Accident benefits — sometimes called SABS — are a set of no-fault benefits built into every Ontario car insurance policy. They're available after a car accident regardless of who was at fault, and depending on your injuries, they can help with medical treatment, income loss, and other accident-related costs.
SABS stands for the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule — the part of Ontario's auto insurance rules that sets out what your own insurer generally has to offer after a car accident. It's a no-fault system, which means it doesn't matter whether you caused the crash, were a passenger, or were hit as a pedestrian or cyclist. If you were involved in an accident with a vehicle insured in Ontario, you can typically apply for benefits through the applicable policy, often your own.
Because this runs separately from any question of who was at fault, it's usually the first source of support available after a crash — long before any dispute with an at-fault driver's insurer is resolved. Our guide on what to do after a car accident covers the early steps, including notifying your insurer.
The best-known part of SABS covers medical and rehabilitation costs connected to your injuries — things like physiotherapy, chiropractic care, psychological counselling, and necessary medical equipment. Treatment is typically organized through a treatment plan prepared by a regulated health professional and submitted to your insurer for approval.
For more significant injuries, attendant care benefits can help pay for assistance with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, or meal preparation. How much support is available, and for how long, generally depends on whether an injury is treated under the province's Minor Injury Guideline or assessed as more serious.
If your injuries keep you from working, an income replacement benefit (IRB) can provide a portion of your lost income, usually starting after a short waiting period from the date of the accident. If you weren't working before the accident — a student, for example, or someone between jobs — a non-earner benefit may be available instead, generally after a longer waiting period.
There's also a caregiver benefit for people who were the primary caregiver for a family member before the accident and can no longer provide that care because of their injuries.
Depending on your situation, SABS can also cover housekeeping and home maintenance if your injuries stop you from managing tasks you used to do yourself, a death and funeral benefit for a family after a fatal accident, and dependant care so someone else can be paid to look after a child or family member while you attend treatment.
Many insurers also assign a case manager to help coordinate the benefits on your file. It's worth keeping in mind that a case manager works for the insurance company, not for you — which is one reason people often want a second, independent opinion on what they're entitled to.
Accident benefits move on their own clock, separate from any lawsuit against an at-fault driver. You generally need to notify your insurer soon after the accident and complete an initial application form within about a month, with further forms following as your treatment plan develops.
What your claim might ultimately be worth — including both accident benefits and any separate claim against an at-fault driver — is its own question; see our guide on how much you can claim for what typically factors into that. And if a benefit is delayed, reduced, or denied along the way, that starts its own separate clock too.
We're a free intake service for people injured in car accidents across Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon and the GTA. We're not a law firm — we connect you with vetted personal injury lawyers and registered physiotherapy clinics, and explain your options in plain language, in English, Punjabi, Hindi and French. No cost, no obligation, and someone is reachable 24/7.
Not sure which accident benefits you qualify for, or whether you're getting everything you're entitled to? Don't guess — get a free, no-pressure answer. Call or message any time at (416) 418-7797, or request a free consultation on our site.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation and the benefits that apply to it, speak with a licensed lawyer — we can connect you with one for free.
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This is general information, not legal advice — timelines and requirements depend on your specific situation.