A massive revamp of British Columbia’s auto-insurance regime is expected to be implemented in May of 2021. The B.C. government has recently announced that it will be changing to no-fault auto-insurance. This means that in most cases there will not be any lawsuit following a motor vehicle accident. ICBC will handle all auto insurance claims, assess the medical costs and control the payout.
Under the proposed insurance regime, individuals who have complaints or disputes regarding their claim will have no access to the Courts to resolve their claims. All issues will be dealt with through ICBC channels.
Many are voicing their opposition to the proposed legislation as it will take away the legal rights of British Columbians to go to court and receive a fair settlement and will result in injured parties being under-compensated.
Lawyers throughout British Columbia are concerned that these new changes will significantly affect the compensation or damages for victims of motor vehicle accidents. A representative of the Canadian Bar Association – B.C. criticized the government’s proposed changes to the auto-insurance regime:
Our system of justice is built on fairness and the acceptance of responsibility for our actions. An innocent victim of an accident has a right to expect that the person at fault for the accident take responsibility for it. In a no-fault insurance plan, no one but the victims and their families bear the consequences of that accident.
Cuming & Gillespie LLP will continue to provide updates through this blog as we become aware of further information regarding changes to auto insurance in British Columbia and throughout Canada.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, call Cuming & Gillespie LLP today for a free initial consultation and speak to one of our experienced personal injury lawyers to get the help and advice you need. Please contact our office online or by calling 403-571-0555 to make an appointment for a free case evaluation. We look forward to helping you obtain the compensation that you deserve.