The winter tire discount, and who actually gets it
Since 2016, Ontario auto insurers have been required to offer a discount — usually 2–5% — for installing four winter tires. It is not automatic: you have to tell your insurer, and some ask for the installation receipt.
The winter tire discount is one of the few automatic wins in Ontario auto insurance — mandated by regulation, cheap to qualify for, and still frequently unclaimed because nobody asked.
How to qualify cleanly
- Install four winter-rated tires (the mountain-snowflake symbol) — all-seasons do not qualify; some insurers accept all-weather tires that carry the symbol.
- Tell your insurer or the licensed professional who placed the policy. The discount starts when it is on file, not when the tires go on.
- Keep the installation receipt. Insurers can ask for proof, especially after a winter claim.
What it is worth
Illustration only: on an assumed $2,000 annual premium, a 2% reduction equals $40 and a 5% reduction equals $100. These are arithmetic examples, not insurer discount offers. Ask your insurer for its actual winter-tire eligibility rules and discount.
Frequently asked
Do I have to remove the winter tires in summer?
Can an insurer deny a winter claim if I said I had winter tires and did not?
Do all-weather tires count?
This article is general information, not insurance advice. Insurance Genie is not an insurer, brokerage or agency. Coverage is defined by the policy wording issued by the insurer and confirmed by the licensed organization that places it.
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