Getting a damage estimate

After making a claim, you may need to get a damage estimate. The estimate indicates how much it’s likely to cost to repair your vehicle.

Where to get your estimate

Estimates are either done at

• an ICBC-accredited c.a.r. shop VALET repair facility, or
• a claim centre.

When you make your claim, we let you know where you may get the estimate done.

Towed vehicles

When a vehicle is towed away after a crash, it’s usually kept in storage until an ICBC estimator can examine it.

The estimator’s report

After carefully examining the damage to your vehicle, the estimator writes up an estimate of the repairs needed and their cost.

The estimator’s report may provide evidence for determining liability for the crash.

Writeoffs

Sometimes it costs more to repair a vehicle than the vehicle is worth. When this happens, we usually have to write it off as a total loss and pay the owner an amount to replace the vehicle, based on its actual cash value.