The Income Replacement Benefit, or IRB, is the part of your Ontario accident benefits that's meant to replace a portion of your lost income if injuries from a car accident keep you off work — regardless of who caused the crash. Here's who qualifies, how much it typically pays, and what can affect it along the way.
The IRB is one of several no-fault accident benefits available through the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) — the coverage built into every Ontario car insurance policy. It exists to replace some of the income you lose while you're unable to work because of injuries from a car accident, separate from and in addition to any claim you might eventually make against an at-fault driver. Our guide on accident benefits (SABS) covers the full range of benefits SABS can include, from medical treatment to attendant care.
Because it runs on its own no-fault track, it doesn't matter whether you caused the accident, were a passenger, or were hit as a pedestrian or cyclist — if you were involved in a crash with a vehicle insured in Ontario, the IRB is generally available to you as long as you meet the eligibility rules below.
To qualify for the IRB, you generally need to show that you were employed, or otherwise met the income test, at the time of the accident, and that your accident-related injuries are the reason you can't do your job. There's usually a short waiting period — the first week after you become unable to work is typically not paid — after which the benefit can begin.
Getting the IRB moving quickly comes down to paperwork: notifying your insurer promptly and completing the application (the OCF-1) and an employment/income verification form so your insurer can calculate your benefit. Our guide on what to do after a car accident walks through those early steps, including notifying your insurer.
The IRB is generally calculated as a percentage of your gross pre-accident weekly income, up to a maximum set by your policy. Most standard policies cap the benefit at a set weekly amount unless you'd purchased optional higher coverage before the accident — so two people with similar injuries can end up with very different weekly payments depending on their policy and their pre-accident income. If you're self-employed or had irregular income, the calculation can get more complicated, and it's often worth having someone double-check the insurer's math.
The IRB isn't automatically paid for the life of a claim. For roughly the first two years after the accident, the test is generally whether you can perform the essential tasks of the job you held when you were hurt. After that point, the test typically shifts to something broader — whether you're able to engage in any type of employment you're reasonably suited for by education, training, or experience. Many people see their benefit reviewed, reduced, or stopped around this two-year mark.
It's common for insurers to deny, reduce, or stop an IRB based on a paper review of your file or a single medical exam arranged by the insurer — even when your own doctors say you're still unable to work. That doesn't mean the decision is final. Our guide on what to do if your accident benefits are denied covers the dispute process and the roughly two-year window you generally have to challenge a denial, so it's worth acting sooner rather than later if your IRB has been cut off.
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Not sure if you're getting the IRB you're entitled to, or what to do if it's been reduced or stopped? Call or message any time at (416) 418-7797, or request a free consultation on our site.
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