SRA 21 - Friday, September 22, 1989 — North Shore News A UT 0 M OT I VE ONDERSTANDING VOUR ICBC COVERAGE ‘Third Party Liability’ is protection in case you cause someone else’s floss IN OUR first article a few weeks ago, we men- tioned that one thing every B.C. vehicle has in common is Autoplan insurance coverage from ICBC. This week, a look at the most basic, min- imum ICBC coverage — the insurance you must purchase for your vehicle in order to get your licence plate decal. Just about every motorist knows that the minimum in- surance coverage you have to purchase is $200,000 third party legal liability. But do you know what “third party legal liability" is? Some people do not, as a conversation I had with a caller a few months ago shows. She said: “The accident wasn’t my fault. I buy my auto insurance to protect myself, but now I have to prove my claim against the other driver. Why should I have to do this?” The answer lies in under- standing the kind of coverage you have actually purchased. Third party legal liability coverage is not insurance to compensate you for your loss. It protects you finan- cially in the event you cause an accident leading to some- one else’s loss. That’s an distinction. Your’ Autoplan insurance important refers to three ‘‘parties.’’ You, or someone driving your vehicle «ith your per- mission, are ihe first party and ICBC is the second par- ty. Between the two of us, against you. “Legal liability’? means that, in the eyes of the jaw, you are responsible for an accident and that you are required to make good the Ken H ardie INSURANCE CORPORATION OFBRITISH COLUMBIA we agree that when you pay your premium, ICBC will provide you with financial protection in case a third party, someone outside of our contract, makes 2 claim NEWS shot Cindy Goodman ACCIDENTS WILL happen... These two men were not happy after their car. struck a vehicle which was allegedly parked illegally on Mt. Seymour Parkway recently. See story below for what to do in case of a motor vehicle accident. Protect your interests in case of an accident MOTOR YEHICLE = acci- dents have an unpleasant way of happening all of a sudden. In the ensuing con- fusion, we can sometimes forget what we should do to satisfy the law and our in- surarice agents, and, frankly, to protect our own interests. So here, before the adre- nalin starts to flow, are a few reminders. Your responsibilities While laws relating to a driver’s responsibilities at an accident scene vary slightly from province to province, on one point there seems to be general agreement: that the driver should stick around and render whatever assistance is possible to others at the scene. Also, that you should give your name, address, and those of the owner of the vehicle you were driving, as well as the licence plate number, to the investigating officer and others directly involved in the collision. In the agony of the mo- ment it’s easy to forget that your car was in gear and probably in motion when the collision occurred; chances are, it still is. So, turn off the ignition to prevent your car from lurching once again into motion. Warn cther vehicles using the road of your presence by setting out flares and turning on your emergency flashers. Since gasoline .and other flaramable liquids are often spilled in a collision, don’t smoke or set flares too near the scene. Summon emergency treatment for anyone who is injured. In many cases, the best you can do is make them comfortable until the ambulance arrives. Perform roadside first aid only if you have been trained to do so. Otherwise, render whatever assistance you can to those who are trained. Each province has its own criteria for whether or not an accident must be reported to the police. Nevertheless, it’s a safe bet that the police should be notified if any- body is injured or if the damage is considerable. With the high cost of replacement parts these days, it doesn’t take much for the damage to be consid- erable. When in doubt, call the police. Get the particulars of any independent witnesses, and their version of what hap- pened. : Exchange ownership, driver’s licence and in- surance particulars with other drivers, and obtain the names and addresses of any injured people, the nature of their injuries, and where they were taken for emergency treatment. Motor vehicle collisions can often end up in court — traffic, civil, or both, — usually months, if not years, later. The best way to remember what happened is if to make a simple diagram along with some notes. Write it down Part of your written observations should include the type of road the accident occurred on, what sort of shape it was in, weather conditions and if they con- tributed to the accident, whether it was night or day, foggy or clear, and how heavy the traffic was in the area. In fact, write down anything that might have some bearing on the out- come of the trial. loss suffered by scmeone as the result of your actions. Thus, third party legal li- ability auto insurance coverage is your protection against the claims made by others for the cost of bodily injuries, death or property damages arising from an ac- cident for which you are held legally responsibie. Put another way, the min- imum compulsory coverage says that ICBC will pay up to $200,000 in case you cause an accident which results in injury, death or property damage. If the damages exceed the $200,000 limit, you would be respon- sible for the balance. For that reason 77 per cent of B.C. motorists pur- chase what is called ‘‘exten- sion liability’’ coverage with ‘8S VISTA 2 DOOR Best Built by Mitsubishi Stk. #90037 @ Manual trans @ 4cyI/15 litre "6,191" 6 Rear window washers @ Power brakes © AMIFAM stereo @ Cloth seats S a limit of at least $1 million. In most claims, the third party reports his or her loss to ICBC and deals directly with one of our adjusters. Most of these claims are set- tled relatively quickly. How- favoring either side. Decisions arrived at by ICBC adjusters are based on what we believe the courts would decide if the claim were to go through the legal process. ever, some may choose te Third party legal liabitity take legal action against you. In that event, youf-basic in- surance contract with ICBC says that we must defend you. As an aside, we should mention here that some people believe there is a con- flict of interest when ICBC adjusters deal with both sides on a claim. In fact, the motorist and the claimant each deals with a separate adjuster. Since the total cost of nearly all valid claims is paid by Autoplan, there is no advantage to ICBC in is just one of the coverages you get with your basic Autoplan insurance. Next week, we will look at the others, including no-fault accident benefits, something called ‘inverse liability’? and protection against uninsured and unidentified motorists. As always, any questions or comments you have about auto insurance are invited. Please send your letter to “ICBC Auto Topics,’’ care of the Norta Shore News, - 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vanccuver, V7M 2H4. NOWLEDGE @L.NONSENSE KNOWLEDGE and Nonsense is a column devoted to triv- ia, random facts, riddles, reason, quirks, irks and bugs. You can send us your favorite bits of knowledge or nonsense —- auto-related or otherwise. If your item is chosen you could win a pair of IMAX tickets. To be eligi- ble, fill out the coupon found on page 9 of this issue. Mai! or drop them off to: the North Shore News, Knowledge & Nonsense, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Van., B.C. V7M 2H4. Or you can Fax us at 985-3227. Be sure to mark your Fax Knowledge & Nonsense. Stk. #95261 ®@ 4 door, 5 spd. ® Cloth buckets ®@ Visibility package @ Rear wiper washer ® Carpeting Jeep | Eagle * Net of all programs — Prices include freight ! P.D.I. You Don't Need To Cross The Bridge To Get The Best! Guaranteed B.C. 's Lowest Prices ‘89 CHEROKEE 4X4 @ 6 cylinder ®@ Roofrack ® Tilt 49,888"