Home Insurance

As part of the online quote process, we ask for your consent to collect third-party data about your property. We rely on the up-to-date information that you provide in your quote online and third-party data to determine the cost of insurance for your property.

You will need to provide the following information when you are ready to buy:

1. Your quote # — if you’re calling an Aviva Direct agent to make your purchase.
2. Payment details:
   1. Credit or debit card information (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Visa debit and Mastercard debit) — to make a down payment or pay annually.
   2. Bank account details like institution number, transit number, account number — to pay monthly.
3. Personal information and verbal consent from other named insureds.
4. The name and full postal address of your mortgage institution, if applicable.
5. Details of current or previous home insurance policy, if applicable — including the insurance company’s name, policy number, policy start date and expiration date.

Based on the information you provide in your quote online and your insurance needs, you may be eligible to buy online, or you may need to call an Aviva Direct agent at 1-844-872-3814, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm ET, to complete your purchase.

Water damage is a known risk across Canada and occurs not just in homes situated in low-lying areas or those close to water bodies, but also due to weather-related events.

Overland Water is an optional coverage in Ontario and not included in your standard home insurance policy. It offers protection against loss or damage to your property and personal belongings:

1. Caused by an overflow from freshwater bodies like lakes and rivers; or
2. Due to the unusual and rapid accumulation of water caused by heavy rains or melting snow.

To find out more about this endorsement, please speak with an Aviva Direct agent at 1-844-872-3814, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm ET.

Water could also escape from a sewer, septic tank, or a sump pump. As with Overland Water, Sewer Backup is optional but a good endorsement to have, regardless of whether you own or rent your property.

You need to purchase Sewer Backup in order to be eligible for the Overland Water endorsement.

You can insure your rental property with us only if your primary residence (home or condo) is also insured with Aviva Direct. At this time, we do not offer insurance for standalone rental properties.

If you’re using your property for a venture like Airbnb, home sharing, or for short-term rentals, you are, unfortunately, not eligible for coverage with Aviva Direct.

We consider many variables related to your home to determine the right premium for you. Some of these include:

1. Address: the location of your property and the claims history of the surrounding neighborhood may influence how much you will pay for home insurance.
2. Age: the cost of insurance may vary depending on when the home was built, and the construction methods/materials used.
3. Heating system: thermostatically-controlled electric baseboards, heat pumps, electric-natural gas combination furnaces, etc. are some of the acceptable heating systems that cost less to insure, compared to wood stoves and oil furnaces.
4. Fire safety: homes located within a short distance of a fire hydrant account for better protection, and therefore may cost less to insure.
5. Replacement cost of your house: how much will it cost to rebuild your house? The higher the replacement cost, the higher your insurance will be.

Knowing what affects your insurance costs can help you take measures to save more. Here are some of the ways you can save:

1. Increase your deductible: a deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket in the event of an insured claim, while your insurer pays the rest — subject to the limits mentioned in your policy. The higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premium.
2. Discounts: based on the risk characteristics, the following discounts may be applicable:
   1. Claim Free Discount: depending on your claims and insurance history, you may qualify for a discount.
   2. Combined Policy Discount: Do you (or your spouse/common law partner) have an auto policy (for private passenger vehicles) with Aviva Direct? By insuring your home (primary residence only) and auto policies with Aviva Direct, you may qualify for a bundle discount.
   3. Mortgage Free Discount: this discount may be available if you’re a homeowner with no mortgage, no secured line of credit, and no other interested party listed against the home on the policy.
   4. Buy-Online Discount: based on the information you provide in your quote online and your insurance needs, you may be eligible to complete your purchase online — and get a discount.

To find out what discounts you may qualify for, get a quote online or call an Aviva Direct agent at 1-844-872-3814, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm ET.

Aviva Direct home insurance automatically includes coverage for your personal belongings. The coverage limits could vary depending on the risk associated with insuring your home.

Your home insurance policy may also specify limits and sub-limits on coverage for items such as bicycles, collectibles, jewellery, computer software, books, money, securities, etc.

These coverage limits may not always be enough, especially when you have high-value items. Additional coverage for certain high-value items may be available (scheduled articles) — subject to certain criteria and the limits mentioned in your policy.

Fire is an insured peril in your standard homeowners, tenant, or condo insurance policy with Aviva Direct. The premium could vary depending on the home’s proximity to a fire hydrant.

If you live in or near wildfire-prone areas, please see our wildfire preparedness guide to learn more about how you can stay safe and mitigate loss from wildfires.

If you’d like to know what measures you can take to protect your house while you’re away, please feel free to call an Aviva Direct agent at 1-844-872-3814, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm ET.

We do not insure loss or damage caused by freezing during the usual heating season, if you’ve been away from your dwelling for more than 8 consecutive days; but you will still be insured if the following precautions have been taken:

1. You used reasonable care to maintain heat in the dwelling (please call an Aviva Direct agent to learn what reasonable care means); or
2. Shut off and drained the water system and domestic water containers.

Depending on your policy with Aviva Direct, you may be covered for theft — up to the specified limits. An example of theft could be someone breaking into your home and stealing electronics.

If you have expensive artwork, sports gear, jewelry, electronics or other high-value items at home, you may need to schedule these (that means extending coverage limits for individual items beyond the standard protection provided in your policy).

You could also get added protection against cyber theft (cybercrime) with the Cyber Endorsement.

To learn more, please call an Aviva Direct agent at 1-844-872-3814, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm ET.

Cosmetic renovations are covered under your home policy.

Major renovations that fall under the following criteria require permission from Aviva:

• Adding another floor
• Adding a garage or replacing an existing garage (attached or detached)
• Removing load bearing walls
• Any other renovations that require building permits and/or sign off by a licensed tradesperson

If any of your planned renovations meet the above criteria – please call an Aviva Direct agent to discuss further details and next steps.