So I was checking my bank account online today, and found a $97 charge from my previous insurer (NOT Square One). For TENANT'S INSURANCE? For a 743 square foot apartment full of Ikea furniture, thrift store junk and some things that I LITERALLY FISHED OUT OF A DUMPSTER? Come again? That was a more than 40% increase on my premiums, with no warning or correspondence. When I called to inquire? No explanation other than a general (and condescending) explanation of the concept of insurance. Yeah, I get it. And I'm not paying $100 a month for it. Square One has been playing ads in the elevators in my condo building for months. Somehow the name stuck in my brain and I visited the website. It seemed VERY easy to do an online quote. I was immediately suspicious. I must be doing something wrong. So I called and talked to Devon. She helped me put together my quote, and guess what? SAME COVERAGE as (insert previous insurer's name here), for 24 frickin' dollars a month. YES PLEASE! Super easy to access and look at my quote online after Devon had set it up, super easy to make some tweaks and adjustments, super easy to enter my payment information for monthly payments. Did I mention: 24 frickin' dollars a month?! SOLD! read more

I am giving this place 4 starts instead of 5 for the simple reason I have never had to settle a claim with them. From experience I have learned that this is the true test of an insurance company. However, I do LOVE these guys. I'm on my third policy, have used them for both tenant and condo insurance, with a host of complication items (random amounts for certain goods, a home business, a home robbery within 5 years, etc) and have found their online quoting system so simple to use, and very efficient - you are paying for the coverage you need, not on items you don't have. If you ever need help their reps are super responsive. Rates are great as well! I was able to up my policy, lower my deductible, and save myself a couple hundred dollars a year. BIG thumbs up from my previous insurer. read more

Trashy renters insurance which doesn't cover bikes at all. Most policies have bicycle coverage but this one hides it under the fine print

See my initial review below. Happy to say that Square One reviewed my application and they were able to work with me to accommodate my situation. Very pleased with their prompt, helpful service and flexibility. I did tons of research on home insurance and determined Square One really was the best option for me. I was so impressed with their product, their rates, their online presence, and customer service. I was really upset when they denied me coverage, and actually overjoyed when they were willing to work with me to get the coverage I wanted. Great company, very pleased. _____ I'm really disappointed with Square One. I was denied home insurance on a 1946 bungalow due to the condition of the home's exterior and roof...which is frustrating, because I informed the company that we fully intended to make the necessary repairs to the home as soon as we gained possession. Not only that, but we had the home inspected before purchasing and were told that it was in quite good condition for it's age. We knew purchasing it that the roof would need to be replaced, so we've already made arrangements for this to happen. The exterior of the home has peeling paint (no surprise, it's old) and some minor cracks that need to be filled, but Square One thinks the property is too risky to insure. I understand that insurance is all about weighing risk so that insurers make more money than they lose, but this came as quite a surprise to me. We've never made an insurance claim before, we chose the highest deductible offered, and we indicated that we would make every effort to remediate the exterior as soon as possible. The thing is, the home is actually in pretty good condition--just a bit rough around the edges. The previous owners did a top notch reno in the basement but hadn't gotten around to the exterior, so that's something we plan to remediate as soon as we move in. I was told that the underwriters don't believe we can improve the home's exterior within 60 days, and thus the property is too risky for them. We were told that once we made the necessary repairs to the exterior we could contact the company again and try to see if they would insure us. Sigh. I'm incredibly disappointed in Square One. They seem to offer a great product, and I chose them because I liked that they broke down personal property coverage so we wouldn't be paying to insure things we don't have... but it seems that if you don't have a home already in pristine condition they won't touch you. read more

I have never felt compelled to leave a bad review, but I can't not address this. My husband and I were looking for home insurance that was easy and accessible. The results of Square One was rude customer service and unreliable communications. They belittled my husband who has renovated and built homes for 16 years. They also were incredibly rude about the first home we bought. First time home buyers beware. Go with a local company that has respect for their clients and know and care about the community you live in. They essentially left us hanging out to dry before a weekend and now we are scrambling to find another rate. Luckily our local providers care about people and are working during these hard times to find us the right rate. read more

They shifted my policy from monthly payment to Yearly . This was not a good step. Since i am staying in a rental house .I can leave anytime . They are not considering at all. read more

Superb customer service and highly responsive claims processing. A few years back, I suffered water damage due to a loose valve in my dishwasher. I'm not entirely sure I was even covered, but I called anyway and was impressed by the quick response. My claim was assessed and processed within a reasonable amount of time and I had replacement flooring within the week. The insurance rate you're paying is palatable as you're only paying for what you need. Highly recommended. Square One has given me peace of mind for nearly 5 years and counting. read more

