What is the difference between a drivers abstract and an AutoPlus report?
A drivers abstract records what you were convicted of and whether you can legally drive. An AutoPlus report records where you were insured and what you claimed. One comes from the licensing side, the other from insurers.
Brokers use both in the same conversation, which is why the two get mixed up. Line by line, they share very little.
| Question | Drivers abstract (3-year driver record) | AutoPlus report |
|---|---|---|
| Who keeps it | The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) | CGI, which runs it for the insurance industry |
| Where the data comes from | Licensing records, plus the convictions courts report to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles | Policy and claims data submitted by Canadian property and casualty insurers |
| Convictions | Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code convictions from the past 3 years, with dates and points | Conviction codes that insurers report: A major, B minor, C serious (Criminal Code) |
| Collisions and claims | The 3-year record does not list collisions. A conviction that came out of a crash does show. | Each claim, with its fault percentage, including claims other drivers made against you |
| Licence details | Class, status, expiry, conditions, endorsements and earliest licence date available | Not a licence record. It lists policies, vehicles and the principal operator, as insurers reported them. |
| How far back | Convictions, suspensions and reinstatements from the past 3 years | No fixed period. On insurers' copies, the requesting insurer sets it, and CGI's example shows 25 years. |
| Fixing a mistake | A wrong conviction generally goes back to the court that entered it, and a lawyer or paralegal can advise. See fixing a wrong driving record. | Through the insurer that reported it. CGI cannot change the data. |
What is an AutoPlus report?
AutoPlus is an insurance history database that CGI runs from the auto policy and claims data Canadian property and casualty insurers submit. It is not your driving record, and the Ministry of Transportation does not keep it.
A report lists:
- When each policy started and when it was cancelled
- The vehicles and coverages on each policy, and the principal operator
- Each claim, with its date, Insurance Bureau of Canada claim code and type of loss
- The fault percentage assigned on each claim
- Third-party claims other drivers made against you
- The last three companies that looked up the policy
Insurers can add conviction codes to it, but the dated list of your convictions and their points is on your Ontario drivers abstract.
What is a drivers abstract?
A drivers abstract is your uncertified 3-year Ontario driver record, the document most people mean by driving record, driver record or MVR. It answers an insurer’s first questions: can you legally drive, since when, and what have you been convicted of lately?
On your drivers abstract
- Name, licence number, date of birth, sex and height
- Licence class, expiry date and status, such as licensed or suspended
- Earliest licence date available
- Conditions and endorsements, such as corrective lenses or air brakes
- Your demerit point total
- Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code convictions from the past 3 years
- Suspensions, reinstatements and active fine suspensions from the past 3 years
Not on your drivers abstract
- Your address
- Beginner driver education course completion
- Expired medical suspensions
- Collisions (a conviction that came out of a crash does show)
- Insurance claims, policies and fault percentages
Insurers price on how long you have been licensed, and the abstract prints your earliest licence date available. The guide to what is on an Ontario drivers abstract walks through every field.
Which one does your broker or insurer mean?
If they say abstract, MVR or driving record, they usually mean your drivers abstract. If they want proof of when you moved from G2 to G, that is the licence history, a different record. AutoPlus, claims history or insurance history means the insurance database. If a request is unclear, ask before you send anything.
Drivers abstract
- Also called driving record, driver record, driver's abstract or MVR
AutoPlus report
- Also called claims history or insurance history
Letter of experience
- Comes up when you move provinces or bring experience from abroad
The word abstract points to the driving record: the Ministry itself calls a driver record an abstract. The licence history shows class changes but no convictions, suspensions or points. The Ontario driver record types guide sets them side by side.
Switching insurers? The new company can look up your AutoPlus history, but it asks you about convictions. Your abstract gives you the exact dates. More in drivers abstracts for insurance.
What is a letter of experience for insurance?
A letter of experience is proof of your past driving or insurance experience, asked for when you apply for cover somewhere new. It is a separate document from your driving record. Manitoba Public Insurance wants a claim history letter from your previous insurer, while ICBC accepts either a driver’s abstract or a letter of experience from the licensing authority.
| Who asks | What they ask for | Who issues it | What it can get you |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICBC (British Columbia), for new residents | A driver's abstract or a letter of experience | The licensing authority that issued your first non-learner licence | Credit for up to 15 years of driving experience toward insurance discounts |
| Manitoba Public Insurance, for new residents | A claim history letter | Your previous insurer | A possible premium discount |
| An Ontario insurer, for a driver licensed in Canada under 6 years | Proof of other licensing and insurance | Wherever you were licensed and insured before | Driving experience in other countries may be recognized |
Manitoba spells out what its letter must show: the policyholder, policy number and policy dates, the drivers listed, the insurer’s contact details, every claim with its date, type, percentage at fault and driver, and the date the letter was issued. Ask your insurer for it before you cancel your Ontario policy.
B.C. no longer asks new residents for proof of previous insurance. There, the insurance discount depends on how long you have been licensed, proven by the date you were first licensed. Your Ontario driving abstract prints your earliest licence date available, so you can check that date before you call. ICBC decides which Ontario document it accepts, so confirm with it before you rely on any record. More in moving out of Ontario with your driving record.
New to Canada? A policy you held abroad will not be on AutoPlus, which is what the proof in the last row is for. See drivers abstracts for newcomers.
Why do both histories affect your insurance premium?
Because the insurance application asks about both. The standard Ontario form wants every conviction from the last 3 years, which your abstract shows, and every accident or claim from the last 6 years, which is AutoPlus territory.
