Home, car and recreational vehicle insurance

Understanding your insurance contract and invoice

Having insurance is important, but it's equally important to understand the documents that come with it.

We know it's not always easy to make sense of insurance contracts, invoices and certificates, but we're here to help! We’ve put this page together to provide you with additional details on some key information.

Invoice

You receive an invoice in the mail when renewing or purchasing insurance. Please note that it’s not sent with your contract; you could receive it before or after.

The invoice below is an example. It may not be identical to yours, but it will certainly help you understand it better.
 

New invoice example page 1 New invoice example page 2
  • Only one name appears on the invoice. However, the names of all insured persons are listed on the contract. Please refer to the Declarations section of your contract for the names of the insured persons by product.

  • Your home, auto or leisure vehicle insurance products might not all be included on this invoice. You’ll only find those being renewed, modified, issued or cancelled. Consult your contract for more details about all your coverage..

  • A product is subject to change (for example, a change of vehicle or change of driver).

  • Date on which your contract will take effect or will be renewed, cancelled or modified.

  • Details of the payment amount for the contract in effect when your invoice is issued. You don't have to do anything; this is just for your information.

  • Balance of the payment amount for a product subject to change (for example, a renewal) as well as the previous balance remaining (in the case of a renewal, issue, modification or cancellation).

  • Bank account number used for payment. This information helps you confirm that payments are taken from the right bank account. Please note that there can be two different schedules of payment displayed for the same bank account number if the payment dates are different.

  • Payment calendars for your policy or contract for all your products withdrawn from this bank account on the same date. Please refer to the Declarations section of your contract for the insured product(s) related to this policy or contract number.

  • Your policy or contract number, as well as the type of insurance. Please refer to the Declarations section of your contract for the insured persons, by product.

  • Total payment amounts for your policies or contracts withdrawn from this bank account. It includes all the products on the same policy or contract, if applicable. Please refer to the Declarations section of your contract for the insured product(s) related to this policy or contract number.

Insurance certificate

Once you've logged into your Client Centre account, go to the Car, Home and Recreational Vehicles section. Even if you normally access your insurance contract through the Client Centre, you will still receive a copy by mail.

If you normally receive your contract in the mail, your insurance certificate appears after the Declarations section. It's now printed on white paper similar to the rest of the document.

You can also find it in the Client Centre and print a copy, if needed.

Proof of insurance for rental vehicles

This proof, also known as Civil liability resulting from damage caused to vehicles of which named insured is not owner or Q.E.F. No. 27, is no longer included in the form of an insurance certificate. It appears on one of the pages of your insurance contract entitled Quebec Endorsement Form Q.E.F. No. 27. It is printed on white paper similar to the rest of the document. Fill out this form if you’d like us to send your insurance certificate by email.

See example of a Q.E.F. No. 27

Pricing

Several factors can influence the cost of your insurance. We’ll walk you through it on our Understanding my increase page.

Increasing cost of materials
The price of building materials has hiked in recent years.

An increase in the frequency and severity of water damage
Water damage accounts for a large portion of claims. Since home basements are now often furnished with valuable materials and property, prices are rising.

Shortage of labour power
It’s no secret: The shortage of labour power affects many sectors, including the construction industry. This means higher repair costs since wages have increased to attract or retain employees.

Climate change
Several extreme environmental events, such as ice storms, gale-force winds, heavy snowfalls and extreme cold, are on the rise and causing damage to homes, increasing the number and severity of claims.