London is situated in the southwest part of Ontario and is the 6^th largest city in the province. It is well connected to Windsor, Toronto, and Sarnia by Highways 401 and 402. This city is considered a hub for education, research, and health with many hospitals. There is an international airport and the population had grown to an estimated 366,151 as per 2011 census data. As per the city statistics, around 76% of the working class prefer to drive to work.

The traffic congestion in London is on the rise daily with thousands of motorists driving in and out of the city. The busiest traffic can be found at the location on Wellington Road that falls on the south end of Parkwood Hospital. The three roads in London that had the busiest traffic were Thompson Road, King Street, and Western Road. The concerns were for poor road safety conditions, congestion, and cyclists & pedestrian road safety. As per online voters for CAA, Wharncliffe Road in London got the tag for the worst road. We did a survey using a sample driver and vehicle to know the range in insurance rates quoted by several insurers. We also looked at the variance in car insurance rates for particular neighborhoods in London.

Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in London Ontario

Most Expensive Auto Insurer in London Ontario

We performed a survey of the insurance rates for major car insurance companies in London. The highest quote was for Echelon at an annual rate of $3,830. The difference in premiums between their quote and the lowest available quote was $1,934. This was a gap of more than 50% in prices. Echelon also offers insurance to those who were not given coverage by regular insurance market due to various factors. High-risk clients who are planning to approach the Facility Association may check out their quotes with Echelon to compare rates. The next highest quote was by Aviva at $2,914 at a difference of $916 which is substantial.

Cheapest Auto Insurer in London Ontario

The lowest car insurance quote was by Desjardins Insurance at an annual rate of $1,896. We arrived at this quote based on a sample profile and it may vary based on criteria when actual policy is set up. They have also introduced a mobile app known as Ajusto to encourage safe driving. This app monitors the driving habits by telematics and based on the score, the driver could get discounts up to 25%.

The next lowest rate was quoted by The Co-operators at an annual premium of $1,922. The difference between their quote and the lowest rate was for just $26 annually. So, if one had to choose between the both it would be a good idea to check coverage, deductibles and other support services offered by both insurers.

Car Insurance in London Neighborhoods

Most Expensive Car Insurance Areas in London

We assumed a sample car and driver to check the difference in insurance rates quoted for some neighborhoods in London. The highest insurance rate was for the areas in The Grove, The Gore, Fanshawe, Westminster, Oakridge Acres and Huron Heights. These areas had an annual rate of $1,200 for car insurance.

Cheapest Car Insurance Areas in London

The lowest car insurance quote was for Tempo area at an annual premium of $1,041.  There are more families living in this area with a high rate of home ownership. Around 45% of the residents in this area drive for daily commuting and 30% prefer a sedan. The next lowest car insurance quote was for Aylmer at a difference of just $23 annually. This is a small town in Elgin County about 20 km south of Highway 401.

Road Safety & Tips For Driving In London

The city of London has regarded distracted and aggressive driving among major concerns for traffic accidents. There are many strategies aimed at reducing fatal collisions and bodily injuries by 10% in 2019. The main sections that would be targeted for improving traffic would be intersections, cyclists, young drivers, distracted and aggressive driving and red light running.  Some of the driving actions that lead to collisions and injuries were failing to yield the right of way, disobedience of traffic signals and following another road user too closely. The city has taken many measures to implement the road safety program based on the following:

• Enforcement: London Police will be responsible for enforcing the rules as per Highway Traffic Act. They will patrol and monitor incidents to promote road safety.
• Education: There will be in-class programs to educate safe road behavior in schools and institutions. This will be an ongoing effort to bring awareness among all to improve road safety.
• Engineering: There would be modifications to road structures and transport networks for better traffic movement. This will foster a safe driving environment for all users of the roads.
• Empathy: A community-driven effort to instill more tolerance with respect to various road users. A better understanding of the positions in road traffic will ensure safety at all times.

London Police Programs for Road Safety

ATRIP or Auto Theft Reduction Initiates Program is managed by London Police to reduce auto theft crimes. They have patrolling teams to monitor high-risk areas for auto theft.

ALPRS or Automated Licence Plate Recognition System is another initiative that could automatically scan vehicle license plates from as far as 20 meters. This warns about any stolen, suspended, expired plate numbers and permits to nab the culprits.

Comparison Of Auto Theft Crime Statistics From 2010-2015

The above graph clearly shows that over a span of 4 years from 2010 to 2014, the numbers for auto theft has been on the decrease at an all-time low of 780 in 2014. However, the next year there was a huge jump in the numbers by 14% at 914 which is still less than the statistic for 2010.

Comparison Of Fatalities/Injuries Due To Collisions 2012-2015

The above chart is based on data from the Annual Safety Report prepared by London Police. It shows that the total number of collisions have increased in 3 years by 780. Criminal charges laid for driving in impaired conditions were for an average of 495 incidents over this time. The collisions involving fatalities and injuries accounted for about 15% of the total number of collisions.

Resources

https://www.london.ca/About-London/community-statistics/city-profiles/Pages/City-Profile.aspx

https://www.london.ca/residents/Roads-Transportation/Road-Safety/Pages/London-Road-Safety-Strategy.aspx

https://www.londonpolice.ca/en/about/Other-Crime-Statistics.aspx

https://www.londonpolice.ca/en/about/resources/Documents/2015-Annual-Report.pdf

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* Methodology

For the survey, we assumed that the auto insurance premiums are for a 35-year-old man who owns his car Honda Civic model 2012. The credit rating is good and he has basic liability coverage. The annual mileage ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 with no traffic tickets since last 5 years.

Insurance quotes shown here are examples only. The lowest cost insurance provider depends on numerous factors related to the car, driver, location and driving conditions. There’s no guarantee that the lowest rate provider in these examples produces the lowest rate for every driver.

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