Claim-Rated Scale | Protecting your discount | Can newcomers to B.C. get a discount?
ICBC has a scale called the Claim-Rated Scale (CRS) that shows how claims against your record affect your premium. See scale (PDF). Your place on the Claim-Rated Scale is a major factor in determining the premiums you pay.
Like all vehicle owners in British Columbia, you start at a base rate for your insurance.
For each year of driving without an at-fault [click for definition] or chargeable claim, you move one step on the Claim-Rated Scale until the maximum level is reached. Effective January 1, 2001, each step represents another 5% discount off your base premium, up to a maximum of 40%. There are additional discounts after that through RoadStar and RoadStar Gold savings.
However, if you do have at-fault or chargeable claims, you move the opposite direction on the CRS. If you are more than 25% at fault for a crash, you automatically move from as few as 3 to as many as 6 steps on the Claim-Rated Scale, depending on how many claim-free years you had prior to the claim.
Depending where you were on the scale before the claim, you will get a smaller discount, have to pay a surcharge, or pay a larger surcharge. If you are at a high surcharge level, we may refuse to sell you some specific types of coverage.
Only at-fault claims paid on your Collision or Third Party Liability insurance affect your discount. In addition, you must be found more than 25% at fault for the claim. If you are only found 25% at fault, it will not affect your discount level.
The Claim-Rated Scale primarily measures claims made against a policy. So, you'll pay more in premiums if:
The Claim-Rated Scale does not apply to fleet-rated vehicles, trailers, vehicles insured under a Garage Automobile policy, or motorcycles under 110 ccs. It also doesn't apply to vehicles insured under special coverage policies and endorsements.
If any Collision or Third Party Liability claims are paid out on your behalf when you have a Temporary Operation Permit, those claims will go on the driver's claim record and affect her/his CRS discount the next time she/he buys insurance or is named as principal operator on a new policy.
Effective January 1, 2001 the Claim-Rated Scale has been changed.
If you have concerns over your Claim-Rated Scale (CRS) position, please contact Customer Contact at 604-661-2800 in the Lower Mainland, or 1-800-663-3051 outside the Lower Mainland.
