RBC Insurance

If you’re shopping for home insurance in Canada, there’s no single “best” company—your province, home type, claims history, and how much you value customer service all matter. These are the most widely used and respected insurers in Canada, based on market share, coverage options, and customer experience.

Top Home Insurance Companies in Canada

1. Intact Insurance

• Why it's popular: Intact is the largest home and auto insurer in Canada. They offer flexible coverage, good discounts, and strong financial stability.
• Best for: People who want a large, established brand with lots of options.
• Notes: Often sold through brokers, but also direct in some provinces.

2. Desjardins Insurance

• Why it's popular: Very strong in Quebec and Ontario. Known for great bundle discounts and good claims handling.
• Best for: Existing Desjardins customers or those looking for one-stop auto + home coverage.
• Notes: Solid reputation for customer service and digital tools.

3. Aviva Insurance

• Why it's popular: One of Canada’s biggest insurers, known for customizable policies, including “add-ons” like equipment breakdown and water protection.
• Best for: Homeowners who want tailored coverage beyond the basics.
• Notes: Usually sold through brokers, which can help you compare within one quote.

4. TD Insurance

• Why it's popular: TD bundles home with bank accounts, credit cards, and auto for big discounts. They have a huge direct-to-consumer platform.
• Best for: Existing TD bank customers, and people who prefer doing everything online or over the phone.
• Notes: Often competitive for multi-product discounts and good promotional rates.

5. RBC Insurance

• Why it's popular: Similar to TD—easy bundling with RBC bank accounts, plus strong discounts for combined home and auto.
• Best for: RBC clients, and those who want a well-known direct insurer.
• Notes: Offers comprehensive coverage at competitive rates if you qualify for loyalty discounts.

6. The Co-operators

• Why it's popular: A co-operative insurer with a local, community-focused feel. Offers good coverage and often bundles with other insurance and financial products.
• Best for: People who prefer personalized advice and community-oriented service.
• Notes: Sold through advisors/agents rather than direct.

7. BCAA / Alberta Motor Association (AMA) / CAA Insurance

• Why it's popular: Strong regional options. If you’re in BC, BCAA is a go-to; in Alberta, AMA; in Ontario/Atlantic, CAA Insurance.
• Best for: Existing auto club members who want solid home insurance discounts.
• Notes: Known for reliable claims service and local presence.

8. Sonnet Insurance

• Why it's popular: One of the most popular online-only home insurers in Canada. Quick quotes, full control over your policy.
• Best for: People who are comfortable managing insurance entirely online.
• Notes: Great if you want a quick price check, but less human advice if you need help.

What to Look For in Home Insurance

When comparing, make sure you look beyond price. The typical homeowner’s policy covers:

• Dwelling – your home’s structure
• Personal property – contents like furniture, electronics, clothes
• Liability – if someone gets injured on your property
• Additional living expenses – hotel/costs if your home becomes unlivable

Many Canadians add overland water protection and sewer backup coverage, because these often aren’t automatic and can save you in costly floods.

Quick Recommendation

• Best overall for most Canadians: Intact or Aviva—reliable, well-rounded, and widely available through brokers.
• Best for direct online + bank discounts: TD or RBC, especially if you bank with them.
• Best for local/community advice: The Co-operators or CAA/BCAA/AMA.
• Best for a cheap online quote: Sonnet or other digital-only insurers.
• Best in Quebec: Desjardins is hard to beat.

My honest advice: Contact an independent insurance broker in your province. They can compare Intact, Aviva, and others side-by-side, and ensure you’re not just buying the cheapest policy, but the best one for your actual risk. Even just doing that will put you ahead of most homeowners when it comes to getting real value.

Intact, Aviva, TD Insurance, Co-operators, Desjardins, Economical (Definity), and Wawanesa are among the largest and most widely used home insurance providers in Canada by market share and availability.

No single company is universally the “best”—it depends on your province/territory, home details (age, value, location, claims history), coverage needs (e.g., sewer backup, earthquake in some areas), bundling with auto, and whether you prefer online/direct, broker, or bank-affiliated options. Rates and availability vary significantly by location, and the gap between the cheapest and most expensive quotes for the same home can be substantial (hundreds to over $1,000+ annually).

