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Affordable Home Insurance in Ottawa

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Recent Quotes From Our Users

Monthly PremiumsDate & TimeQuote TypeAgeGenderCity
$118.89Mar 05, 2025, 10:25 PMAuto41MaleMississauga
$57.23Mar 05, 2025, 08:51 PMHome62FemaleBrantford
$12.76Mar 05, 2025, 12:57 AMTenant37FemaleLondon
$29.19Mar 05, 2025, 12:08 PMLife43MaleWhitby

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Article Contents
Picture of By <span>Matthew Roberts</span>
By Matthew Roberts

Updated on January 8, 2025

Visit author page
Picture of By <span>Matthew Roberts</span>
By Matthew Roberts

Updated January 8, 2025

Visit author page

5 minute read

✓ Expert Reviewed By Michelle Bragg, Licensed Insurance Broker
Article Contents

Quick Facts About Home Insurance in Ottawa

  • Ottawa home insurance is LESS expensive than the Ontario average.
  • The average annual cost of home insurance in Ottawa is around $1,033.

Quote data from MyChoice.ca, February 2025

What Risks Affect Homeowners in Ottawa?

Ottawa homeowners are exposed to different risks that may damage or even destroy their homes and belongings. If you own a home in Ottawa, these are some common risks that you should keep in mind before settling on a home insurance policy:

Earthquakes

As recently as June 2010, Ottawa experienced a strong earthquake that caused evacuations and heavy damage to several buildings. Seismic events like earthquakes can cause property damage like fissures to your Ottawa home, so consider if you want to get an add-on protecting your home from this peril.

Flooding

Because of Ottawa’s proximity to the Ottawa River, the city is vulnerable to flash flooding – especially due to thawing snow or heavy rainfall. Flood protection isn’t included in standard policies, but you may get it as an add-on for extra protection.

Thunderstorms

Ottawa experiences heavy rainfall, hail, and severe thunderstorms, all of which can cause serious damage to your house’s exterior parts like your roof and patio. These are typically covered by home insurance policies, but you may want to review yours to see if your coverage limits are sufficient for your needs.

Severe Event Probability in Ottawa

On September 21, 2018, a cluster of six tornadoes tore through the Ottawa–Gatineau region, with an EF-3 causing major destruction near Dunrobin.

Below are the MyChoice severe event probability scores for Ottawa, based on the historical data from the Canadian Disaster Database collected since 1950. The percentages reflect the likelihood of a major event in question occurring at least once in the region in the next decade – relative to other regions and events. 

Flood Probability:

6/10

Crime Probability:

1/10

Wildfire Probability:

2/10

Tornado Probability:

4/10

Hurricane Probability:

1/10

Snowstorm Probability:

5/10

How Much Does Home Insurance in Ottawa Usually Cost?

The average cost of home insurance in Ottawa is $1,033 Note that homeowners can expect to pay anywhere between $993 to $1,170 annually depending on several considerations like your neighbourhood’s claims history, proximity to water sources like the Ottawa River, and average real estate prices in your area.

Quote data from MyChoice.ca, February 2025

Does Where You Live in Ottawa Affect Your Home Insurance?

Yes, where you live in Ottawa can affect your home insurance. Home insurance companies consider many different factors when computing your quotes, and one of these major factors is your location in Ottawa. Here are some ways that where you live in Ottawa may affect your home insurance premiums:

Risk of flooding

Several parts of Ottawa are closer to bodies of water or even located in flood zones. If your neighbourhood is located in a flood-prone area (especially after the winter), you may get higher home insurance quotes.

Claims history

Simply put, the more insurance claims that have been filed in your neighbourhood in Ottawa, the higher your home insurance quotes. This is because your home insurer may consider you more likely to file a claim as well, increasing expenses due to claim payouts and administrative costs.

Crime rate

In 2022, it was reported that Ottawa’s crime rates have risen at least 25% above pre-pandemic levels, with violent crimes like assaults and break-ins increasing by 14%. If you live in a neighbourhood with a greater incidence of crimes, your home insurance quotes will likely be higher.

Postal Codes With the Most Expensive Home Insurance in Ottawa

K1K and K1R postal codes have above-average home insurance rates in Ottawa.

Postal CodeAverage Annual Home Insurance Premium
K1K$1,165
K1R$1,208

Quote data from MyChoice.ca, February 2025

Postal Codes With the Least Expensive Home Insurance in Ottawa

The following postal codes K2P, K1P and K1N have some of the cheapest home insurance rates in Ottawa.

Postal CodeAverage Annual Home Insurance Premium
K2P$957
K1P$966
K1N$994

Quote data from MyChoice.ca, February 2025

Housing Data in Ottawa

Wondering how many people own a home versus a condo in Ottawa or how old the average Ottawa home is? Here’s a brief overview of Ottawa housing information according to the 2021 Census of Population:

Type of Occupied Dwelling

41.7% of Ottawa’s occupied dwellings are single-detached houses. 21.4% are row houses, while 18.9% are apartments in buildings with five or more storeys.

Owner vs Renter Stats/Condo vs Non-Condo Owners

63.9% of Ottawa residents own their private households, according to a 25% sample size of 407,250 households. 36.1% of these households are rented homes. From this sample size, the overwhelming majority occupy dwellings that are not condominiums (83.9%), while only 16.1% live in a condominium in Ottawa.

Private Dwellings by Period of Construction: New or Older Homes?

Nearly a third of Ottawa dwellings were constructed between 1961 to 1980 (28.3%), while 15.5% of Ottawa homes were built from 1981 to 1990. New homes are fewer in this city, with 7.7% of homes constructed between 2016 to 2021 and 7% constructed between 2011 to 2015.

