What OPCF 47R is and what it replaces
OPCF 47R is a new FSRA-approved Ontario Policy Change Form titled "Optional Accident Benefits Coverage & Priority of Payment." It comes into effect on July 1, 2026, and replaces the legacy OPCF 47 ("Agreement Concerning Reduced Benefits").
Its job is to record — in a single, standardized form — which optional Statutory Accident Benefits (SABS) the driver elected to buy and which they declined. Before reform, the choices were narrower and largely buried in policy language; under the new optional-benefits regime, OPCF 47R becomes the authoritative document of what each driver actually has.
What becomes optional on July 1, 2026
Four categories of accident benefits move from mandatory to optional under the reform: the income replacement benefit (IRB), non-earner benefit, caregiver benefit, and housekeeping & home maintenance benefit. Each must be actively selected (with the driver's chosen limit) or it will not be part of the policy.
Medical, rehabilitation, and attendant care benefits remain mandatory in every Ontario auto policy. OPCF 47R focuses on documenting elections for the categories that have moved to optional.
The priority-of-payment fix
Under the pre-reform regime, accident-benefit disputes between insurers used "priority rules" to determine which policy paid first. An injured person who applied to the wrong insurer first under those rules could effectively lose access to optional benefits they had purchased on a different policy.
OPCF 47R removes that trap. Under the new endorsement, an injured person can elect in writing to claim against the specific policy that sold the optional benefits — even if a different policy would otherwise have priority. This is a meaningful protection: it ensures the coverage you paid for is the coverage you can actually use, regardless of administrative misfires at the first point of claim.
What this means for drivers shopping for coverage
Starting July 1, 2026, your quote and policy will reflect explicit choices about which optional accident benefits you want. The OPCF 47R attached to your policy will list them.
Take the form seriously — it is the document insurers and lawyers will look at if you are ever in a serious accident. Verify that what is on the OPCF 47R matches what you actually elected and what your circumstances actually require. Workplace disability coverage, household composition, and dependent care needs all affect which optional benefits are worth keeping versus opting down.
What this means after a serious accident
If you are injured, the OPCF 47R on your policy (and any other policy that might apply — a spouse's, a household member's, a vehicle owner's) determines which optional benefits are available. Provide a copy of your declarations page and the OPCF 47R to any lawyer, paralegal, or rehabilitation provider involved in your claim.
If multiple policies could pay, OPCF 47R gives you the right to elect — in writing — which policy to claim optional benefits from. That election preserves access to the coverages you paid for.
Frequently asked
Does OPCF 47R apply to policies issued before July 1, 2026?
FSRA has indicated it does not require insurers to add OPCF 47R immediately to policies effective before July 1, 2026. The substantive reforms (mandatory vs optional benefit categories) apply from July 1; the OPCF 47R form itself attaches as policies are renewed or newly issued from that date forward. Confirm specifics for your policy with your broker.
Can I change my OPCF 47R elections later?
Yes — like any endorsement, your optional-benefit elections can be modified at policy renewal or mid-term by request to your insurer, subject to underwriting. The OPCF 47R on file always reflects your most recent elections.
How does OPCF 47R differ from the legacy OPCF 47?
OPCF 47 documented opt-outs from certain accident benefits under the pre-2026 SABS framework. OPCF 47R replaces it under the new optional-benefits regime — it covers a broader range of elections and adds the priority-of-payment election that protects access to purchased optional benefits.