Scottish & York Insurance is part of one of the most aggressive expansions in Canadian insurance history. British insurance conglomerate Aviva has had a hand in the Canadian market since 1906, but it was only toward the end of the 20^th century that it actively began growing its business through partnerships and acquisitions. Two high-profile Canadian companies that it absorbed were Pilot Insurance and Scottish & York. With the acquisition process well in hand, Aviva has begun to turn to consolidation and integrated branding. In 2008, the company changed the name of its subsidiary to Aviva Scottish & York. This appears to be part of a transitionary stage aimed to gently migrate policyholders from Scottish & York to Aviva.

The Scottish & York brand name still operates as two subsidiaries within Aviva. Scottish & York Insurance is a traditional home and auto insurance provider with an emphasis on competitive pricing. S&Y Insurance operates only as an automobile insurance provider in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Around 3000 employees and independent brokers serve small and medium-size business communities all over Canada. Other member companies of Aviva Canada include S&Y Insurance Company, Traders General Insurance Company, Pilot Insurance Company, and Elite Insurance Company.

Scottish & York and Reinsurance

Scottish & York insurance is not available directly. As well as distribution through a brokerage network, Scottish & York serves as a reinsurance underwriter. In particular, the President’s Choice brand of financial services uses Scottish & York to underwrite its car insurance policies. This gives the insurer a retail presence across Canada, although it’s somewhat once-removed. PC clients may not be aware that Scottish & York is providing their policies without a close look at the pink liability slip they receive with their coverage.

Aviva: Scottish & York’s Parent Company

Aviva’s earliest roots trace back to 1696 in London, England, as the Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society. The modern-day company was formed in 2000, with the merger of Norwich Union and CGU, renamed CGNU. It wasn’t until 2002 that the Aviva name was invoked. As in Canada, acquisitions of other insurance concerns are a priority, and incorporating these under the Aviva banner is a priority for the company, except where strong regional ties to an existing brand are found. The company’s strategy, in this case, is to incorporate the Aviva name with the local provider, as was done with Scottish & York in Canada.

Aviva in the News

Continuing with its pattern of innovation in car insurance products, Aviva Canada announced in May 2016 that it had developed an insurance product for rideshare providers in the province of Quebec. This is a unique challenge since the personal injury portion of typical auto insurance is handled by the provincial government, which created the framework for the most affordable car insurance in Canada, after years at the other end of the scale. Aviva was also the first to provide ride-sharing coverage in Ontario, and discounts for hybrid vehicles in Quebec.

Scottish & York Car Insurance Market Share Review

2010-2011 Market Share Review

Scottish & York did not have any rate filings in the 4th quarter of 2010. The market share was 1.46% in the 1st quarter of 2010. This declined to 1.14% in the 2nd quarter of 2010 but increased to 1.74% in the 3rd quarter of 2010. There were no rate filings in the 1st and 3rd quarters of 2011. The market share dropped to 0.68% in the 2nd quarter of 2011 and was stable at 0.68% in the 4th quarter of 2011.

2012-2013 Market Share Review

The market was stable at 0.68% in the 1st quarter of 2012. It marginally increased to 0.81% in the 2nd quarter of 2012 and was stable at 0.81% in the 4th quarter of 2012. They had rate filings for all quarters of 2013 and the market share was stable at 0.81% in the 1st quarter of 2013. This marginally declined to 0.79% in the 2nd quarter of 2013. This was stable at 0.79% in the 2nd, 4th and 3rd quarters of 2013.

2014-2016 Market Share Review

They had no rate filings in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters of 2014. The market share increased to 1.14% in the 4th quarter of 2014 and was stable at 1.14% in the 1st quarter of 2015. They did not have rate filings in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th quarters of 2015. Their market share declined to 1.11% in the 3rd quarter of 2015 and was stable at 1.11% in the 1st quarter of 2016. The data for the last quarter of 2016 is not available. The market share marginally increased to 1.17% in the 2nd quarter of 2016 and was stable at 1.17% in the 3rd quarter of 2016.

Scottish & York Car Insurance Rate Changes Review

2010 – 2011 Rate Change Review

Scottish & York did not file for rate change approval with FSCO in the 4th quarter of 2010. The rate change approved increased by 20.10% in the 1st quarter of 2010. This declined by 8.07% in the 2nd quarter of 2010. There was a marginal decrease in the rate change approved by 1.17%. They did not file for rate change approvals with the FSCO in the 1st and 3rd quarters of 2011. The rate change approved marginally increased by 0.12% in the 2nd quarter of 2011. This further increased by 1.41% in the 4th quarter of 2011.

