Is Desjardins Home Insurance Canada's Best?
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Your home is where you live and, for many Canadians, increasingly where you work as well. As your haven from the world, your office and (for homeowners) your greatest asset, it is important that you have the right level of coverage and a relationship with an insurance provider you can trust. But with so many options out there, how to make the right choice?
This review will introduce you to Desjardins home insurance policies, tell you what they cover, how much they cost and how to get one.
Good to know
Desjardins: the basics
- Founded in 1944 in Lévis, Quebec
- Run by Desjardins, the largest association of Canadian credit unions
- It's original trading name was Société d'assurance des caisses populaires" (SACP)
- Large client base in Quebec but available nationally
Desjardins insurance home
Our review of Desjardins home insurance
Desjardins is a large and well-established insurance provider, offering homeowner insurance, condo insurance and tenant insurance. Desjardins rates highly on trust websites and customer reviews are positive. Younger customers like the cooperative structure of the company and Desjardins rates well for customer service.
On the other hand, the process of calculating your premiums can seem a bit opaque and it lacks the variety of add-ons and specific protections that some of its competitors offer.
Pros
- Rates highly for trust
- Customer reviews are positive
- The app allows real-time engagement with threats to property
- Extra protection for student members of the family is welcome
Cons
- Only offers two choices for your deductible limit
- Only offers two choices for the level of personal protection
How much does Desjardins home insurance cost?
It is difficult to estimate the cost of home insurance as your premiums will depend on a variety of factors such as where you live, the size and age of your property and your history of insurance claims. However, in order to give you an idea see below for an example homeowner's insurance quote for a $1.5 million rowhouse in Toronto.
Good to know
Did you know that Desjardins offers as much as a 35% discount in return for examining your credit history?
| Coverage | $177.00/month | $167.92/month | $177.33/month | $168.92/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Liability | $1 million | $1 million | $2 million | $2 million |
| Deductible | $1,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Rebuild + contents + additional living expenses | $1,679,000 | $1,679,000 | $1,679,000 | $100,000 |
| Rebuild | $839,500 | $839,500 | $839,500 | $839,500 |
| Groundwater damage | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Flooding | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Voluntary medical payments | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Voluntary property payments | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Good to know
Are you still unsure how home insurance works? Our home insurance guide has answers to your questions.
What does Desjardins home insurance cover?
Desjardins offers a basic package with a few additional add-ones (which are discussed in the next section). In the table below we outline the basic protections that Desjardins home insurance offers.
| Coverage | About |
|---|---|
| Risk insurance | This covers standard, common risks like fire, wind weather events and burst pipes |
| Coverage for detached buildings | Protects separate outbuildings like garages |
| Coverage for belongings | Coverage for possessions damaged inside your house |
| Personal liability | Covers you against any legal liability you may incur for people or possessions damaged on your property |
| Fire, theft and vandalism | Protects your property from smoke damage, woodfires, burglary and deliberate criminal damage |
| Dwelling | Protects the physical structure of your property |
Good to know
Are you interested in a specific kind of home insurance? You can take a closer look at homeowner insurance, condo insurance and tenant insurance by reading our in-depth guides that come with comparison tools.
Interested in seeing what coverage Desjardins competitors offer?
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What optional add-ons are there?
Desjardins has optional add-ons that may be interesting to you depending on your particular situation. Purchasing these add-ons will increase the level of your premiums therefore it is worth carefully considering which ones are good value for you. To help you decide we have listed the add-ons offered by Desjardins below.
| Add-ons | About |
|---|---|
| Sewer backup | Covers your home in case of a sewage blockage or septic tank overflow |
| Flood and overland water | Covers you in case of a river or lake flooding |
| Earthquake | Coverage for earth movements, shocks or aftermath |
| Swimming pool coverage | Covers damage relating to swimming pools or hot tubs |
| Short-term rental insurance | "Airbnb insurance" protects you against damage caused by temporary paying guests |
| Fuel oil tank spills | Covers against soil contamination and damage to possessions caused by oil spills |
| Theft or vandalism during construction | Extends basic home insurance to cover construction work |
| Students away from premises | Covers members of the family living away from home while studying |
Desjardins also offers three programs that cater to specialized needs that might or might not apply to your property depending on your situation. These programs are:
Alert: Desjardins offers you a free freeze and water detection system that will send an immediate warning to your app so that you can deal with a situation immediately and minimize damage.