Major Repairs or Just Maintenance Needed?

Most Ottawa homes are in good condition, with 94.6% needing only regular maintenance and minor repairs. Only 5.4% of Ottawa homes need major repairs.

Homeownership Rate by Age in Ottawa

Homeownership in Ottawa is quite similar to other large cities in Canada, with stronger rates of home ownership associated with older age groups such as 55 or above. On the other end of the spectrum, home ownership rates are less for younger residents of the city, such as 15 – 24 which is at 11.8%.

Age GroupHomeownership Rate
15 to 2411.8%
25 to 3946.1%
40 to 5469.8%
55 to 7474.5%
75 and over72.7%

Average Home Price in Ottawa by Dwelling Type

Below are the average values of homes in Ottawa, categorized by dwelling type:

Type of DwellingAverage Value
Detached$759,000
Semi-Detached$792,000
Freehold Townhouse$626,000

Ottawa Population Growth

Ottawa’s population increased steadily from 934,243 to 1,017,449 people between 2016 and 2021, indicating a growth rate of roughly 8.9% over the course of the five years.

What Is Not Included in a Typical Home Insurance Policy?

Even if you’ve opted for a highly comprehensive home insurance policy, there are some risks that insurers explicitly don’t include as a covered peril. These are called “exclusions” by home insurers.

Here are the most common home insurance exclusions:

Criminal activities:

If your home was damaged due to criminal activity, it won’t be covered by your insurance policy.

Damage from tenants

Generally, home insurance companies require specific coverage for homeowners/landlords who plan to rent out their properties. A standard home insurance policy won’t include coverage if you rent your home out and the tenant causes damage.

Earthquakes

Most policies exclude this risk, but you can cover earthquake losses and damage as an add-on to a standard policy.

Failure to maintain your home

Damage or losses caused by poor home upkeep (e.g., clogged storm drains, broken bannisters) won’t be covered, as your insurer deems it your responsibility to manage wear and tear.

Flood damage

Flooding is typically not covered by a standard policy, but it may be included as an add-on.

Home business activities

Home businesses will need separate home-based business insurance to cover home or equipment damage.

Insect damage

Because this is considered a preventable risk, most insurers don’t cover insect damage.

Mortgage or property taxes

These are separate expenses handled by policy owners as they’re unrelated to your home insurance policy.

Mould

Mould caused by poor home maintenance is typically excluded by home insurance policies. Note that this is separate from mould caused by an insured peril, which will be covered by your policy.

Vacant dwelling risks

Many insurers may void your insurance if you leave your home vacant for a prolonged period.

This is by no means an exclusive list of risks typically excluded from a home insurance policy in Ottawa. Talk to your home insurance provider to see what’s covered by your policy in case of loss or damage.

Why Do I Need Home Insurance in Ottawa?

You don’t technically “need” home insurance in Ottawa unless it’s a mortgage condition from your lender. However, you may still want to get home insurance as protection from unexpected events and for your peace of mind. Here are some important reasons why you should get Ottawa home insurance:

Protection for your home and possessions

Unexpected events like a fire or earthquake can cause serious damage or even the loss of your home and belongings. By filing a claim on a home insurance policy, you’ll have funds to help you cover the steep costs of repairs or restoration.

Liability coverage

Some accidents can’t be helped, resulting in damage to your property or injury to someone in your home. Home insurance covers costs related to your liability as a homeowner in these circumstances, such as potential legal fees, repair bills, and replacement expenses.

Mortgage requirements

Usually, a bank or other lending institution may require you to get home insurance as part of your mortgage. Because they have a financial interest in protecting your house, a home insurance policy will reassure them that your home is covered from potential risks.

How You Can Get Cheap Home Insurance in Ottawa

If you’re trying to save money on your preferred home insurance coverage in Ottawa, visit our Ontario page for practical tips.

Methodology

Profiles

Average rates were calculated using a standard profile and incident profiles. All personal details pertaining to the quotes and policies have been kept confidential.

Standard Profile

Quoted rates are based on either a 35-year-old male and/or female homeowners with a clean claim history and good credit. They are also non-smokers and live in a home with monitored fire alarms and burglar alarms. The homeowners also have a $1,000 deductible, a $1,000,000 liability and water damage included.

Incident Profiles

We examined how rates change by evaluating profiles. We looked at the most common home insurance claims in Canada: water damage claims, sewer backup claims, breaking/theft claims and property damage claims like wind/hail damage while comparing to a rate with a clean record (standard).

Home Details

Quoted rates are based on either a semi-detached or detached 3 or 4 bedroom home with a valuation around or close to $1,000,000.

Team

MyChoice data science, MyChoice research.

Sources

1. Public Safety Canada, 1950-2024, Ontario, Ottawa, Canadian Disaster Database, 2024.

2. Mychoice.ca Internal Data, Home Insurance Quotes Collected, 2024.

3. Mychoice.ca Internal Data, Most Expensive Postal Codes, Ontario, Ottawa, Home Insurance Quotes Collected, 2024.

4. Mychoice.ca Internal Data, Least Expensive Postal Codes, Ontario, Ottawa, Home Insurance Quotes Collected, 2024.

5. Statistics Canada, 2021, Census of Population, Ontario, Ottawa, Housing Statistics. Data Published March 29, 2023.

6. Statistics Canada, 2021, Census of Population, Ontario, Ottawa, Homeownership Rate by Age. Data Published December 16, 2022.

7. CREA, Ontario, Ottawa, Median Price of Homes by Dwelling Type, 2024.

8. Statistics Canada, 2001-2021, Census of Population Statistics, Ontario, Ottawa, Population Statistics. Data Published December 16, 2022.

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