32 ~ Wednesday, March 25, 1986 claims c THE INSURANCE Corporation of B.C. reported a record-breaking total of 539,000 new claims resulting in claims costs of more than $742 million for the year en- ding December 31, 1986. The provincial auto insurer, nevertheless, still achieved its break-even goal, recording a modest $.1 million surplus on the year’s operations. ICBC’s 1986 annual report was tabled recently in the B.C. legislature by the minister respon- sible, Lyall Hanson, minister of 1987 - North Shore News labor. All types of claims increased significantly, The report shows a 20 per cent rise in the number of injury-related claims and a 10 per cent increase in property-related claims. The cost of claims also rose by 13 per cent, with the total $88 mil- lion higher than in 1985. Countering these higher costs, ICBC’s $1.5 billion investment portfolio reached a new peak, ear- ning $171 million, up by $13 mil- lion. This income, accounting for Clean interior improves value PROFESSIONAL USED-CAR appraisers generally follow this rule of thumb: if a car is clean in- side, buy it. And surveys have shown that used-car buyers believe that if an owner has taken good care of the inside of the car, he probably paid attention to proper mechanical maintenance. On the other hand, if a car shows such items as filthy carpeting, drink stains on the up- holstery or dash, or mud on the sides of the doors, chances are the owner has not taken care of major car systems, such as_ brakes, transmission, steering and suspen- sion and other components. Tz car probably needs a tune- up, too. The periodic cleaning of the in- terior can keep the car in ‘‘look- ing-new”’ condition, which can result in at least several hundreds of dollars more at trade-in time. Auto supply stores and new car dealers have special cleaners for cloth, vinyl and leather uphol- steries. These products are preferable to soap and water. Stains should be cleaned up im- mediately before they have a chance to set, especially with light-colored cloth upholstery. Your owner’s manual should give you additional tips for care and cleaning of upholstery and carpeting. Both upholstery and carpeting should te cleaned regularly with a vacuum to prevent dirt from being ground into fibres. Floor mats should be used to protect the carpeting from mtd, grease and water, and should be washe.i frequently. A clean. car is more pleasant to drive in. But the real pay-off will come when you're ready to sell it or trade it in. 18.4 per cent of total revenue, reduced each Autoplan premium by an average of $81. The corporation's investments in British Columbia grew to $465 mil- lion, an increase of $173 million over 1985, The extra claim activity added $5 million in claims operations ex- penses and a further $1 million in administrative costs. In response to the heavy claims volume, average staffing was increased by 105 to 2,415. Despite a 6.5 per cent reduction in 1986 Autoplan premium rates, total premium income rose by $15 million to $758 million, This was because many policyholders chose higher limits on third party liability and reduced their deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverages. These extra purchases resulted in an additional $6 million in com- missions paid to the independent agents who handle Autoplan. ICBC’s Traffic Safety Education Department continued to work during the year with integrated When you have your car serviced at North Shore Nissan. The heart and soul of any success- ful dealership is its Parts Departments Service and .,. at North Shore Nissan it’s no different. Our people are factory trained and highly qualified to handle any problem you may have with your car. We stock genuine Nissan Parts. Watch for our value packed stliest ever safety-related programs for schools, homes and the workplace. The corporation allocates $3 million annually to these and other loss prevention programs including CounterAttack. Since 1982, the corporation’s seat belt programs alone have saved a minimum of $116 million. Copies of ICBC’s 1986 annual report are available on request from the Public Information Department, Insurance Corpora- tion of B.C., 151 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, B.C, V7M 3H9.