Radar: is a system operated by Desjardins through their app which sends its customers updates to keep them aware of local hazards and weather events such as thunderstorms, high winds, hail and forest fires.
Identity Theft Assistance: Desjardins protects its customers for up to $50,000 to cover expenses relating to having your identity stolen.
Want to see what extras other insurance providers offer?
Protect your home today!
What does Desjardins home insurance not cover?
When buying any kind of insurance it is important to closely read the contract, paying particular attention to exclusions. Every insurance provider has a list of events and damages that are excluded from the policy's coverage. Read these carefully to avoid nasty surprises!
We have compiled a list of Desjardin's home insurance exclusions for your ease of use.
| Exclusion | Explained |
|---|---|
| Normal wear and tear | You are not protected from the normal aging and degradation process of your property |
| Improper maintenance | You are expected to maintain your property, damage found to be a result of neglect will not be recompensated |
| Damage caused by pests | Damage caused by pests and vermin is not covered |
| Mould | Mould and damp are the homeowner's responsibility to deal with |
| Wet rot and dry rot | Wet rot and dry rot should be prevented through routine maintenance |
Can you bundle Desjardins home and auto insurance?
Yes, you can bundle Desjardins home and auto insurance and save money in doing so! There are other advantages such as choosing a higher deductible to lower your premium. There are further discounts for customers who can show a long driving record with no accidents.
With Desjardins Multi-Line discount you can save up to 35% by bundling Desjardins car and home insurance.
- Desjardins Homeowners Insurance: up to 35%
- Desjardins Condo Insurance: up to 15%
- Desjardins Tenants Insurance: up to 10%
Would you like to see what other insurance providers offer bundling discounts?
Protect your home today!
How to get Desjardins home insurance?
You can call a Desjardins sales agent directly at 1‑877‑699‑9923 in order to discuss your situation and your insurance needs.
Alternatively head to the Desjardins website and click Home Insurance. On the Home Insurance page enter your postcode in order to begin the process of getting a quote. You will need to answer the following questions.
- What is your address?
- How many floors does your home have?
- How large is your property?
- What kind of roof does your property have?
- What kind of foundations does your property have?
- What security systems do you have installed?
- Do you have any outhouses or separate structures?
- Is your basement finished or unfinished?
- Do you consent to a credit check?
Once you have answered these questions Desjardins will quote you a monthly premium. On this page, you can adjust the level of your legal liability and your deductible.
How to make a home insurance claim with Desjardins?
To make a claim on your home insurance you can use your Desjardins login to access your account on the website. Once you are logged in you can hit the Claims tab and then select Home Insurance. You will need your insurance policy number to begin the claims process. You should hear from Desjardins in 1 to 2 days.
Alternatively, you can use the Desjardins app to make a claim or call a claims representative directly at the Desjardins home insurance contact number: 1-855-209-9549. You may want to hire a service provider to fully assess any damage caused to your home before beginning the claims process
Watch out!
It is worth remembering that during and directly after severe weather events Desjardins' phone lines will be busy than normal and that claims processing may take longer than usual.
How to cancel Desjardins home insurance?
Use your Desjardins home insurance login to access your customer account. Select your home insurance policy and click Cancel. This will begin the process of cancelling your policy.
Alternatively, you can contact Desjardins directly at 1-888-277-8726 and speak to a representative about terminating your relationship. You can find the Desjardins home insurance cancellation policy on their website.
Can you transfer a Desjardins home insurance policy?
If you have recently moved house and you want to stay with your old insurance provider, contact them directly. There could be a loyalty discount available as a reward for staying with your provider. Your rates will likely change as the new property will have its own, specific insurance profile.
Home insurance plans are not transferable from a former owner to the new one. The new owner will need to contact an insurer about their new house, condo or rental.
