Will My Car Insurance Premium Increase After an Accident?

If ICBC says that you are more than 25% responsible for an accident, your car insurance premiums will increase.

ICBC premiums after an accident

If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, you might wonder if your ICBC insurance premiums will go up. The answer is: it all depends on the situation. Generally, if you are –

• Not at fault for the accident – your car insurance premiums remain the same
• At fault for the accident – your car insurance premiums increase, unless you have a long, crash-free record
• Partly to blame for the accident – your car insurance premiums may increase, if you are more than 25% responsible

As of September 1 2019, ICBC has placed more emphasis on crash history when calculating premiums. This means that the more crashes you have, the more insurance you will pay.

How can I be partly responsible for an accident?

Sometimes it is very obvious who is at fault for an accident. For example, if you are sat waiting patiently at a red light and someone rear ends you, the other driver is evidently to blame. If so, ICBC will not dispute liability.

Other times, however, the situation is a little less clear. Imagine you are once again sat patiently at a red light and someone rear ends you. Only this time, your brake and tail lights are out, and it’s nighttime. In this situation, ICBC may say you are partly to blame for the accident, as the other driver could not see you properly.

Where responsibility is shared, ICBC will determine each person’s involvement in the accident. This will be expressed as a percentage. If you are more than 25% responsible, your car insurance premiums will increase, unless you have a long crash-free record.

Disputing liability

If ICBC says you are at fault (or partly at fault) for an accident, you can dispute liability. This can be an extremely important battle to win, as it dictates whether your insurance premiums rise, and whether you can make a personal injury claim.

Indeed, if you are not responsible for a motor vehicle collision, you are entitled to pursue a claim for compensation. This covers your pain, suffering, loss of earnings and out-of-pocket expenses. This is paid in addition to your ICBC Part 7 benefits.

We can advise whether you have grounds for a claim. Even if ICBC is disputing liability, you may still have a case.

Vancouver ICBC lawyer

To discuss an ICBC claim with a lawyer, please contact us now for a free consultation. Either fill in the free online enquiry form or call us on 604 684 0040.

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