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Report-a-claim in the Lower Mainland by calling 604-520-8222 or 1-800-910-4222 for the rest of B.C.

Assessing liability

What if a private insurance company insured one of the vehicles?

If you or the other driver were insured by a private insurance company it may take much longer to settle your claim. Your ICBC adjuster may need to negotiate with the adjuster from the other insurance company.

What happens if the other driver doesn't report to ICBC?

An ICBC adjuster will assess liability based upon the information available. By law, every motorist in B.C. is required to report an accident but must be allowed a reasonable amount of time to do so. If, by the time you get to your claims appointment, the other motorist has not reported, your adjuster will attempt to make contact by telephoning or sending a letter. After two weeks we will send another letter, certified, asking the other motorist to report within the next 10 days. We will advise them that if they fail to do so we will assess liability based on the information we do have.

What if I don't agree with the liability decision?

If you have a dispute or complaint about a decision or action relating to your claim you should first contact the manager or supervisor at the ICBC Claim Centre where your claim is being handled and ask for assistance or information about your options.

Take it to court

You may also contest an ICBC liability decision through the court system, which can overturn any internal ICBC liability decision.

If you wish to contest the decision in Supreme Court, you may wish to consult a lawyer to help you through the process. However, you can also take your dispute to Small Claims Court yourself, which involves a small fee. Small Claims Court is administered by the Provincial Courts throughout B.C. Here's how to find a Small Claims Court near you.

If a judge finds in your favour and changes a liability decision, we will adjust your position on the Claim-Rated Scale to match the ruling.

NOTE: Small Claims Court is empowered to deal with disputes up to a maximum value of $25,000.