New insurance rules affecting drivers in Ontario will take affect on Wednesday.

The government says the legislation will make it harder to commit fraud, but the opposition argues that the laws will have drivers paying more.

If you’ve already renewed your insurance, don’t worry – the reforms only apply to new policies and renewals taken on or after September 1.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the number of claims has risen, but the number of accidents has not.   In the past five years, the cost of post-crash exams and assessments have skyrocketed 258 per cent.

Now, there’s a $2,000 cap on assessment costs.

All drivers should have received a document from their insurers explaining the changes. The document is called “Changes to Ontario Auto Insurance Give You More Choice” and your insurer must have put it n the mail by June 30.

NDP MPP Peter Kromos argues that the changes will just drive up insurance premiums, forcing law-abiding drivers to pay more.

Changes Include:

• 50 per cent cut in medical benefits
• 50 per cent cut in rehabilitation benefits
• 50 per cent cut in attendant care benefits
  

With files from The Canadian Press.

Follow CityNews.ca on Twitter and Facebook.