Such an enjoyable (who knew it could be!) experience. Sunny made the process painless and I had 2 new policies within an hour. Would highly recommend Square One. read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Absolute fraudsters and thieves. Sweet as pie to get the sale, and then a total nightmare should you actually need to use the policy. I purchased tenants insurance with this company specifically to have legal coverage for my tenancy. Requested a sales call to ensure I was getting the coverage I required, was told I have to pay extra for 'complete' legal coverage on top of the included coverage, which I did for well over a year, and then when my landlord decided to bully me out of my home so he could charge more than double the rent and I needed to actually use the coverage I paid (and overpaid) for the previous year+ I was told I'm not covered and the legal coverage applies to anything EXCEPT the tenancy. It's a TENANT'S INSURANCE policy. Of course they told me it's all covered to get the sale, and then when I needed to use it they first called me a liar saying they 'don't do sales calls' (they do) so it's 'not possible' that I was 'misinformed on the phone' (it is and I was) and then they told me I should have read the fine print in the dozens of pages of policy documents (which apparently directly contradicts everything they told me on the sales call), and I should have somehow known that 'complete legal coverage' is not actually complete legal coverage and actually specifically DOESN'T include the sole thing I asked for coverage for and after which the policy is named, and which they specifically told me I was purchasing. SO - purchasing 'coverage' (which is not actually coverage, but that's of course my fault according to them) not only cost me hundreds of dollars for the actual premiums but also literally cost me my home as I was then unlawfully evicted / harassed out of my home though my landlord was acting entirely outside the law - because I had no support and my claim with square one - to use the coverage I specifically asked for and paid for - was denied. I was literally made homeless because of this fraudulent, deceitful company. And now they won't even refund me for the year+ I paid (or even the 3+ months they've continued to take money from my account after losing my home because of them). Avoid at all costs. I will be filing with the ombudsman and contacting consumer watchdog programs. This company's fraud and deceit literally cost me my home. read more

Thought they were great because of the reasonable pricing but the first time i dealt with their customer service( had my policy with them for over a year, it left such a bad taste in my mouth that while chatting to them i started to look at other insurance companies. Sonnet is better and they have great prices for $1000 deductible instead of the 5K that Square one charges and if your claim is over a certain amount Sonnet doesn't even make you pay the deductible. This company is the very definition of you pay peanuts you get monkeys, all of my good reviews about them has changed cause if its so difficult just to deal with them after having made no claims then I don't want to find out how they are come claim time like some of their customers have reported on BBB and other review sites. So I will learn from the mistakes of others. not to mention I saw the CEO on the BBB website basically try to blame an unsatisfied for the way his company treated that person,. he said how it was their fault for not moving the claim along faster and that he felt like they were purposely delaying the resolve. I highly doubt any customer would do that to not get their own claim fulfilled. terrible culture of rude ceos right down read more

Awesome Experience! I recommend Square One. I just bought a Condo and won't be moving in till after the renovation. I have never had Insurance in my residence before, so I am new to this. Jas explained everything very clearly and was a pleasure to deal with. I am pleased with the efficiency and speed that Jas handled my Insurance. I am very happy with Square One! read more

Excellent customer service. I needed to buy tenant insurance because I'm renting an apartment. Square One helped me get the best rate, and identify things I don't need, etc. Very good service. Excellent rates. I highly recommend them. read more

