Learn more about the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule, the specific benefits under it, and the changes that will take effect this year
When a crash happens, Ontario's Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) is meant to prevent the insured person's life from completely unravelling. With major changes coming in 2026, this article outlines the basics of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule and its new rules that Ontario legal professionals and insured persons need to know.
The Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) in Ontario is a regulation enacted under the provincial Insurance Act. Part of Ontario's no‑fault auto insurance regime, the SABS sets out specific benefits for people injured in a motor vehicle accident.
The following changes will be implemented under the SABS for motor vehicle liability policies entered or renewed on or after July 1, 2026:
Learn more about the SABS and its changes with this video:
Bookmark our Personal Injury practice area pages for more news and updates for legal professionals in Ontario.
Here's a list of the benefits under the SABS:
We'll discuss these benefits below. This table also summarizes the amounts associated to each benefit that take effect on July 1, 2026:
| Catastrophic | Non-Catastrophic | Minor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Replacement Benefits | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit |
| Non-Earner Benefits | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit |
| Caregiver Benefits | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | ||
| Medical and Rehabilitation | $1,000,000 over insured's lifetime | $65,000 over 260 week | $3,500 over 260 weeks |
| Attendant Care Benefits | $1,000,000 over insured's lifetime | $65,000 over 260 weeks | |
| Death Benefits | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount fixed by the optional benefit |
| Funeral Benefits | Amount not exceeding the amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount not exceeding the amount fixed by the optional benefit | Amount not exceeding the amount fixed by the optional benefit |
| Housekeeping and Maintenance | Amount fixed by the optional benefit |
To be eligible for Income Replacement Benefits, the insured must meet the following conditions, depending on their employment status at the time of the accident:
However, the insured will not be eligible for Income Replacement Benefits if they chose to receive the following benefits instead:
The amount of Income Replacement Benefits will be adjusted once the beneficiary turns 65 years old.
The Non-Earner Benefits apply if an insured does not qualify for the Income Replacement Benefits. Other qualifications for these benefits include:
Caregiver Benefits are given to an insured if they:
However, the SABS say that this benefit is not available when the insured is eligible and has elected to receive the Income Replacement Benefit or the Non-Earner Benefit.
After July 1, 2026, the only SABS benefits that remain mandatory are the Medical, Rehabilitation, and Attendant Care Benefits. The common requisites among these three benefits are the following:
In addition, the SABS provide for the following limitations for each type of benefit:
Except for catastrophic injuries, all these benefits shall not last for more than the following:
These durations do not apply if the insured is entitled to the optional Medical, Rehabilitation, and Attendant Care Benefits.
Death and Funeral Benefits will be optional for policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2026. Death Benefits are given to the insured's spouse or dependents if the insured died either within:
However, Death Benefits are unavailable if the beneficiary dies either:
If the insured had two or more spouses, the SABS provide that these Death Benefits will be given to all of them equally.
Aside from the benefits under the SABS listed above, certain other expenses may be payable by the insurer, including:
These will remain optional benefits after July 1, 2026, as they were under the previous SABS.
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The SABS exclusion provisions set out situations where the insurer is not required to pay certain benefits:
The benefits that are non-payable to the above-mentioned persons are:
Under the SABS, a criminal offence is not limited to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It also includes other offences under the Criminal Code, whether related to motor vehicles or not.
The Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule: Protecting Ontarians in every crash
Ontario's Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule is not going away, but it will look very different after July 1, 2026. As clients need clear advice, legal professionals are at the centre of this shift. They explain which optional and mandatory benefits apply in each case and how those benefits still matter after the changes.
Visit our Events page for upcoming conferences that can support your practice, including sessions on personal injury and Ontario's Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.
