Friday, March 29, 2024

Crash victims will now receive twice the accident benefits from ICBC

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People injured in a traffic crash on or after Jan. 1, 2018, are now eligible for up to $300,000 from ICBC towards their medical care, the B.C. government announced Friday.

The new maximum is double that of the previous $150,000 maximum, which was originally set in 1991.

“This is the first major improvement to ICBC’s accident benefits in more than 25 years, made possible by reining in out-of-control legal and other costs, which will also put ICBC on the road to fiscal sustainability,” said Attorney General David Eby.

The province also announced that additional improvements to accident benefits will come into effect April 1, 2019, following a series of cost-saving reforms around the resolutions of minor injury claims.

Those improvements include:

  • Wage loss payments for customers injured and unable to work will increase to $740 per week from $300—up 147%.
  • Benefits to help with household tasks like cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping will increase to $280 per week from $145—up 93%.
  • The funeral cost benefit will increase 200%, to $7,500 from $2,500.
  • Death benefits, which include payments to surviving family members, will rise to $30,000 from $18,000.

“Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been advocating for improvements to accident benefits for 12 years,” said Jane Dyson, DABC executive director. “The doubling of the overall allowance for medical care and recovery is a significant improvement, and we welcome these long overdue changes, which will mean that people who are catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents have better supports available to help them rebuild their lives.”

 

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Myles Sauer
Former staff editor and writer at Victoria Buzz.

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