Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Benefits: Protecting Your Family after a Crash

A motor vehicle accident can disrupt every part of your life, not only your health. For many Ontario families, the biggest shock comes when everyday responsibilities like cleaning, laundry, grocery trips, yard work, or childcare suddenly become overwhelming because of accident-related injuries. When you are unable to manage these tasks, the burden often falls on spouses, children, or extended family members who may already be stretched thin.

This is exactly why Ontario’s accident benefits system includes housekeeping and home maintenance benefits. These benefits exist to help injured people maintain a safe and functional home while they recover. Understanding how they work can make a significant difference in your physical, emotional, and financial well-being after a crash.

At Feifel Gualazzi, we help Ontario residents secure the benefits they deserve. If your insurer has denied your claim or delayed your payments, we are here to help.

What Are Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Benefits?

Housekeeping and home maintenance benefits are part of Ontario’s Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS). These benefits cover reasonable expenses for someone to perform tasks you can no longer do because of your injuries. Examples include:

• sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping

• laundry and changing linens

• meal preparation and dishwashing

• snow shovelling and yard maintenance

• taking out garbage and recycling

• minor household upkeep

• pet care and errands
  

These tasks may seem simple, but anyone recovering from fractures, back injuries, chronic pain, psychological trauma, or serious soft tissue injuries knows that everyday chores can become painful or impossible.

Eligibility for Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Benefits

Housekeeping and home maintenance benefits are automatically available to people who have been designated as catastrophically impaired under the SABS. However, non-catastrophic claimants may also receive these benefits if they purchased optional coverage.

Even if you do not have optional benefits, you may still qualify for housekeeping support as part of a tort claim against an at-fault driver. In these cases, the claim compensates the value of services your family, friends, or hired workers had to provide while you recovered.

If you are unsure whether you qualify, speaking to a personal injury lawyer can help you understand all available options.

Case Spotlight: When Chores Become Compensation

Ontario courts have consistently acknowledged that household tasks have real economic value, even when performed by family members. In McIntyre v. Docherty, 2009 ONCA 448, the court recognized that an injured plaintiff who can no longer perform housekeeping is entitled to damages that reflect the cost of replacing those services. The court emphasized that injuries that interfere with day-to-day household functioning can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and should be compensated.

This case illustrates an important principle. Even if your spouse or parent is doing the chores for free, the law still recognizes that these tasks have significant labour value. You should not bear that financial burden alone when the accident was not your fault.

Why These Benefits Matter for Families

When everyday tasks pile up, the stress affects more than the injured person. A home that is not properly maintained can lead to safety risks, health concerns, and tension among family members. By securing housekeeping benefits, you protect your family from burnout and ensure your own recovery is not disrupted by physical strain.

These benefits also give you the ability to hire professional help instead of relying on loved ones. This can make a meaningful difference in maintaining dignity, independence, and stability during a difficult time.

How to Respond When the Insurance Company Says No

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to:

• demand excessive medical documentation

• claim you can still perform household tasks

• insist a family member should do the work instead

• offer inadequate reimbursement
  

If this happens, do not give up. A personal injury lawyer can challenge the denial, help you gather medical evidence, and advocate for your rights under the SABS and in tort.

Call Feifel Gualazzi Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, your focus should be on healing. Let us handle the insurance company. The team at Feifel Gualazzi has extensive experience helping Ontario residents secure housekeeping and home maintenance benefits so they can protect their families after a crash.

Call us today for a free consultation. Your home, your recovery, and your peace of mind matter.