Moving to the Laurentides, whether from Montreal, another province or another country, means many changes: a new home, longer drives, perhaps a chalet lifestyle or a home by a lake. It is also the perfect moment to review your insurance. Some coverage is mandatory in Quebec, and some is simply essential to protect your new life.
This checklist walks you through the main insurance steps to take when you settle in the region, in a practical order.
Step 1: Health insurance and prescription drug coverage
Quebec health insurance
If you are moving to Quebec from another province or from abroad, you need to register with the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) to obtain a health insurance card. Depending on where you are coming from, a waiting period may apply before coverage begins, so register as soon as you are eligible. Information on eligibility is available on Québec.ca.
If you are simply moving within Quebec, for example from Montreal to Saint-Jérôme, update your address with the RAMQ.
Prescription drug insurance
In Quebec, prescription drug insurance is mandatory. You must be covered either by a private group plan, if you have access to one, or by the RAMQ public plan. If your new job in the Laurentides offers a group plan, you will usually have to join it. Read our guide on prescription drug insurance in Quebec for details.
Travel and private health coverage
If there is a gap before your provincial coverage begins, consider temporary private health insurance to protect you during the transition.
Step 2: Auto insurance
Life in the Laurentides often means driving more. Your auto insurance needs to follow.
What is mandatory in Quebec
Quebec has a unique system with two components:
- Bodily injury: the public plan administered by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) covers bodily injuries suffered in a road accident in Quebec, regardless of who is at fault. It is funded in part by amounts paid with your driver’s licence and vehicle registration.
- Property damage liability: every vehicle owner must hold civil liability insurance from a private insurer to cover damage caused to others’ property. The law sets a minimum amount, but most insurers and experts recommend a higher limit.
Coverage for damage to your own vehicle, such as collision or theft, is optional, though often required by a lender or leasing company.
What to do when you move
- If you come from another province or country, check the rules for exchanging your driver’s licence and registering your vehicle with the SAAQ within the required timeframe.
- Notify your insurer of your new address, since premiums vary by region.
- Review your annual mileage and your commute.
- Remember that winter tires are mandatory in Quebec during the legal winter period.
Our practical guide to auto insurance in the Laurentides covers this in more depth.
Step 3: Home, condo or tenant insurance
Home insurance is not required by law in Quebec, but it is usually required by mortgage lenders, and condo syndicates are legally required to insure the building. Tenants are often asked by landlords to hold liability insurance.
If you buy a house
Before signing, get insurance quotes. Features common in the Laurentides, such as wood stoves, septic systems, wells, older electrical systems or proximity to a lake, can affect your premium and eligibility. Our home insurance checklist when buying a property in the Laurentides lists the points to verify.
If you rent
Tenant insurance protects your belongings and, importantly, your civil liability if you accidentally cause damage to the building or to others.
If you buy a chalet
A secondary residence, especially if it is unoccupied for long periods or rented out, requires specific coverage. Make sure the insurer knows how the property will be used.
Step 4: Personal liability
Civil liability coverage is usually included in home, condo and tenant policies. It protects you if you are held responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property. When you move to a property with a dock, a pool, a long driveway or trails, review your liability limits with your broker or insurer.
Step 5: Recreational vehicles and toys
Many people who move to the Laurentides adopt new hobbies. Snowmobiles, ATVs and boats each come with their own insurance rules. Some, such as liability insurance for snowmobiles and ATVs used off-road, are mandatory under Quebec law. Read our guide on snowmobile insurance in Quebec before your first winter.
Step 6: Life and disability insurance
A move often coincides with other big life changes: a new mortgage, a new job or a growing family. Life and disability insurance are not mandatory, but they deserve a review whenever your financial obligations change.
Moving checklist summary
- Register with or notify the RAMQ
- Confirm your prescription drug coverage
- Update or obtain auto insurance and your SAAQ documents
- Insure your new home, condo or rental before the move-in date
- Review your liability limits
- Insure any recreational vehicles or boats
- Review life and disability coverage
- Update your address with every insurer
FAQ: insurance when moving to the Laurentides
Is home insurance mandatory in Quebec?
No law requires a homeowner to insure their house, but mortgage lenders almost always require it. Condo syndicates, however, are legally required to insure the building.
Do I need to change my car insurance when I move within Quebec?
You must inform your insurer of your new address. Premiums can vary from one region to another, and your mileage or use of the vehicle may also change.
What auto insurance is mandatory in Quebec?
Bodily injury is covered by the SAAQ public plan, and every vehicle owner must also have civil liability insurance for property damage from a private insurer.
Is there a waiting period for Quebec health coverage?
People settling in Quebec may face a waiting period before coverage begins, depending on their situation. Check the RAMQ eligibility rules as soon as possible.
Should I use a broker when I move?
A broker can compare several insurers for your new situation, which is useful when your home, car and lifestyle change at the same time.
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