Company Review: Desjardins

Overview 

Desjardins General Insurance Group Inc. (DGIG) is a subsidiary of the Desjardins Group – the largest financial corporation in Canada. They provide services for several provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. 

Founded	1944
Headquarters	Lévis, Québec (former) Montreal (current)
Employees	6,000+ (2017)
Canadian Market Share	9.19% (2017)
Insurance Products	Auto, RV, Motorcycle, Homeowners, Tenant, Condo, Travel, Life, Health, Loan & Credit, Group, and Pet Insurance
Website	Desjardins

Desjardins Insurance is one of Canada’s major insurance companies. In 2015, Desjardins purchased U.S. Insurer State Farm’s Canadian book of business, making it the third largest property and casualty insurance provider in the country.

While Desjardins is not technically a bank, it competes directly with the largest banks in Canada in terms of product offerings and assets. Desjardins has maintained its standing, both in the community over 40 years and the insurance brokers that facilitate the transactions between the company and its loyal clients. As a co-op financial organization, those values form the core of its business model.

Desjardins coverage is a good fit for customers who do not require any commercial insurance with their personal insurance. This is because the company focuses mainly on personal coverage, such as home and auto insurance policies.

Ratings

Desjardins holds an “AA1” Moody’s rating and an “A+” Standard & Poor’s rating. This means that Desjardins Car Insurance will not look for excuses when you file a claim.

Better Business Bureau (BBB), a non-profit organization that examines how companies handle customer complaints, gave Desjardins Insurance an “A+” rating as well.

Insurance Products 

Desjardins, like any other insurance provider, offer a variety of insurance policies. Their products range from car insurance, travel insurance, home insurance, life insurance and health insurance to group insurance, to name but a few. However, Desjardins’ auto insurance seems to be the most well-known by customers.

Features 

Desjardins specializes in affordable vehicle insurance and offers a wide selection of features for Canadian drivers. 

Easy, Hassle-Free Claim Process

It is easy to make a claim via Desjardins’ phone number as the line is open 24/7. Here are the numbers to get your claims sorted as quickly as possible: 

North America: 1-888-776-8343

Quebec: 418-835-9100

International: (Country code) + 800-463-5666-6

Another way to do this is to initiate the claim process on their website. 

Fast Online Quoting Tool

Desjardins’ online quoting tool is extremely quick, helping you get the price estimate at the drop of a hat. 

Online Services

Once you establish an online account, you can easily manage your insurance plan online. It is also possible to use your Desjardins auto insurance login details to file a claim from anywhere, at any time. Besides, the tool offers estimates for different vehicles, which can come in handy when purchasing a new one.

Mobile Application

Desjardins’ mobile app is available for download on both Google Play and App Store. Via this app, you can get online access to your insurance policy and claims, severe weather warnings, and a chance to make some savings on auto insurance.

Website

The website is filled with helpful information, such as prevention tips for your car to help keep you safe on Canadian roads.

Signature

This special add-on is known as “a trouble-free option,” and it includes three popular optional coverages depending on your needs, namely Loss of Use, Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobiles, and Emergency Road Service. 

• Loss of Use covers your expenses to rent a car or use taxis/ public transports if your private vehicle is no longer drivable. 
• Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobiles provides protection for you when renting a car in either Canada or the US. 
• Emergency Road Service requires Desjardins to reimburse you up to $50 per occurrence for emergency road services. These include towing, fuel delivery, and tire replacement service if you are left stranded on the road. 

Types of Coverage

Similar to many other main players in the auto insurance industry, Desjardins offers all standard coverage amounts, including third-party liability coverage, collision or upset coverage, accident insurance coverage, comprehensive coverage, direct-compensation coverage (DPCD) and uninsured automobile coverage. 

Additionally, the company also has a wide range of add-ons that increase your premiums. Nevertheless, they can help personalize your Desjardins auto insurance contract so that it perfectly fits your needs.

Some of Desjardins’ most common and popular coverages are explained in further detail below: 

5-year New Vehicle Protection 

This coverage can reduce your financial burden if your car, unfortunately, gets totaled or damaged in accidents within the first five years of purchase. 

In the case of a total loss, Desjardins will pay you the value of your new car minus any deductibles. If it is only a partial loss, your vehicle will be repaired with original parts, provided that you have added this option to your insurance quote in the first place. 

Accident-free Protection

When you add accident forgiveness coverage to your auto insurance policy, your monthly premiums will not increase when you have the first at-fault accident. 

Zero Deductible Coverage 

This coverage means that you do not share the risk with the insurance provider. You will not have to meet a certain balance before your auto insurer steps in. However, these zero deductible plans usually have higher premiums compared to the standard policies. 

Rental Vehicle Coverage

When you rent or borrow a vehicle of any sort in Canada or the US, Desjardins will take care of any accidents. 

Leisure and Recreational Vehicle Coverage

Desjardins provides insurance for multiple vehicles in this case, such as motorcycles, camping trailers, motorhomes, and truck trailers. Instead, if you prefer off-road excursions, be sure to check out their watercraft, ATV, or snowmobile coverage. 

Family Protection Coverage

Finally, this coverage offers additional protection if you or your family gets injured or killed in a traffic accident. 

Pros and Cons

As Auto Insurance is their specialization, this review piece will focus significantly on this service. 

Advantages

Disadvantages

Comprehensive coverage options available  Save up to 25% on your car insurance premiums with the optional safe driver program (i.e., Adjusto) Variety of ways to make savings (e.g., bundles, winter tires, multiple cars insurance, electric/ hybrid vehicles, regular customers and student/ recent graduates discounts) Innovative Customer-first Coverage (i.e., customer-friendly) Other special programs: zero violations discount and green discount.  Straightforward and informative website interface.   Rewards for participation in home and auto savings programs.

Slightly higher than average premiums  Not available in all provinces of Canada  Fewer and lower discounts available (compared to other larger insurers)  Regular coverage does not include gig-work (e.g., ridesharing or food delivery services)  Some negative customer reviews, including a rating of 1.5/5 on Insureye.

The Bottom Line

Desjardins Insurance offers a full variety of personal (non-commercial) insurance products, namely home, auto, and tenant insurance, as well as specialized coverage for recreational vehicles and pets. 

They do have Life Insurance and Health Insurance; however, this is not their strong suit. Therefore, if you are considering any of the other above-mentioned insurance coverage, Desjardins might be a great choice with all the discounts and saving programs. 

We’d like to recommend Insurance Direct Canada as a broker to provide you with insurance quotes and advice.

We have also reviewed Manulife Insurance, Canada Protection Plan, TD Insurance, Sun Life, ivari … if you are interested.