How KeyTurn Expands Auto Insurance Access for Canada’s Underserved Drivers

Access to auto insurance remains a significant barrier for millions of Canadians, especially for individuals in urban centers, young drivers, gig workers, and low-income communities. Traditional insurance models rely on long-term contracts, upfront payments, and demographic profiling that exclude or penalize those who don’t fit within conventional categories. As a result, thousands remain uninsured - not because they reject coverage, but because the system rejects them.

KeyTurn introduces a transformative solution through per-second MicroLiability insurance. By connecting insurance coverage directly to a car’s ignition time, KeyTurn removes the rigid structures of traditional pricing and unlocks coverage for those who need it most. This flexible approach isn’t just a technical shift - it’s a structural reimagining of what auto insurance can be.

With instant digital policy updates, pay-as-you-go pricing, and no mileage commitments, KeyTurn’s model represents a major step toward equity and inclusion in the insurance space. For the underserved, it replaces barriers with opportunity - and for the insurance industry, it provides access to new markets once deemed too risky or unprofitable.

The Problem With Traditional Insurance Models

For decades, the Canadian auto insurance system has relied on fixed-term contracts built around generalized assumptions. These traditional models - whether annual, semi-annual, or monthly - price drivers based on historical data like age, location, and credit score. The result is a rigid, often unfair system that penalizes people not for how they actually drive, but for who they are on paper.

One of the most frustrating elements of this model is the mismatch between usage and cost. Whether you drive once a week or twice a day, the premium remains the same throughout the contract. This system punishes low-mileage drivers and occasional car users by forcing them to subsidize those who spend far more time on the road. A retiree who drives to the grocery store once a week pays almost the same as a daily commuter - even if their actual risk exposure is drastically different.

Moreover, the traditional structure lacks adaptability. Life changes. -jobs, commutes, weather, health - can quickly alter driving habits. Yet once a policy is locked in, the pricing remains static. Adjustments often require long phone calls, paperwork, or full policy cancellations. This lack of flexibility doesn’t just frustrate customers. -it actively drives people away from coverage.

These models also fail to serve modern, gig-based lifestyles. Think of delivery drivers, rideshare workers, or freelancers using personal vehicles for irregular jobs. Their usage fluctuates day by day, even hour by hour. A fixed plan cannot reasonably or fairly accommodate such variation. As a result, gig workers often find themselves overpaying or skipping coverage altogether, increasing the risk for themselves and others.

Finally, trust is a major issue. The opacity of how premiums are calculated, combined with frequent increases at renewal time, leaves many drivers feeling manipulated. There’s no clear correlation between safe behavior and cost savings unless the insurer uses invasive apps or telematics that track every stop, start, and speed limit breach - often at the cost of personal privacy.

Per-second insurance models like KeyTurn are a direct response to these failures. They rethink the foundation of auto insurance by using actual driving time as the core metric - creating a far more accurate, fair, and responsive model that aligns with today’s real-world needs.

Who Benefits Most From Per-Second Insurance

Per-second insurance is not just a technological innovation - it’s a solution designed for real people whose driving patterns don’t fit the outdated mold. This flexible model opens up fair, legal, and affordable coverage for groups that have historically been underserved or overcharged by traditional insurers.

Key demographics who benefit most from per-second insurance:

• Urban drivers: Many city dwellers only use their cars occasionally - for errands, short weekend trips, or visits outside the city. Paying a full premium for limited use makes little financial sense.

• Young drivers: Traditional policies often assign extremely high premiums to young people due to limited driving history. Per-second models allow them to pay based on actual use, not age stereotypes.

• Gig economy workers: Delivery drivers and rideshare operators often work irregular hours and switch between platforms. With per-second insurance, they can align coverage precisely with active driving time - cutting costs without cutting corners.

• Seasonal drivers: Canadians who only drive in warmer months or on weekends no longer need to pay year-round premiums. Their insurance activates only when they actually use the vehicle.

• Low-income households: Budget-sensitive drivers can gain legal coverage without committing to high upfront payments. MicroLiability models break the cost down into digestible, real-time charges.

• Part-time vehicle owners: Families with multiple cars, or individuals who car-share, benefit from only paying when a specific vehicle is in use - especially if it’s not the primary mode of transport.

• Immigrants and newcomers: Those with limited Canadian driving history often face limited options and inflated premiums. Per-second models level the playing field by pricing based on current, not past, activity.

This approach is not about avoiding responsibility - it’s about aligning cost with reality. Per-second insurance empowers individuals to remain legally protected without financial strain, while still supporting insurers with accurate, secure data.

Why KeyTurn’s Model Changes the Economics of Coverage

One of the most impactful outcomes of the KeyTurn model is how it reshapes the economics of auto insurance - not only for the individual driver but for insurers and the broader industry. By tying insurance payments directly to ignition time and eliminating traditional pricing structures, KeyTurn transforms a fixed-cost product into a dynamic, usage-based service.

For drivers, this creates a system where payments are no longer burdensome or front-loaded. There are no long contracts to sign, no commitments beyond the moments the vehicle is actually being used. This real-time engagement dramatically reduces the psychological and financial barrier of entry. For many Canadians, especially those on tight budgets, even the option to drive legally and safely - without a major upfront cost - can be life-changing.

From an insurer’s perspective, per-second pricing allows for precise risk modeling based on actual behavior rather than statistical assumptions. This means lower claims exposure and better data for underwriting. Because drivers only pay when using the vehicle, the perceived value of coverage increases - and with it, customer satisfaction and retention. More importantly, the model expands the total addressable market by bringing in previously uninsured or uninsurable groups. Each second of ignition generates a microtransaction that can be scaled across thousands of users, producing stable and predictable revenue.

It also dramatically simplifies the customer journey. Instead of being overwhelmed with forms, calls, or waiting periods, drivers are insured instantly upon turning the key. Policy changes are pushed automatically, without the need to speak with an agent. This streamlined process is especially helpful for individuals with language barriers or limited access to traditional financial services, creating greater insurance literacy and adoption.

On a macroeconomic level, the KeyTurn model reduces strain on public infrastructure by lowering the number of uninsured drivers. Fewer uninsured vehicles on the road means fewer uncompensated claims, lower enforcement burdens, and a safer driving environment overall. It also opens the door for government partnerships and programs to subsidize driving access for essential workers or communities with transportation challenges.

Driving Forward With a Smarter Insurance Model

The road to fair and inclusive auto insurance doesn’t require building entirely new infrastructure - it requires rethinking how existing tools can be used more intelligently. KeyTurn’s per-second model is not just a step toward modernization; it’s a direct answer to decades of imbalance in coverage access.

By simplifying the policy experience, aligning costs with real-time use, and opening the market to millions of underserved drivers, KeyTurn turns a rigid system into an adaptive one. The result is insurance that finally reflects how people actually live, work, and drive.

In a time when affordability and flexibility are more important than ever, this model offers a way forward - not only for individuals but for the entire Canadian insurance landscape.