Cost in Canada
The published starting prices, what pushes them up, and the estimator.
What snow removal insurance actually costs in Canada
A $1 million liability policy starts around $1,800 a year if you shovel driveways. One truck and a plow starts around $2,500 outside Ontario and $3,800 in Ontario. Lots, sidewalks, salt and bigger limits push it up from there.
We may earn a flat fee if you request a quote. We’re not a broker. Disclosure
Starting prices are from Zensurance’s 2026 cost guide (general liability, $1M limit). They’re a floor, not an average.
Who this is for
Owner-operators. One truck and forty driveways. Landscapers who hang the mower up in November and put the blade on. Small outfits starting to bid plazas and condo lots.
This site covers every province and territory except Québec. The quote partner we link to doesn’t write Québec. If you plow in Québec, call a local broker.
The guides
Ontario
Why Ontario costs more, and Vaughan’s $502 licence with its $2M rule.
Do I need insurance?
The law, your truck, city licences and contracts. Each one separately.
Residential and solo
Driveway routes, hold-harmless clauses, and pricing the premium in.
Commercial contracts
$2M and $5M limits, additional insured, certificates, indemnity.
Starting out
Get insured and licensed before the first paid push.
Province pages: Ontario · Alberta · British Columbia
What you’re actually buying
“Snow removal insurance” is a bundle. The core pieces:
- Commercial general liability (CGL). Slip-and-falls, and damage you do to other people’s stuff. Clipped bollards, cracked curbs, a fence you buried. This is the policy clients ask to see.
- Commercial auto. For the plow truck. Zensurance says a personal auto policy won’t cover a truck used for commercial plowing, and adding a blade is a change your insurer needs to know about.
- Tools and equipment. Blowers, spreaders, hand gear.
- Hired and non-owned auto. If subs or staff use their own trucks on your routes.
KASE, an Ontario broker, points out that your blade, spreader and box plow usually aren’t covered just because they’re bolted to an insured truck. They need to be scheduled. (Zensurance overview, KASE)
Why it costs this much
Slip-and-fall claims. The Insurance Bureau of Canada told Global News that insurers paid $2.4 billion in commercial liability claims in 2013 and more than $5 billion in 2020, a 108% jump. IBC also said more people are suing over falls on snow and ice.
The worst cases are ugly. CBC reported in 2021 on a Toronto lawn-and-shovelling company with about 500 driveway customers whose premium went from $5,000 in 2016 to $110,000. That’s the top of the market, not a typical bill. But it’s why you should get a real number before you set your prices for the season.
Who runs this site
PlowCost is independent. We’re not Zensurance. We’re not a broker or an insurer. We can’t quote you, bind a policy or give you advice on your own coverage. We read what brokers, insurers, cities and news outlets have published and link to it, so you can check us.
How to use it
- Read the cost guide and run the estimator for a rough range.
- Check your province page: Ontario, Alberta or BC.
- Read Do I need insurance? to check city licences and what your contracts demand.
- Get a real quote with your actual trucks, routes and limits.
We may earn a flat fee if you request a quote. We’re not a broker. Disclosure