EDITORIAL PAGES across B.C. have featured many lately concerning premiums, with some writers questioning the viability of

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public auto insurance in B.C.

One group, the Fraser Institute, maintains that B.C. motorists are being denied freedom of choice and that no public system can operate more efficiently than the private sector.

This was the argument in 1988 when Ontario-based private in- surers lobbied to have ICBC scrapped and auto insurance turn- ed over to them, implying (but not proving) that premiums would be lower. In fact, there is strong evi- dence these companies would have to charge us more.

The average private insurer needs 30% of its income for ad- ministration costs. ICBC needs only 13%.

Private companies build profits into their premiums. ICBC operates on a_ break-even basis and sells Autoplan ‘‘at cost.’”

AUTOMOTIVE Freedom of choice issue goes both ways

increases in

Ken

Hardie INSURANCE CORPORATION

OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AUTOTOPIC

All insurers invest funds set aside to pay claims. Private in- surers use this income for many purposes. ICBC uses it to offset operating expenses. Every dollar earned is a dollar motorists don’t have to pay in premiums. ICBC’s investment income lowered the

Currently scheduled BC. Ferries routes

THE FOLLOWING are the current schedules for B.C. Ferny Corp. routes between _the mainland, Vancouver Island and Langdale: -

@ Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay: In effect until June 25.:

Leave Horseshoe Bay at 7 a.m., 9a.m., Il a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Leave Nanaimo at 7 a.m., 9

m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

@ Horseshoe Bay to Langdale and Langdale to Horseshoe Bay: In effect until June 25.:

Leave Horseshoe Bay at 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:25 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.

Leave Langdale at 6:20 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:25 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

and 8:20 p.m.

@ Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay and Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen: In ef- fect from Jan. 2 to Feb. 24.:

Leave both terminals: daily ex- cept Fridays and Sundays at 7 am., 9 am., 11.a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m.

Leave both terminals Fridays and Sundays only at 7 a.m., 9

m., I] a.m... 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

@ Tsawwassen to Nanaimo and Nanaimo to Tsawwassen: In effect until spring 1992.: ~

Leave Tsawwassen at. 5:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p-m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 1E p.m.

Leave Nanaimo at 5:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and II p.m.

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Higher costs, a profit motive and no commitment to use in- vestment income to cover expenses might all be reasons why some private companies have announced some ‘‘double digit’’ increases of their own over the past few years.

Then there’s the ‘“‘freedom of choice’’ issue.

B.C. motorists must purchase basic insurance coverage from ICBC, which guarantees all vehi- cles have $200,000 in third party

coverage. They can they buy op- tional coverages (extra third party, collision or comprehensive) from ICBC or any private insurer will- ing to sell them.

But the private companies also have freedom of choice. If you don’t meet their criteria by virtue of your age, sex, marital status, type of work or type of vehicle or area of residence, they won’t sell you insurance.

In some provinces, motorists with clean driving and claims re- cords have been relegated to ‘‘bad

risk’? pools. Faced with prerniums in the thousands of dollars, many drive uninsured.

In B.C., as long as you have a valid driver’s licence, ICBC will sell you all the coverage you need. All other factors being equal, a good driving record means lower premiums.

Having been given the choice, most B.C. motorists buy ICBC’s optional coverages because the price is lower. The Fraser In- stitute’s argument does not stand up.

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