No Insurance ticket in Ontario – How do I fix this?
- This article is based on a very important topic, “how to help fix your No Insurance charges in Ontario”
- This article focuses on some key suggestions that may help you with the hefty $5,000 fine you will be facing in Ontario Provincial court
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✅ Take our Ontario No Insurance penalty Test
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Tip #1: Fix the problem
Often, clients get charged with No Insurance, and have a common set of reasons
- “I didn’t know it was cancelled”
- “My bank account had some issues so the insurance company couldn’t withdraw”
- I was just test driving my new car for a short distance
Unfortunately, these reasons do not help in your defence of the $5,000 fine in court. Reasons are not a defence. However, there are some “actions” you can take that will help with your case when you arrive at court.
The number one pro-active action you can take is to get your insurance policy activated within the shortest time possible after the charge. This can show the court that even though you may not have been aware of the issue, you did your best to fix it as soon as you did become aware.
A common questions a Justice of the Peace will ask in court is “Do they now have a valid insurance policy?“. Nothing makes us happier than to tell them that a client is now actively insured. Of course, it is not a defence. But it shows responsibility, which may help with your submissions in court.
Tip #2: Get legal advice – but weigh the math of your decision
The defence for a No Insurance takes a very tailored legal strategy that can be used by a seasoned law firm. The goal of a defence is to get the $5,000 fine lowered to something that you can pay over a long period of time. Ultimately, the ideal outcome is to find a major error with the evidence that can get the charges withdrawn. But if this is not possible, then a reduction in the fine is a good outcome.
We always tell our potential clients that this decision should come as a simple mathematical equation. If you believe paying a law firm a fee of “x” will save you more than “x” in your case, then you are making a sound investment.
For example, if hiring a law firm for $800 can potentially save you $2500 in your fines, then you have made a solid decision. Otherwise, you should deal with the case yourself. That being said, it is always ideal to get legal help, as a good No Insurance law firm knows how to navigate the legal system and achieve the best result for your No Insurance case.
Bottom line? Get a No Insurance, assuming it makes financial sense
You have one shot at getting this right, and the difference can be thousands of dollars. Make sure you do everything you can on your end to better your situation, and make sure you get the best legal help (assuming it makes financial sense) so you can walk away from your charges with a solid legal outcome.