- 3 yearsof convictions asked on the standard Ontario applicationThe same window your drivers abstract covers
- 6 yearsof accidents and claims asked on the same formThe history insurers find on AutoPlus
- 6 yearsof licence suspensions or cancellations in your household, also askedYour abstract lists suspensions from the past 3 years
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) counts previous accidents, how long you have been licensed, driver training, speeding tickets and other convictions as part of the driving record that sets your premium. In its words, “the better your record, the lower your premium.”
FSRA’s high-risk drivers are those with many convictions or at-fault accidents, or with policies cancelled for non-payment. They pay more, and some end up with the Facility Association, the insurer of last resort. The convictions are on your abstract. At-fault claims are on AutoPlus.
Some history cannot count against you. Under Ontario’s rating rules:
- A claim from an accident on or after September 1, 2010 where you were 25 per cent or less at fault cannot be used in rating.
- Not-at-fault claims cannot be considered when an insurer decides whether to issue, renew or cancel your policy.
Premiums for the same driver differ from one insurer to the next, so shop with your own driving record in hand. For how long each kind of entry matters, see how far back insurers check your driving record.
Why would something show on AutoPlus but not on your drivers abstract?
Because each one records a different event. A claim comes from a loss such as a crash; a conviction comes from a court. One incident can produce either, both or neither.
| What happened | Your drivers abstract | AutoPlus |
|---|---|---|
| You were rear-ended and claimed on your policy | No entry, since there was no conviction | The claim, with its date, type of loss and fault percentage |
| You paid a speeding ticket | A conviction with its date and any demerit points. Paying the ticket counts as a conviction. | A conviction code, if an insurer reports it |
| A crash led to a careless driving conviction | The conviction, and any suspension that came with it | Any claim made, plus a conviction code if an insurer reports it |
| An insurer cancelled your policy for non-payment | Nothing. Policies are not on the driving record. | The policy dates, including when it was cancelled |
| The conviction or claim is 5 years old | A conviction entered 5 years ago is outside the 3-year window | A claim that old can still show |
The guide to whether a drivers abstract shows accidents goes further into the collision side.
How do you check both before you shop for insurance?
Get both, read them against the application, and fix anything wrong before a broker builds a quote on it. In order:
Order your drivers abstract
Order your driving abstract online. The form takes about a minute, and the PDF arrives by email instantly after payment, for $39.99.
Get your AutoPlus report
CGI gives consumers their own report at no charge, including through its myAutoPlus app.
Hold both against the application
Answer the conviction and claims questions for you and every driver on the policy. With the abstract open, you are giving exact dates instead of guesses.
Fix what is wrong
A wrong AutoPlus entry goes to the insurer that reported it. A wrong conviction on your driving record is a separate process, covered in what to do if your driving record is wrong. For a conviction, a lawyer or paralegal can advise.
Send one abstract to every broker
The same PDF can go to every broker and insurer quoting you, as long as it is recent enough for each of them. See how long a drivers abstract stays current.
Skip the first step and you may find out what is on your record only when the quote changes. A current 3-year driver record means the number you are quoted is built on facts you have already seen.
Frequently asked questions
Is an AutoPlus report the same as my driving record?
No. AutoPlus is an insurance industry database of your policies and claims, run by CGI from data that insurers submit. Your driving record, the drivers abstract, is kept by the Ministry of Transportation and lists your licence status, convictions, suspensions and demerit points.
Does a drivers abstract show insurance claims?
No. The 3-year driver record lists your licence details, your demerit point total, and convictions, suspensions and reinstatements from the past 3 years. Claims, fault percentages and policy dates sit on AutoPlus instead.
How many years does an AutoPlus report go back?
There is no single fixed period. On the version insurers use, the requesting insurer sets how many years come back, and CGI's own example shows 25 years. That reaches much further than the 3 years of convictions on a drivers abstract.
Who corrects a mistake on my AutoPlus report?
The insurer that reported the entry, through its complaint officer or ombudsperson. CGI runs the database but is not authorized to change the data on your report.
Can a not-at-fault accident raise my car insurance in Ontario?
Usually not. For accidents on or after September 1, 2010, an Ontario insurer may not use a claim in its rating if you were 25 per cent or less at fault, and not-at-fault claims cannot be considered when an insurer decides whether to issue, renew or cancel a policy.
Is insurance I had in another country on AutoPlus?
AutoPlus is built from data that Canadian property and casualty insurers submit, so cover you held abroad is not what it records. For drivers licensed in Canada for less than 6 years, the standard Ontario application says driving experience in other countries may be recognized if proof of other licensing and insurance is attached.
What do I send when my broker asks for my abstract?
Your uncertified 3-year Ontario driver record, as a PDF. It arrives by email instantly after payment, for $39.99, and you can forward the same file to every broker or insurer quoting you, as long as it is recent enough for each of them. Occasional delays can occur.
Sources: AutoPlus contents and corrections as described in CGI’s consumer guidance on reading AutoPlus reports; look-back as described in CGI’s guide to the insurer version of the report. Driver record contents as described by the Ministry of Transportation. Conviction reporting under the Highway Traffic Act, s. 210, and ticket payment as a conviction under the Provincial Offences Act, s. 8. Application questions from the Ontario Application for Automobile Insurance (OAF 1). Rating limits from R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 664 (Automobile Insurance) under the Insurance Act. Rating factors and high-risk drivers from FSRA consumer guidance. Proof-of-experience rules from ICBC and Manitoba Public Insurance. This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice.