ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) is most likely your auto insurance provider. It will come as no surprise that ICBC has very strict procedures when it comes to claims.
Step 1: Reporting claim online or by phone
It’s easy to report your collision claim online or by phone if that is your preference. You will be asked for details about your accident when you are reporting your claim and whether you’ve suffered any injuries during the collision. If you have been provided a police file number, you will be asked to submit that when filling out your claim report.
Step 2: Claim Representative Assignment
After you submit your collision claim report, you will be assigned a claim representative who is tasked to gather as much information about the crash/collision as possible. They diligently review the details of the claim while keeping in mind the rules of the road as set forth by the Motor Vehicle Act. These representatives will be able to consult other resources and investigation tools during their investigation and will “determine responsibility (also called fault or liability) for the crash and keep you updated on the claim.”
Step 3: The Estimate
The (not so) fun part! An estimator (probably from Craftsman Collision) will examine your vehicle for damages. They will then write up an estimate of the cost of the associated repairs. ICBC has a great Damage Estimates Guide that you can use.
Write-Offs
Sometimes it’s simply not economical to get your vehicle repaired and ICBC may deem it a write-off. You may be eligible to receive a settlement amount for your vehicles market value instead. If you would like some more information about write-offs, please click here.
Step 4: Fixing your Vehicles
Once you have done the previous 3 steps, you can now have your vehicle repaired a the collision shop of your choice (we recommend Craftsman Collision of course 😉). Our shops in British Columbia are all ICBC-accredited facilities (your repairs are guaranteed for as long as you are the owner of the vehicle), part of the Certified Collision Care network and each shop has OEM certifications for Ford, Kia, FCA and Nissan manufactured vehicles.
Step 5: Deductibles (If required)
When it comes to payment for the autobody collision repairs, ICBC pays most shops directly for the estimated repair work. Afterwards, there may be a deductible that customers will have to pay the shop directly. A deductible is “the amount you have to pay towards repairs before your insurance covers the rest.”
Additionally, customers may also have to pay depreciation on some parts and/or labour which are usually subject to damage over time. For more information regarding depreciation, we encourage you to speak with your Craftsman Collision Estimator.
For more information regarding the ICBC claims process, please visit their website.
