A U.S. insurance company is running amusing TV ads where a 1970s-era couple call up a page on the 害羞草研究所渋nformation superhighway.害羞草研究所� When it finally loads, all they get is a phone number.
In another scene, they jump in their AMC Gremlin and head out to renew their car insurance. 害羞草研究所淪hould be back in two hours,害羞草研究所� the mullet-haired driver says on his CB radio.
I was reminded of these commercials while discussing with Attorney General David Eby the latest evolution of our great 1970s public utility, the Insurance Corporation of B.C. The topic was competition for collision and other optional coverage, and how that works 害羞草研究所� or doesn害羞草研究所檛 work.
Eby began by denying there is any obstacle for private insurers to compete for optional coverage, which he has argued is the main cause of big increases being faced by new drivers. Private insurers insist there is, and by the end of our chat, Eby was inclined to agree.
Eby害羞草研究所檚 overhaul of ICBC rates took effect in September, after he vowed to douse the 害羞草研究所渄umpster fire害羞草研究所� of billion-dollar deficits. Contrary to political claims, this is no longer inflated by government scooping revenues. That ended a few years ago, as deficits ballooned due to soaring crash rates, injury awards and legal costs. Basic rates are going up as much as 12 per cent for new drivers, and there are new procedures you害羞草研究所檒l face when you go to renew your insurance.
I害羞草研究所檒l explain the competition problem by describing how to shop around to see if you can get a better deal on optional coverage than ICBC offers. First, do a web search for 害羞草研究所淚CBC driver abstract,害羞草研究所� to find where you can have your driving history and claims record .
If you don害羞草研究所檛 use a computer, you can call 1-800-663-3051 and have it mailed or faxed to you. (Eby repeatedly told me it害羞草研究所檚 easy to fax your driver record to an insurance company to get a quote. I reminded him that faxes are no longer an option for most of us.)
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You can also have the 害羞草研究所渁bstract害羞草研究所� emailed directly from ICBC to a private insurer, if you can find one. Again, the 害羞草研究所渋nformation superhighway害羞草研究所� produces a few search results, but as the Insurance Bureau of Canada reports, there are only a couple of private companies offering meaningful competition in B.C.
Bureau vice-president Aaron Sutherland explained how it looks from an insurance broker害羞草研究所檚 point of view. Customer walks in, asks for a quote on optional coverage. Chances are he doesn害羞草研究所檛 have a copy of his driving record in hand, and unlike other provinces, ICBC doesn害羞草研究所檛 allow competitors to get it directly. Customer either gets coverage on faith, or is asked to retrieve the record and send it in.
The government monopoly controls not only driving records, but geographical accident data, which means private insurers are often steering blindfolded as they take on new customers.
From the driver害羞草研究所檚 point of view, there aren害羞草研究所檛 going to be enormous savings here, especially since so few companies attempt to compete with ICBC on unfair terms. Eby assured me that he is concerned about this, and willing to help. But he added that no 害羞草研究所減olicy work害羞草研究所� has been done yet.
Sutherland wrote to Eby a year ago, offering to have member companies pay a fee for direct access to ICBC driver information. When I asked him about it, Eby had forgotten about the letter.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press Media. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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