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The first rule of saving money is to shop around for the best price. Make sure you’re not overpaying for home insurance by comparing insurance providers before you settle on one. LowestRates.ca makes comparing multiple home insurance companies a snap. We don’t sell insurance — we’re completely independent — but we can show you which insurer is offering the lowest price. Just enter your postal code and in 3 minutes we’ll show you rates from Canada’s big banks and independent lenders. Best of all? It’s free.
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Percie Johnson founded Johnson Insurance in St. John’s, N.L., in 1880. It remained a family business for the next century, with Percie’s son and grandsons leading the company through decades of growth.
In the 1950s, Johnson became the first Canadian insurance firm to offer clients a monthly payment option for their premiums. Ten years later, it became the first insurer to offer clients a complete range of benefits under a single plan, with a single payment.
Today, Johnson is a subsidiary of RSA Insurance Group, a U.K.-headquartered multinational insurance company. RSA added Johnson to its portfolio of Canadian companies in 1997, which also include Western Assurance and Canadian Northern Shield. Johnson has 1,400 employees and 30 offices across Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. It reaches other parts of Canada via its website with a general focus on home insurance (excluding Nunavut) and auto insurance, except in B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Johnson’s policies are primarily underwritten by Unifund Assurance Company, another subsidiary of RSA Insurance Group. Johnson also offers group benefit programs.
In 2018, Johnson launched a rebranding campaign to promote itself as a customer-centric company. Its mascot, a Newfoundland dog named Johnson, represents the firm’s Maritime roots.
Johnson's home insurance arm placed seventh on J.D. Power’s 2019 Overall Customer Satisfaction ranking for the Atlantic provinces and Ontario with a total score of 756 out of 1,000. It ranked highest among companies with “average” scores and came in 35 points behind The Co-operators, which topped the list with a score of 791.
It did not rank in Quebec or Western Canada, indicating it didn’t have enough customers in those regions to generate a statistically significant score.
| Province | User satisfaction rating |
|---|---|
| Atlantic/Ontario |
|
| Quebec region | — |
| Western region | — |
Your home insurance policy will be customized to suit your needs and the property you’re insuring.
Home insurance premiums are determined by dwelling type (is it a single-detached home, a house with a basement tenant suite, or a condo?). Insurance companies also try to predict the kind and size of claim you might make in the future.
Here are some of the criteria insurance companies look at when calculating your premium.
Umbrella Liability - Johnson home insurance customers may be eligible for the company’s Umbrella Liability policy add-on. This program extends your personal injury and liability coverage by up to $5 million on top of your policy’s existing benefit. It also offers protection in the event of various legal risks.
Enhanced Water Coverage - Johnson offers insurance options to protect against water damage to your home. The basic product is the “Limited Sewer Backup Endorsement,” which protects against backup or water escape from sewers, sumps and septic tanks.
If you experience a sewer backup, this policy will also pay $1,500 toward the installation of an approved loss-prevention device to protect your home going forward. Johnson’s Enhanced Water Coverage includes all of the features of the Limited Sewer Backup endorsement and adds coverage for damage from freshwater flooding. It also covers water escape from downspouts, eavestroughs and drains.
Johnson has also introduced a new program for water and sewer lines connected to your home. It offers up to $15,000 in coverage.
Other endorsements - For additional premiums, Johnson will provide coverage for concerns such as home business, watercraft, special items, identity theft and building code changes that make the cost of replacing your home in the event of, say, fire, more than the coverage in your existing policy. Speak to your broker or agent for details.
The Johnson Insurance Connect app is available on iOS and Android. The app allows users to access their home and auto insurance information while on the go. The app allows users to do the following; use your smartphone to display your card instead of carrying a hard copy, submit a claim or loss for your home or vehicles (as well as take pictures to upload with the claim, update your insurance information, review your policy snapshot or contact an agent.
Johnson offers a 24/7 telephone claims service. Customer service representatives will explain your options and make arrangements for the repair of your property.
Alexandra Bosanac
About the Author
Alexandra Bosanac is the Core Content Manager for LowestRates.ca. Her reporting has appeared in Canadian Business, the Toronto Star, the National Post, and the CBC.
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