Attendant Care Benefit: Pays for an aide or attendant to look after you if you have been seriously injured in an auto accident.
Caregiver Benefit: If you are providing full time care to dependants and can no longer provide that care as the result of an auto accident, you may be eligible for caregiver benefits to reimburse you for your expenses to hire someone to care for your dependents.
Catastrophic Injury: If you suffer an injury in an accident, you can apply for a determination of whether your injury qualifies as “catastrophic” (ie: loss of a limb, paraplegia). If the injury qualifies as being “catastrophic”, you are eligible for an increased level of benefits.
Death and Funeral Benefit: If you were to die as a result of an auto accident, the death benefit would provide a lump sum payout to your spouse and any dependents; the funeral benefit would provide a lump sum payout to cover funeral expenses.
Dependant Care Benefit: Pays for additional expenses incurred to care for your dependants if you are employed and are injured in an auto accident.
Direct Compensation – Property Damage (DC-PD): Covers damage to your vehicle or its contents if another person was at fault for the accident. For direct compensation to apply, the accident must occur in Ontario and both drivers must be insured by an insurance company licensed by the province. Any compensation would be collected directly from your own insurer.
Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Expenses: If you are unable to perform your usual duties due to your injuries, this benefit pays for reasonable and necessary additional expenses for someone to complete your usual duties.
Income Replacement Benefit: If you cannot work as the result of an auto accident, you may be eligible for basic weekly income replacement benefits of up to $400. This benefit commences after one week.
Indexation Benefit: Is the automatic adjustment of the income replacement benefit, non-earner benefit, attendant care benefit or medical and rehabilitation benefit according to the Consumer Price Index for Canada to compensate for inflation.
Medical and Rehabilitation Benefit: Covers the cost of reasonable and necessary medical and rehabilitation expenses (ie: physiotherapy, prescriptions) that are not covered by OHIP or extended health care plan.
Minor Injury: Can consist of a sprain, strain, whiplash associated disorder, contusion, abrasion, laceration and any other clinically associated symptom. This term is applied to a person who sustains any one or more of these injuries.
Third Party Liability: Claims made by a driver against another driver who causes an accident.
Tort Deductible: The amount that is deducted from a settlement or court award for pain and suffering.
Uninsured Auto Coverage: Protects you and your family if you are injured or killed by a hit and run driver or by an uninsured motorist. It also covers damage to your vehicle caused by an identified uninsured driver.
Some Information used in this article was obtained from the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Ministry of Health.
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