ICBC will embark on a new way of doing auto insurance in British Columbia, the largest transformation in its 40-year history, the Province said on Friday..
The Enhanced Care coverage bill, expected to receive royal assent on Friday, August 14, 2020, will save British Columbians on average 20% or about $400 on their auto insurance. It will also provide increased care and recovery benefits for people. It will increase from the current limit of $300,000 to a maximum of at least $7.5 million, providing the care people need for as long as they need it, should they be injured in a crash.
This is what experts from the medical, brain injury, spinal cord injury, physiotherapy, mental health, occupational therapy and insurance industries are saying about Enhanced Care coverage, which starts in May 2021:
Dr. Kathleen Ross, President, Doctors of B.C.: “We look forward to working with our patients under these changes, which are designed to provide a streamlined process, allowing patients easier access to expanded benefits and care, and helping them to recuperate faster after a motor vehicle crash. These changes make it so doctors can focus on their patient’s care and recovery, rather than on more administrative work.”
Justina Loh, Executive Director, Disability Alliance B.C.: “Being at the table through the consultation work has given us the opportunity to provide feedback and help shape this new insurance model, which will deliver more recovery benefits and overall support for those who need it the most, people seriously injured in crashes.”
Chuck Byrne, Executive Director and COO, Insurance Brokers Association of B.C.: “B.C.’s insurance brokers welcome the significant savings of about $400 on average that customers will see with Enhanced Care coverage, a much-needed reduction in auto-insurance premiums in the province. Those savings, coupled with the increased care benefits that people will receive, make Enhanced Care coverage a tremendous upgrade to auto insurance in B.C.”
Jane Dyson, Chair, Injury Recovery Design Panel (for Enhanced Care coverage): “With significantly increased benefits and supports, Enhanced Care coverage means people who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents won’t have to worry that they’ll exhaust their benefits, as they do under the current system. It will also help ensure that the focus is on the needs of injured people. The panel I am leading is comprised of advocacy group leaders and a range of health care professionals. Together, we are advising ICBC on how best to ensure that Enhanced Care is accessible for people who have been catastrophically injured and their support networks, so they get all the coverage to which they are entitled.”
Christine Bradstock, CEO of the Physiotherapy Association of B.C.: “Injuries sustained in a motor-vehicle crash can take time to work through – for some, a lifetime. To have Enhanced Care coverage, which provides physiotherapy for injured people, is good news for those who are injured, as their care will be available for as long as they need, helping them live their best quality of life possible.”
Tanya Fawkes-Kirby, Managing Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists B.C.: “Occupational therapists play an essential role in helping people recover after a motor-vehicle accident. We look forward to a new model of care that ensures critical rehabilitation supports are available and accessible throughout the recovery journey.”
Benjamin Graham, President and CEO, Manitoba Public Insurance: “In Manitoba, we’ve demonstrated how this type of no-fault insurance model offers strong benefits at premiums drivers can afford. At a time when many drivers across Canada are seeing their insurance bills increase, we’re planning to reduce our already low rates by an average of more than 10%, our largest reduction in three decades.”
Andrew Cartmell, President and CEO, Saskatchewan Government Insurance: “Saskatchewan drivers benefit from a well-managed Auto Fund that offers stable, affordable insurance rates and delivers comprehensive injury benefits to customers who need them.”
Learn More:
ICBC’s Enhanced Care coverage: http://icbc.com/2021
Government’s intended changes at ICBC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/download/000BAC79D98D4E14AAFCBBD582883BAD
