By Stephen M. Lloyd, Partner at Paine Edmonds LLP, Vancouver Personal Injury Lawyer
"I don't want to go through ICBC."
"Let's just take care of this without calling ICBC?"
"How about I give you some cash instead of going through ICBC?"
It isn't uncommon for me to hear that statements like these have been said at the scene of a car accident. Unfortunately, this reflects a common, and potentially problematic, misunderstanding about the nature of insurance in British Columbia.
Make no mistake about it, under your contract of insurance with ICBC, you must report any accident you are involved in to your insurer. ICBC needs to have notice of motor vehicle accidents in a timely manner so that they can investigate the crash, find out what happened, and be informed of any injuries. By keeping ICBC in the dark, you may prejudice any claims you may have in the future.
Think about it this way: What if your injuries, which seemed minor at first, turn out to be more serious and more long lasting than you ever thought they would be? What if there is hidden damage to your car that only becomes noticeable months after the accident? Failing to report your accident and your injuries might just prevent you from being able to collect compensation for those damages.
Once you have called Dial-A-Claim (604.520.8222 or 1.800.910.4222), reported the accident and gotten a claim number, give us a call at Paine Edmonds LLP. Make sure you get some legal advice before signing any statements or signing any authorizations to release your private information.
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