable one.

Myth #2. Car insurance covers everything in and on the car. Many people persist in the belief that anything and everything that is in the car, as well as after-market parts and stereo equipment added to the car, will be covered by the insurance policy. This is not the case. Car insurance policies do have a limited amount of coverage for contents, but it’s usually quite low. A car insurance policy is designed to protect from the major financial impact of damage to the car itself as well as medical bills as a result of injury from a car accident. Personal property is most often covered under a home insurance policy rather than auto insurance. Make sure you keep your receipts for any after-market parts and equipment installed. Please speak with your insurance professional directly to find out those items are covered.

Myth #3. No-fault insurance means no one is at fault in an accident. No-fault insurance is named somewhat confusingly. It doesn’t mean that no one will be found at fault when there is an accident; there is always a determination of fault on the part of the insurance company. No-fault actually means that it doesn’t matter who is at fault – each party’s insurance company plays the claim for their customer. “Fault is always determined in an accident, and the at-fault party can expect to see their rates affected by the accident in most cases.” Tammy Ezer of InsuranceHotline.com clarifies.

Myth #4. My insurance covers a car that I borrow. Insurance policies follow the car, not the driver. It is the vehicle owner’s insurance that will handle any incidents that might occur. This means that if you borrow someone’s car and are involved in an at-fault accident, it may cost the owner of the car in the form of a deductible and/or an increase in their car insurance rate not the person who borrowed the car. When lending or borrowing a car, make sure you’re fully aware of the potential consequences.

Myth #5. The legal minimum is enough coverage. Each province mandates a minimum legal amount of liability coverage every driver must carry in order to be financially responsible. That doesn’t mean that it’s the perfect amount of coverage for every driver. In fact, it doesn’t include collision or comprehensive coverage and may well be too low a liability limit for complete protection. Most people carry more than the legal minimum to avoid out-of-pocket costs in an accident. Legal minimums make sure no one is driving without liability coverage to protect other drivers – they aren’t meant to be a complete insurance package.

Article from insurancehotline.com May 9, 2012

5 Reasons Why You Need Tenants Insurance

It is no secret that insurance is vitally important. Car, life, home or medical insurance coverage is necessary to protect you in the case of emergency or an accident. Yet, many renters fail to purchase tenants insurance. Similar to home insurance quotes, the quotes for tenants insurance (also renters insurance) depends on many variables. However, the good news is that tenants insurance tends to be far less expensive than many other types of home insurance policies, because it doesn’t include coverage on the actual building (which tends to be the bulk of home insurance costs). Considering the relatively low cost of tenants insurance, not carrying coverage is an unnecessary risk. Here are the top misconceptions about renters insurance and why you need a policy to protect you:

1.    My landlord’s insurance policy will cover me.

While your landlord may have insurance coverage on the building where you are renting, that insurance is in place to protect the structure and the landlord’s own personal liability in case someone is injured on the property – not your possessions. As a renter you should carry your own tenants insurance to protect your belongings from potential risk.

2.    The upgrades I’ve made are covered by my landlord’s policy.

While your landlord’s insurance policy protects improvements that they’ve made – it doesn’t cover the improvements you’ve made. So if you’ve installed a new closet organizer or made other changes to your living quarters that are damaged in the event of an accident (i.e. fire), don’t expect to be compensated. Only your tenants insurance can provide you with that coverage.

3.    I don’t own that much – I don’t need to insure my possessions.

Though you may not think your possessions would present a significant loss to you, take an inventory and you’ll see how quickly the value adds up. You don’t need to have big screen televisions or expensive art and jewelry – books, electronic media, and small kitchen appliances add up quickly! At the relatively low cost of tenants insurance, coverage to protect your belongings from fire or theft will help give you the peace of mind and comfort you need.

4.    If I’m careful I don’t need to have liability insurance.

Accidents happen. That’s why we need insurance. Though you may not intentionally injure someone in your home, or you don’t plan on causing damage to a friend’s or neighbour’s property, there is always a possibility that you could. Having third party liability insurance (which is forms part of your tenants insurance policy at a low cost) will protect you from accidents which could cause damage or injury to another’s property and end your relationship with them if you can’t afford to rectify the damage out of pocket.

Have a dog? Even if your dog’s never bitten, third party liability insurance will let you rest easy. In the case of an unfortunate event where your dog hurts someone else, their medical expenses and any other awards will be covered by your insurance policy, rather than you trying to find the money to compensate the affected person(s).

5.    My landlord will look after me if I have to vacate my apartment.

Your landlord isn’t responsible for paying your living expenses in the event when you can’t continue to live in your rented dwelling while an insurance claim is being settled or repairs are being made. This includes cases of fire, theft, vandalism, etc. A commonly missed advantage to tenants insurance is that, similarly to home insurance, your insurance provider will help to cover your living expenses while repairs are being made in the case of an accident, (i.e. fire). This will ease the financial burden to you while the claims process progresses and repairs are being made, and keep you in the lifestyle that you are accustom to.

Tenants insurance (renters insurance) is a flexible and affordable way for renters to achieve peace of mind and protect themselves and their possessions. Drivers and homeowners wouldn’t consider going without car and home insurance, and with the relatively low costs for tenants insurance, renters should also insure themselves against loss.

