B6-Sunday News, April 27, 1980

IC

Annual refresher course mandatory

“How much will you pay?
My car was a total loss.” At
the Insurance Corporation
of B.C. there are technical
experts who determine how
much a wrecked vehicle is
worth, or how much time

than $1! million in estimates
each year. If just one

Estimator errs by half-an-
hour a job, it could amount
to thousands of dollars a
year.”

As well as learning theory

Automobile Insurance
Regulations and the Motor
Vehicle Branch Act.

They must have ex-
ceptional expertise in the
legaliues of insurance and
legal liability and they must

auto

and money it wil} take to
repair a crumpled fender or
cracked windshield. ICBC
Estimators, Adjusters and
Total Loss Expeditors attend
classes on the different
aspects of claim settlement.

“It is the policy of the
Corporation to ensure
fairness and consistency in
claims settlement in all areas
of the Province,” said Jack

Skaling, Material Damage
Manager at ICBC.
Many Estimators have

‘previously worked in body
shops or have been Ap-
praisers with private in-
surance companies and, in
addition, the Insurance
Corporation updates their
skills with regular, intensive
training courses.

At least once a year, ICBC
Estimators attend a week
long training course con-
ducted by the Corporation to
keep in touch with the latest
repair development and to

further increase _ their
already extensive technical
knowledge.

There are more than 100
ICBC Estimators working in
Claim Centres throughout
the Province. They estimate
how long it will take to
repair a damaged vehicle.
They also determine
whether the vehicle is worth
repairing in the first place. It
is crucial that they know the

vehicle repair business
inside and out.
“We have developed a

manual which outlines the
basics of insurance, the
principles of vehicle
depreciation, total losses,
and body shop and customer
relations. The Estimators are
requued (o attend classes
and write an exam on the
material”, said Skaling

Slides, overhead
projectors and films, as well
as) on-the-yob observabon
are all used in the education
program

“Each man handles more

e Brakes

VISA

e Wheel Balancing
e Shocks

and writing exams, the
Estimators actually see
repairs being done at the
Corporation’s Research
Centre Autoplan Autobody,
in Surrey.

Observing the vehicle
repairs keeps Estimators in
touch with industry stan-
dards and the latest repair
techniques. “They see new
painting techniques, the
latest automotive products,

and new methods of
repairing vinyl and even
windshields.”

At Autoplan Autobody,
the Estimators are expected
to examine damaged
vehicles and do estimates on
the spot. Then they have
group.” discussions to
compare their estimates.
Afterwards they watch the
car being repaired and do
time studies.

Some Estimators
specialize in heavy equip-
ment, some specialize in

recreational vehicles or
fibreglass repairs.

As well as meeting
Estimators in the Claim
Centre, a claimant may see
two other types of trained

technicians, the Adyuster
and the Total Loss Ex-
peditor. Adjustors, the
people who oversee the

processing of a claim from
initial report to settlement,
attend a rigorous training
program which demands,
among other things, intricate
knowledge of the

© SUSPENSIONS
e Ahgnments
¢McPherson Struts

985-8705
1175 W. 15TH ST.

(Just east of Pemberton)

NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C.

cordon IMPORT AUTOS LTD.

10th & Alma, Vancouver

be familiar with accident
investigation techniques.
Senior Adjusters also
require in-depth knowledge
of anatomy and physiology
as it relates to bodily injury.
In addition, all Adjusters are
well-schooled in Corporate
policy and procedures.

If a vehicle is a write-off,

Prevent

C experts determine value

there are Total Loss Ex-
peditors who assess ils actual
cash value. ICBC’s policy is
to pay the market value of
the vehicle.

Calculating vehicle value
is an intricate process. Total
Loss Expeditors are trained
to consider local markets,
condition of the vehicle,
options, mileage and
popularity. The Expeditors
attend auto auctions and
examine various vehicle-
value publications such as
the Gold Book, the Red
Book or the Canadian Black
Book. They also check
newspaper ads regularly and
solicit dealer quotes.

The Corporation con-
tinually updates its library of
publications on vehicte
values. Because -°' che
Corporation's training
programs, the Expeditors
are experts in the ever-
changing vehicle market.

“We have a crew of

ansmissio

trouble

45 new fluid

$

© Road test
e Remove pan
® Visual inspection

Most domestic
and import cars

733-8105

Dave (The Brake Doctor,

APPROVED auto
REPAIR REAVICES

e Clean sump & screen *
e@ Adjust bands & linkage *
e Replace pan gasket & fluid

ALLY TRANS
~en8

We fix transmissions because we know how.
Mon -Fn 8to6. Sat 8to 1

Remember this 1S a preventative maintenance service
It you already Nave transmission problems ask
about our other reliable services

Locally owned & and operated by your Alf Trans man

725 W. 14th St. at Marine Drive
North Vancouver

986-5355

Locations throughout the Lower Mainland.

“where apphcable

10% off parts & labour

Parts & Service
for all import makes

Classic& Ohorouqhbred Motors

740 Marne Drive. North Van

Service Dept.
Parts Dept.

CHEV OLDS PONTIAC

BUICK GMC
WHY PAY MORE?
Factory Fresh - Order Tod
eo chove .
hevette
‘80 Monza Eqpt Sasce
oa ‘80 Camaro 8. 4sp.S.B $7198
specialists who know exactly ‘80 Malibu A. 6 $6346
. : ionte Casio V'
what vehicles and their BOCutass B.A. S Be 35088
repairs cost. Consequently 80 Olds 88 A. S.6 $7698
. , . a ‘BO Acadian Eqpt A $4850
claimants receive fair, ‘89 Sunbrd Eapt. $5198
: cos vebud B.A
equitable settlements”, ‘BO Le Mans V6 Soe
Skaling concluded. 80 Grang Pnx 8. $7698

‘Bo Century A. S. $6998

A $8196
ON

‘BO Malibu V6, A.

‘80 Le Mans 8 A.

‘80 Century 8A $6

‘80 Cutlass BAS

TRUCK
80 GMC +4 T
‘80 Chev %7T 8 4sp S$ 6B
80 GMC % Van

$6698
$7198
$7498
$7698

$5998
$7198
$6698

BO GMC % 424858. 4spd $8398

"B80 Chev 3 4x4 S.B 4spd $7898
*80 Chev ‘2 Van $6498
80 Jimmy 4x48 4sp0 SB $9198
Trades Terms

For appointment cat Peter Hance

McKay’s GM

D/L 5209 689-1016
Government Licenced & Bonded

Peter Brand’s Full Service

*IMPORTS *DOMESTIC

*FUEL INJECTION *DIESEL

* EXHAUST (LIFETIME COMPLETE BRAKE
GUARANTEE) REPAIRS

° COMPLETE ENGINE *SHOCK ABSORBERS
OVERHAULS

eCQOLING SYSTEMS .
° AIR CONDITIONING

Facilities to work on any kind of car
All Work Guaranteed

Peter Brand Motors

1519 Clyde Ave. West Vancouver

922-3231

We like to keep a good thing going'
We are Open Mon Fri 8 Spm

984-0211
988-6331