Top Providers People Actually Use (Based on Size, Popularity, and Mentions)

These dominate lists of major carriers and are frequently recommended or compared in Canadian sources:

• Intact Insurance — Canada’s largest personal property and casualty insurer by revenue/market presence. Widely available across provinces, strong for homeowners and renters, often tops “largest” lists. Good claims reputation in some reviews but mixed customer feedback in others.
• Aviva Canada — One of the biggest by revenue; competitive for bundling home + auto. Popular nationwide and frequently compared.
• TD Insurance — Major player (bank-affiliated), often among the top three for personal lines revenue. Convenient if you bank with TD; flexible options noted in rankings.
• Co-operators — Mutual company with strong regional presence (especially Atlantic/Ontario/Western Canada in older satisfaction data). Praised for claims service and local focus in multiple sources.
• Desjardins — Dominant in Quebec and strong elsewhere; often highlighted for multi-product discounts, older homes, and customer satisfaction in regional surveys.
• Economical (part of Definity) — Frequently recommended for broad availability and competitive quotes; appears in many “best for” lists.
• Wawanesa — Long-established mutual insurer; popular in Western Canada and praised in some satisfaction/affordability contexts.

Other commonly used or well-regarded options include CAA Insurance (strong satisfaction and claims scores in some surveys, especially Ontario/Quebec), Square One (online/customizable policies, often tops Ontario-specific rankings for ease and flexibility), Sonnet (digital/direct, good for first-time buyers), belairdirect, Allstate, RBC Insurance, and regional players like Promutuel or Beneva in Quebec.

What Influences “Best” for Most Canadians

• Market leaders by size/revenue (Intact, Aviva, TD, Co-operators, Desjardins) are what most people end up with due to availability and broker networks.
• Satisfaction/claims — Regional surveys (e.g., Quebec) often rank CAA-Québec, La Personnelle/Desjardins, and similar highly for service. Older national JD Power data highlighted Co-operators and others.
• Online/digital — Square One, Sonnet, and comparison platforms like YouSet are popular for quick quotes and customization.
• Bundling & discounts — Many save by combining home + auto (common with Intact, Aviva, TD, Desjardins, etc.).

Practical Advice

Shop around every renewal—use comparison sites (e.g., YouSet, Rates.ca, LowestRates.ca) or brokers to get multiple quotes quickly, as pricing is highly individualized. Average annual home insurance costs vary widely by province (often $1,000–$3,000+ depending on location and home value), with recent inflation around 4% nationally.

Check provincial availability (some digital insurers have limits), read policy wording for specifics like water damage or overland flooding, and consider your risk profile. For the most current personalized options, get quotes directly or via a broker, as offerings and rates change. This is not financial advice—verify details with providers.

Top home insurance providers in Canada include Intact Insurance, Belairdirect, The Co-operators, Desjardins Insurance, and Aviva, offering strong coverage, reliable claims service, and options for bundling with auto insurance.

Top Canadian Providers

Intact Insurance – One of Canada’s largest home insurers, Intact offers comprehensive coverage including enhanced water damage packages and guaranteed building replacement cost for total losses. It is broker-only, providing thorough protection, particularly for water-related damage. Belairdirect – Known for a digital-first experience, Belairdirect offers optional enhanced water/flood coverage, self-service through a mobile app, and bundle discounts when paired with auto insurance. The Co-operators – Offers broad water protection including sewer backup, overland flood, and service-line repair coverage. Best suited for those who want an advisor-led approach with strong customer satisfaction ratings. Desjardins Insurance – Ideal for homeowners seeking deep bundling discounts and water-prevention perks, including a free leak/freeze detector. Strong presence in Quebec and Ontario. Aviva Canada – Offers good customer sentiment, online convenience, and coverage for flood-prone homes via brokers. Competitive for policies combining home and auto insurance. Other notable mentions – TD Insurance (bank bundle savings), Wawanesa Insurance (high satisfaction, excellent service), Square One (customizable policies), Allstate (mobile app access and optional add-ons), and RBC Insurance (convenience for banking customers) are widely used and offer strong coverage.

Key Policy Features to Consider

Water Damage Protection – Standard includes burst pipes; consider sewer backup and overland flooding add-ons, now increasingly essential due to climate-related risks. Replacement Cost Coverage – Ensure policies offer guaranteed or extended replacement cost rather than market value of your home. Personal Liability & Additional Living Expenses – Typically recommended coverage: $1–2M liability and 20% of dwelling value for temporary housing. Bundles & Discounts – Combining home and auto insurance often gives 10–20% off; further discounts may apply for security systems, claims-free history, or new homes.

Tips for Choosing

Get Multiple Quotes – Rates vary by province, home type, and insurer; obtain 3–5 quotes to find the best value. Check Financial Strength – Ensure insurers are rated by AM Best or DBRS to guarantee claim payment capability in case of large losses. Review Preventive Perks – Some insurers offer devices or services that prevent losses and lower premiums, like leak detectors or smart home alerts.

Bottom Line

While no single company is best for all situations, Intact Insurance, Belairdirect, The Co-operators, Desjardins, and Aviva stand out for coverage, reliability, and customer satisfaction. The best choice depends on your home type, province, and personal preferences regarding speed of claims, digital access, and optional coverage add-ons Savvy New Canadians+2.