Car Accidents Lawyers
Things You Should Know About Your Car Insurance
Insurance Benefits
If you get injured in a car accident, even if you are a pedestrian, you are usually entitled to some benefits (money compensation) no matter whose fault the accident was. These are called “No-fault benefits.” No-fault benefits:
- cover some medical and rehabilitation costs
- provide partial replacement for wages lost because you had to take time off work to recover from your injuries
- compensate for your inability to do house work
They are usually the smallest part of your total compensation.
There are also benefits that can only be claimed by innocent victims – people injured through no fault of their own. Most of the compensation you are entitled to actually comes from ICBC as the insurer of the at-fault driver. This creates confusion because many people think of ICBC as “their” insurance company. In fact, ICBC is the insurance company for both drivers and has an obligation to the at-fault driver to pay out as little as possible to the innocent party. This is in direct conflict with your right to get fair and reasonable compensation. ICBC’s desire to keep payments low can create a conflict with you as the injured victim.
After an accident many people go to ICBC with the belief that the adjuster they are talking to (the adjuster assigned to their claim) is on their side and there to help them. This is not the case. The interests of the adjuster are in direct conflict with you. For example, they do not specifically explain that documents and statements you sign early on can later be used against you to deny benefits or reduce the amount ICBC must pay you.
