Did you know…

…about upcoming changes to driver declarations and the new rating rules arriving in 2019?

As of September 1st, 2019, ICBC will require all Autoplan brokers to ask you for the names of anyone, in addition to the primary driver, who may drive any of your insured vehicles. All household members must be listed on the policy, regardless of how often they may drive any of your vehicles; non-household members must be listed if they drive any of your vehicles 12 times per year or more.

If additional drivers fall into a greater risk category than the primary driver, you can expect a rise in premiums.

In BC, 1 in 5 crashes are causes by drivers other than the registered owners or principal drivers of vehicles. Listing all drivers in a policy — and pricing it accordingly — is a fairer way to account for risk; it’s also a common industry practice with auto insurance companies across North America.

These new rules will commence September 1st, 2019, and ICBC is getting a lot of questions about the changes. As your trusted insurance broker, we’re happy to answer some of the most common ones here.

Make sure to contact AllWest Insurance today to make sure that you’re getting the best deal on your auto insurance from experienced brokers. You can also learn more about our auto insurance options here.

I CAN’T PREDICT EVERYONE WHO MAY DRIVE MY VEHICLE(S) IN THE NEXT YEAR — HOW DO I AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF A FINANCIAL PENALTY?

ICBC considers ‘occasional drivers’ as those people who are not household members or employees, and drive any of your vehicles less than 12 times per year. If you often lend your vehicles to occasional drivers, you’ll be able to purchase Unlisted Driver Protection, starting at about $50 annually.

Reminder — if you never lend your vehicles to others, you do not need to declare any additional drivers. If you lend your vehicles to non-household members less than 12 times per year, you are not required to purchase Unlisted Driver Protection.

WHAT ABOUT MEDICAL EMERGENCIES OR IF I LEND ONE OF MY CARS TO A DESIGNATED DRIVER?

Should any of your vehicles be involved in a crash while attending to a medical emergency, or used as part of Operation Red Nose, ICBC will make an exception when assessing the resultant claim.

Mechanics and valets who may drive your cars are covered by their own policy.

WHAT IF I HAVE SECONDARY DRIVERS BUT DON’T DECLARE THEM?

If only the principal driver is listed on your policy, and someone other than the principal driver is involved in a crash, ICBC will have the right to levy a financial penalty, and you may also be subject to a higher aggregate premium at renewal.

WHAT IF I FORGET TO DECLARE AN ADDITIONAL DRIVER BUT WOULD LIKE TO AFTER I RENEW?

No problem! Your broker can add drivers at any time, for no extra transactional fee (additional policy premiums may apply).

WHAT SHOULD I DO FIRST?

Call your AllWest Insurance broker, or stop by one of our offices! We stay on top of all the ICBC auto insurance rule, changes, and would be happy to help you make sure you have the coverage you need.

While these changes are taking place in the fall of 2019, understanding the impact now will help you make informed decisions about your vehicle use and who’s driving.

At Allwest, we’re all about you.^®