Hi There, About a month ago I had something strange happen to me that never in my life thought an insurance company would do. My wife and I received an email from Square One with my policy number and account information to my gmail account, they notified my wife that her payment did not go through and that they would take the payment again on September 4th. We had no idea that the payment did not go through as we do not use email to discuss insurance matters, I have auto insurance with another provider and if a payment did not go through they would call and either leave a message or speak to someone, The issue I have with Square One is that they are sending email about my insurance policy via unsecure email, in which I never requested. After Square One sent this message to me instead of calling or leaving a message the very next day they tried to take payment again and then they sent me another email saying to me personally that your policy will be cancelled by September 4th for failed payment, and within this 2 week period they also sent my entire policy and personal information about my property through my annual renewal not once but twice to my wife and I to the same unsecure gmail accounts. So I decided to call them to better understand why they would send my information about my policy number and payment information via public email. The response I received from the billing support team is, it is an internal policy and our system automatically sends out emails to notify customers. So then I asked them about what the email stated that the payment failed and that they were going to take payment again September 4th, he told me that the message is just an automated message and we do not follow that information because we have our own internal policy. Finally I spoke to them about the emails that they have been sending me on the renewal email and the fact that I did not sign up for auto renew, he told me that their internal systems automatically renew and that they can only take it off manually and they would need to send another unsecured email with this confirmation. So then I asked him what happens if we do not respond to the renewal and let it go or pay for the renewal by the anniversary date. He then said that they would cancel the policy and then negatively impact my credit rating for nonpayment. Here is the list of concerns I have. The one that really angers me is the fact that Square One is creating their own internal policies on when they collect money and total disregard to their customer, and then telling me that the information in the email is false because you do not follow it as a policy. So you are basically telling me that Square One is a gangster that threatens their customers by sending automated messages about their policy through unsecured email and we don't care because internally we decided that this is what we want to do. My next point around Privacy and Security of my personal information at no point did your team try to help me understand how they were going to address my issue with it, instead they used their gangster policies that they created internally to tell me that it is their internal systems and basically telling me to go away. After I emailed your help team that we have moved our policy and to remove us from your email system and all files, I asked them not to contact us via email and we did not want any courteous call, again your team lead on the support team ignored the email that I sent, they again sent two more emails with my policy number telling me that my policy will be cancelled as per my request, and then they called us again and I told them we are not renewing our policy please do not call or email us again we have paid our invoice on September 4th as the emails have stated and anything you need from us us must be mailed to us like every insurance company in Canada does. read more

I just decided to research this company based on their on-line cheap rate ads. But so many FAKE reviews are obviously going on here. That's a warning to me. read more

I used to have TD Renters insurance and each year the longer I was with them, the more and more my monthly rates would go up without me making claims. I was paying wayyyyyy to much and decided I wasn't going to pay high rates anymore. I did some online research and came across Square One. It's been about a year later and I've never been more happier or satisfied with an insurance company. They have friendly prompt service agents, helpful and friendly service. You also have the ability to choose and exclude coverage you want and don't need. They've been nothing but amazing and I highly recommend them! read more

They called me about 1 second after I submitted a form online with a insurance comparison website. The guy I spoke to was helpful and knowledgeable and quick. I compared them to the other renter's insurance places I found, BCAA and TD, and they seemed pretty similar just a little cheaper per year. So, I went with these guys. Happy to have it sorted. I'll update this if I have any experiences filing a claim or some other interaction with them. read more

I would this insurance company negative 10 rating if I could. Really disgusting practice!!! I owned several properties and I have never seen an insurance company like this. I got a quote and paid one full year in advance for my homeowners policy. One day before my completion date, they told me they need a revised inspection report that showed a minor repair has been done. I sent them an email written by my home inspector and everything already repaired to his satisfaction. I even gave the home inspector phone number so they can verified. Still refused! Square one still refused to provide coverage until I actually got a report with pictures. You asked me to provide proof 1 day before completion date??? I told them they can get their own employee to come to the house and check it themselves. They said it is not their job. Then they are penalizing me $50 to cancel the policy that is not even started yet. What kind of business are you? YES DISGUSTING ONE. read more

Claire was extremely helpful and patients to help me with my quotes. What I appreciated is that she didn't push me or pressure me into buying a policy like other company. When I said I needed more time to research other companies Claire was happy to email me the quotes and let me know how to get back to her should I wish to proceed to buy the policy. read more

Good for tenant insurance. Reasonable rates and very good customer service. Would recommend.

Today I had a pleasure with talking to and agent named Armim A. I called for a quote, I was really happy with the service and I signed up right away. Very thural explanation of company service and super polite. Highly recommend Square One insurence read more

Today I called to recieve a quote for renters insurance and I couldn't be more pleased with the service from lily yeung as well as the price which was amazing! Lily walked me through everything even when I didnt understand the wording as rental insurance can have some questions you may not understand as a tenant lily walked me through it and it was a breeze. They offer many options and sets you up with what you need for a great price. Thank you lily for being amazing and thank you for helping me with my renters insurance I am all set now ! read more

This company does not honor its word. They said they would hold a price quote for me and didn't. They upped it by three times. Looks like other reviews are saying the same thing where they give you the low introductory rate. And then they upped the price. Glad I didn't go with these guys, who knows what happens if my house burns down, and they don't honor their word then. read more

Wade from Square One Insurance Services has provided me with great customer service. He is very detailed and patient in explaining the insurance policy to me. It's a joy and gift to have him help me out. read more

Customer service is great! Every year I got some discount. I hope it'll be a good service if I submit a claim read more

