If you are injured in a car accident in Ontario, you may hear insurance representatives, medical providers, or lawyers refer to the SABS. The acronym stands for the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule, a regulation under Ontario’s Insurance Act that sets out accident benefits available under Ontario automobile insurance policies.
The SABS can affect how medical treatment is funded, how income losses are addressed, and what other benefits may be available after a collision. The rules also changed significantly on July 1, 2026, making it especially important to look at the coverage attached to your specific policy.
If you are dealing with serious injuries or a disputed insurance claim, a car accident lawyer in Toronto can review the applicable policy, accident circumstances, and potential claims separately from the accident benefits process.
What Does SABS Mean?
SABS means Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule. It is Ontario Regulation 34/10 under the Insurance Act.
In simple terms, it establishes rules for certain benefits that may become available after an automobile accident. These benefits are generally connected to injuries suffered in an accident and are separate from a lawsuit seeking compensation from another driver.
One important feature is that accident benefits can be available regardless of who caused the accident, subject to the eligibility requirements and exclusions contained in the legislation and policy. That is why someone who was injured in a collision may have an accident benefits claim even if they were partly or entirely responsible for the crash.
What Benefits Does the SABS Cover?
The SABS deals with several categories of accident benefits. However, Ontario’s rules changed on July 1, 2026. For policies entered into or renewed on or after that date, medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits remain mandatory. Many other accident benefits became optional coverage.
Depending on the coverage selected, accident benefits can include:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses
- Attendant care
- Income replacement
- Non-earner benefits
- Caregiver benefits
- Housekeeping and home maintenance
- Dependant care
- Lost educational expenses
- Visitor expenses
- Death and funeral benefits
- Indexation benefits
- Coverage for certain personal property losses
Not every person will have every benefit. Your policy and the date it was entered into or renewed can make a significant difference.
What Changed on July 1, 2026?
This is one of the most important updates for anyone researching Ontario accident benefits today.
Before July 1, 2026, a broader range of SABS benefits formed part of the standard accident benefits framework. Beginning July 1, 2026, Ontario made most accident benefits optional while keeping medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits mandatory.
The optional benefits include important forms of financial support, such as income replacement and non-earner benefits. That means you should not assume that another Ontario driver’s policy or your own policy provides every benefit listed in older articles or insurance guides.
FSRA specifically advises consumers to check their policy and speak with their insurer, agent, or broker to determine which optional coverages they have.
What Are Medical and Rehabilitation Benefits?
These benefits can help cover eligible expenses associated with treatment and recovery following an automobile accident.
Depending on the circumstances, covered expenses can involve services such as medical treatment, rehabilitation services, assessments, and other eligible goods or services required because of accident-related injuries.
The current standard coverage provides $65,000 for medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits for non-catastrophic impairments, while catastrophic impairment coverage has a standard amount of $1 million. Policyholders can purchase increased coverage in accordance with the available options.
What Is an Income Replacement Benefit?
An income replacement benefit can provide financial assistance when an injured person cannot work because of accident-related impairment. However, as of July 1, 2026, income replacement benefits are optional under Ontario’s accident benefits framework for applicable policies.
For policies that include the standard income replacement coverage, FSRA lists the standard amount as 70% of gross income, up to $400 per week, with options to purchase higher weekly limits. Eligibility also depends on the statutory requirements. Being injured in a collision does not automatically mean that an insurer must pay income replacement benefits.
What Is a Non-Earner Benefit?
Not everyone who is injured in a car accident has employment income. The non-earner benefit is designed for certain people who do not qualify for an income replacement benefit and whose accident-related impairment prevents them from carrying on a normal life.
This coverage is also optional under the post-July 1, 2026 framework. Students, unemployed individuals, and others without employment income may therefore need to examine this part of their policy if an accident significantly affects their daily life.
Who Pays for Accident Benefits?
The answer can depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident and Ontario’s insurance priority rules.
The SABS contains rules determining which insurer is responsible for paying accident benefits in different situations. The person injured in the accident generally applies for accident benefits through the insurer identified under those rules.
This can become complicated when several vehicles, insurance policies, passengers, pedestrians, or other circumstances are involved. The fact that another driver caused the collision does not necessarily mean you simply submit all accident benefit expenses to that driver’s insurer.
SABS Benefits Are Different From a Lawsuit
Accident benefits are part of Ontario’s no-fault automobile insurance system. They can provide certain benefits after an accident without requiring you to prove that another driver was responsible.
A separate lawsuit may involve a claim against another person whose conduct caused your injuries. The two processes can overlap, but they are not the same claim.
For example, someone injured in a collision could potentially receive eligible accident benefits from an insurer while also pursuing a tort claim against a driver whose actions caused the accident, provided the applicable legal requirements are met. If both processes are involved, the interaction between them can become legally complex.
What If Your Insurance Company Denies Your SABS Claim?
An insurer may dispute an accident benefits claim for various reasons, including questions about eligibility, medical evidence, the nature of the impairment, or whether an expense falls within the applicable coverage.
If your insurer refuses to pay a benefit, review the written explanation carefully.
Keep copies of:
- Your accident benefits application
- Medical records and treatment plans
- Receipts and invoices
- Insurer correspondence
- Forms submitted by healthcare providers
- Assessments and treatment recommendations
- Any denial or explanation of benefits
If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) handles disputes involving entitlement to statutory accident benefits in Ontario. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario also recommends reviewing the insurer’s explanation and taking appropriate steps if you disagree with a decision.
Why Your Policy Date is Important
With the 2026 changes, the date of your automobile insurance policy is particularly important. For policies entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2026, Parts II, IV, V, and VI of the SABS are offered as optional benefits.
Existing policies renewed after that date can also continue certain previous optional benefits unless changes are made in accordance with the applicable rules. As a result, two people injured in similar accidents could have different available benefits because their policies provide different coverage.
When Should You Speak With a Lawyer?
Accident benefits can become difficult to deal with when an insurer disputes medical treatment, income replacement, attendant care, or another benefit.
Legal advice may also be appropriate if you suffered a serious injury and are considering a separate claim against the person responsible for the collision. A car accident lawyer in Toronto can examine the accident, insurance coverage, medical evidence, and potential claims and explain how the different processes may interact.
The sooner you identify a problem with your benefits or coverage, the easier it may be to address missing documentation, disputed evidence, or applicable deadlines.