Cash for crashes: ICBC grace period allows some drivers to clear their record
Posted September 5, 2019 10:40 am.
Last Updated September 5, 2019 11:25 am.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – With new rates and rules in place at ICBC, drivers’ past records are more important than ever, but there may still be recourse for those who have caused collisions.
Tyler McGilvery with ICBC says there is a grace period where drivers can pay ICBC back and have crashes wiped off their record.
“Customers can repay claims that happened prior to Sept. 1, regardless if they’ve already impacted their previous premiums or not,” he says. “They have basically a whole year while this grace period is in effect for repaying claims.”
RELATED: BC Ombudsperson poised to field complaints as new ICBC rates roll out
Attorney General David Eby, who is responsible for ICBC, has said the changes will increase rates for bad drivers, and promised most policy holders will see their premiums go down under the new rules, which came into effect Sept. 1.
The grace period to repay claims will last until August of 2020. For crashes that have happened since Sept. 1, drivers can only repay claims that cost under $2,000. It’s also still possible to choose to pay the cost of fixing the vehicle instead of filing a claim.
Only at fault crashes since March 2017 count on the new record.
Drivers in British Columbia still pay the highest insurance premiums in the country.