I think the review by Aaron D. on 9/17/2019 is believable. They use bait and switch tactics on lowestrates.ca, quoting you a ridiculously low rate so that they always appear to have the cheapest premiums. When you click through their link, you end up paying almost triple for what you really want in coverage. They also force you to buy earthquake insurance which I don't want to buy. I posted a negative review of Square directly on their website with a 2 star rating. It didn't get published, yet other positive reviews on a later date did. How do you explain that? That get one star here because of that. read more

Great premiums! Purchased a Tenancy Insurance for an apartment in Vancouver BC and Andy Woo (Licensed Insurance Agent) helped us immensely. He was patient and explained everything extremely well. The whole process was done over call under 15 minutes after we received an initial quote on email. Highly recommended! read more

Trim Zherka was superb. Very effective and efficient. There is a lot of talent there! And a great value for the insurance too. 5 Stars. read more

Excellent customer service over the phone. Friendly and reliable to call back. Informative and overall very pleased hassle free service.

Great service, you have a very happy costumer, my representative was wade, great guy and help he provided was amazing, big thumbs up

director of sales is rude and unhelpful. the "easy quote online" isn't a real thing just a marketing ploy to waste your time

We have had Square One handle our insurance needs for almost 10 years. They have provided excellent service, good advice and competitive rates. My wife and I can highly recommend them for anyone requiring home insurance. I am giving them a 5 star unlike Gemma K because we did have to settle a claim and they were very accommodating and efficient. Michael and Carolyn W. read more

So I am going to move to Vancouver to work for 6 months starting in May. My apartment management requires me get tenant insurance before moving in. I've been searching for the right company for a week and finally come across Square one. So, below are my experiences on Tenant Insurance only 1. Square one is cheap. RBC gave me a quote of 28 dollars monthly. XN Global gave me a 310 yearly quote. However, Square one costs me only as little as 12 bucks per month! 2. Square one's website is super easy, super intuitive, super user friendly. I've been living in Silicon Valley for couple years and I am in the tech industry, so I am very impressed they have a such nice website. 3. Square one's website has live agents. You can't find this on others and Square one's live agent responds fast and friendly. I don't have to wait to clear all my questions. Whereas I have to call RBC and XN Global. I have to wait to get in the line for RBC, and the number provided on XN Global won't even get connected 4. Almost forgot to mention, Square one does their insurance month to month. I can cancel it at any time and I don't have to pay any penalty fee! Whereas, RBC, XN Global and westland all charges you penalty fee (one month of premium) if you only need it for couple months. After getting a quote from Square One, I then updated my credit card info and that's it. In another 15 seconds, I received my policy in email. It's a total of less than 5 minutes! (including chatting with their live agent) You know, this would be a normal/expected experience for any new tech firm's website, but it's truly impressive when it happens at a Canadian insurance company. read more

Cindy helped me through the process of signing up and was so pleasant to work with! She was patient and knowledgeable, making sure to answer any questions/concerns I had. Thanks for making this a painless experience. read more

Square One cut our home insurance in half when we switched to them two years ago! Since then, they have provided a very personal and professional service along the way. I am very pleased with the service and would highly recommend trying an online quote with them, you won't regret it! read more

We looked for a lot of estimates / quotes this year, square one was above and beyond the friendliest we dealt with. The estimate / price for our customized needs was also one of the best we found. It was an all around full win for us as far as we are concerned and will recommend them for sure. Jas was the associate we were dealing with, just fantastic! Thanks! read more

I've done a ton of research on home insurance providers. I was referred to you by a friend and it's as easy and efficient as she and the other Yelp reviewers said it was. Your breakdown of categories helped me with my own spreadsheet to itemize our assets and now I'm going to take photos of everything for reference. Thanks for making it so easy. read more

Dealing with Lily to sign up for tenant's insurance was a pleasure, she made things so simple and easy and the policy is saving me over 60% a year compared to what I was paying The Personal. Highly recommend. read more

I had an issue with my quote, and when I called back, the rep that answered had a very apathetic attitude, which really frustrated me, and so I had left a negative review. Shortly after, however, the ceo of the company contacted me and offered to correct the situation. That's pretty impressive for this day and age. Because of that, they won back my business. read more

After having TD Insurance DOUBLE my rates due to their portfolio losses on the floods in Toronto (not my fault), I came across Square One Insurance. Super easy to navigate their website and was quoted a reasonable rate similar to what I was paying previously. I had further customer service interaction with Ms. Bevilacqua who answered all my questions and followed up like a champion would. Without question she made my interaction pleasant and simple for me which is nice in today's fast paced world. I think they should make her President of the company in my humble opinion. A true professional in the industry. read more

First time buyer. Clear information with professional delivery. Received my new policy short minutes after purchase, Lily was a pleasure to deal with. Am impressed by this service.... read more