TOP 10 Worst Roads in Ontario

1. Dufferin St. (Toronto)

2. Bunting Rd. (St. Catharines)

3. Burlington St. E. (Hamilton)

4. Stanley Ave. (Niagara Falls)

5. Kraft Creek Rd. (Timmins)

6. Lawrence Ave. E. (Toronto)

7. Carling Ave. (Ottawa)

8. Finch Ave. w. (Toronto)

9. Kingston Rd. (Toronto)

10. Bayview Ave. (Toronto)


Toronto has five of the top-10 worst roads in the province, according to the annual survey from the Canadian Automobile Association.

Six of the roads were in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.

Dufferin St. was bumped to No. 1 on the list for 2012, the first time it has been ranked No. 1. However, this is the sixth time that Dufferin St. has cracked the top 10.

The CAA reports that 80 per cent of those who voted for Dufferin St. complained about potholes and crumbling pavement.

The other Toronto roads on the list include: Lawrence Ave. E. at No. 6, Finch Ave. W. at No. 8, Kingston Road at No. 9 and Bayview Ave. at No. 10.

The other jarringly travelled roads making the top-10 list were Bunting Rd. in St. Catharines at No. 2, Burlington St. E. in Hamilton at No. 3, Stanley Ave. in Niagara Falls at No. 4, Kraft Creek Rd. in Timmins at No. 5, and Carling Ave. in Ottawa at No. 7.

During the four-week long campaign, the CAA registered nearly 10,000 votes from across the province.

The association said in a statement it will present the list and make recommendations to both the provincial and municipal governments.

The CAA and the Ontario Road Builders Association are calling on drivers throughout the province to raise awareness about the need for improved infrastructure by voting for Ontario's worst roads.
Last year, the worst-road torch was passed to Pelican Falls Rd. in Sioux Lookout, a rugged town of 5,300 situated halfway between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg.

The road was called a dusty two-lane gravel road with potholes the size of grizzly bears.
Two years ago, Steeles Ave. at Bathurst St. was judged the worst road, but moved down to No. 11 last year. It took $15 million in repair work to get Steeles off the worst-road list, where it had languished for two years.

Curtis Rush Staff Reporter

Published On Wed May 02 2012 

10 most worry-free used cars

Here's a news flash: it isn't easy finding a good, reliable used car. While it's true they no longer rust like Russian freighters, the truth is today's models are complex and rely on a lot of technology -- such as airbags and numerous computers -- that can make repairs and upkeep a pricy routine.

Domestic products are a hodge-podge of good and bad, European models are very dear to maintain beyond the warranty period, and even the Asian manufacturers have been caught cutting corners, especially since transplanting their factories in North America. Ask your neighbour how many transmissions her Honda Odyssey has spit up.

First-time buyers and newcomers to Canada have the hardest time navigating the used-vehicle listings and car lots in search of a good buy. For them, and you, we've put together our very best bets as reliable transportation. Like a certain brand of timepiece, these 10 can take a licking and keep on ticking.

To see the full article and detailed explanations on each car on MSN auto click here

10. 2006-09 Ford Fusion

 

 

 

 

9. 2002-06 Honda CR-V

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. 2005-06 Saab 9-2X

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. 2006-10 Kia Rio

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. 2003-06 Mitsubishi Outlander

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. 2002-06 Hyundai Elantra

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. 2003-08 Toyota Corolla

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. 1999-2005 Mazda Miata MX-5

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. 2003-08 Pontiac Vibe

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. 2000-05 Toyota Echo

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 24, 2012 12:32 PM | By Mark Toljagic for MSN Autos

 

Busy long-weekend for OPP on the roads

Although provincially there were eight deaths on OPP-patrolled roads and highways over Canada Road Safety Week, which ended May 21, locally speeding seemed to be the bigger problem

 (KAWARTHA LAKES) While most were soaking up the gorgeous long-weekend weather, Kawartha Lakes OPP officers were kept busy monitoring local roads.

An officer clocked a vehicle exceeding the speed limit by 52 km/h on Highway 35 Friday (May 18), OPP say, leading to a racing charge being laid against 30-year-old Ami Abdelsayed of North York, who is scheduled to appear in Lindsay court July 10.

The following day, an officer laid another racing charge under the Highway Traffic Act after stopping a vehicle travelling 140 km/h in a posted 80 km/h zone on Highway 35, near Fleetwood Road. Kendall Meen, 24, of Newtonville is scheduled to appear in Lindsay court June 12.

The same day, an officer patrolling Garnet Graham beach in Fenelon Falls saw a man with an open bottle of alcohol, OPP say, leading to a charge of having open liquor in a public place under the Liquor Licence Act being laid against Matthew Bell, 27, of Cambridge.

Regardless of the above charges, Kawartha Lakes OPP may have gotten off easy, with the OPP reporting a total of seven people killed in seven separate crashes on OPP-patrolled roads and highways over Canada Road Safety Week last week.

“The number of tragic fatalities could have been much higher had we not increased our visibility and enforcement throughout the province. Sadly, even one death on our roads is one too many,” said OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis.

OPP laid about 8,000 charges during the Victoria Day long weekend alone. Of the total charges, 244 were for distracted driving, 6,358 were for speeding, 108 were for impaired driving and 698 others were for seat belt infractions.

Over Canada Road Safety Week, OPP laid 9,971 speeding charges, 1,262 seat belt charges, 837 distracted driving-related charges and 159 charges related to alcohol or drug impairment.