2012 – 2014 Rate Change Review

They did not file for rate change approvals with FSCO in the 3rd quarter of 2012. The rate change approved decreased by 0.57% in the 1st quarter of 2012. There was no change in rates approved in the 2nd quarter of 2012. There was an increase in the rate change approved by 1.40% in the 4th quarter of 2012. The rate changes approved in the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2013 had no changes. The rate change approved in the 3rd quarter of 2013 declined by 0.82% in the 3rd quarter of 2013. There was a huge decline in the rate change approved by 11.53% in the 4th quarter of 2013.

The rate change approved in the 4th quarter of 2014 had no changes. In that quarter around 16 insurance companies filed for rate change approvals. They represented 46.81% of the insurance market.

2015 – 2016 Rate Change Review

They did not file for rate change approvals in the 2nd and 4th quarters of 2015. The rate change approved by FSCO marginally declined by 1.01% in the 1st quarter of 2015. The same quarter saw around 39 insurance companies file for rate change approval with FSCO. They represented 73.48% of the market. There was a marginal decrease of 0.16% in the 3rd quarter of 2015. That quarter saw 40 insurance companies file for rate change approval. They represented 77.45% of the market.

The rate change approved in the 1st quarter of 2016 declined by 7.70% in the 1st quarter of 2016. In the same quarter, about 40 insurance companies filed for a rate change with FSCO. That represented 83.36% of the market. There was a marginal increase in the rate change approved by 0.41% in the 2nd quarter of 2016. Around 14 insurance companies filed for rate change approval with FSCO in that quarter. They represented 30.06% of the market. There was an increase in the rate change approved in the 3rd quarter of 2016. In the same quarter, about 25 insurance companies filed for rate change approval with FSCO. They represented 63.56% of the insurance industry.

Scottish & York Auto Insurance Discounts

Scottish & York offers discounts for several criteria on car insurance policies. When you combine different policies then you may get a 15% discount on your auto policy. You may combine your auto, home, snowmobile, ATV, cottage, or rental property insurance policies. This will also give you a 0 deductible benefit if you do not claim every year and each year your deductible reduces by 20%. Another benefit is that you pay only 1 deductible when you claim on either home or auto insurance.

Optional Coverage You May Consider Buying With Scottish & York

Scottish & York offers mandatory car insurance as per law in the province. They also offer optional coverage that you may purchase for your added benefit.

• Collision: This helps to claim damages due to a collision.
• Comprehensive: You may claim for damage not due to a collision.
• Temporary Vehicle Replacement: The coverage helps to claim for expenses when you borrow or rent a vehicle temporarily when your car is damaged or has a loss.
• New Car Guarantee: Protect the value of your new car with this coverage for a certain period of time from purchase.
• Conviction Protector: You may protect your discount for not having any convictions on your good driving record even when you have a minor conviction with this coverage.
• Accident Forgiveness: This protects your clean driving record and will not affect it when you have your 1st at-fault accident.

Scottish & York Car Insurance Cancellation Policy

If you wish to cancel your car insurance policy then you may inform your insurance agent. You may also call the insurance company directly on 1800-387-4518. When you cancel at midterm then they may charge you a cancellation fee. This is the administration fee for handling your insurance policy. To save this cost you may cancel your policy at renewal rather than early and they will issue a refund if any.

Making Scottish & York Car Insurance Claim

The claims department is available to assist you 24/7. You may reach them on 1866-692-8482. They guarantee claims service satisfaction. In case you are not satisfied with the claims process then they will give you a cheque amount equal to your premium. It is a good idea to keep all information about your claim handy when you call the claims department. The sooner you report your claim the better it is to expedite the process and outcome.

How Can I Get Scottish & York Car Insurance Quote

To get a car insurance quote you may contact your insurance agent or broker. They can help you with details about your coverage options, discounts, pricing, claims support, etc. There is also an option to get a quote online on their website.

Contact Methods For Scottish & York Insurance

There are many methods you could use to contact Scottish & York Insurance as follows.

• Phone: You may contact Scottish & York Insurance by calling 1800-387-4518. The contact number for the claims department is 1866-692-8482.
• Mail: The mailing address to send your documents is Aviva Canada Inc., 2206 Eglinton Ave East, Toronto, ON M1L 4S8.
• Email: There is an online form that you could fill out to ask your query.

Disclaimer

We are not affiliated and make no representations, warranties, recommendations, or endorsements of Scottish & York Insurance. This article is our review of Scottish & York Insurance for information purposes only.  The logos, trademarks, and copyrights mentioned in this article belong to Scottish & York Insurance.