Shared or undetermined responsibility
You can be found 25, 50 or 75 per cent responsible for a crash. If you’re found partially responsible (at fault), this means you will share responsibility with the other driver.
When responsibility is shared equally
Sometimes it’s not possible to determine who is responsible for a crash due to:
- conflicting drivers' statements
- no independent witnesses
- inconclusive evidence, such as vehicle damage or the police report
When responsibility can’t be determined, both drivers could share equal responsibility (50 per cent each) for the crash. See
How we assess responsibility for a crash.
What your Basic insurance covers
Medical costs
Under Enhanced Care, Enhanced Accident Benefits are available to all B.C. residents injured in a crash, no matter who is responsible.
Enhanced Accident Benefits provide access to all the medical care and recovery you need if you’re injured in a crash, with no overall limit to the coverage available. Treatments can include physiotherapy, chiropractic care, registered massage therapy, clinical counselling and kinesiology. Your Accident Benefits also cover things like dental care, alternative therapy, and home support if needed after an injury.
Income replacement
If you’re unable to work due to an injury from a crash, you’ll receive 90 per cent of your net income in wage loss benefits, up to a maximum of $100,000 gross annual income.
If you earn more than $100,000 per year, Income Top-Up coverage is available to cover the amount of income replacement provided from the Enhanced Care benefit.
Third Party Liability
Third Party Liability coverage under your Basic insurance provides you coverage up to $200,000 for the following situations:
- Non vehicle property damage
- Injury costs and vehicle damage sustained by the other driver(s) and/or passengers while driving outside of B.C.
- Damage to the contents inside of the other driver’s vehicle
It will also protect you in situations where the law permits the other driver to sue.
What Optional insurance covers
Damage to your vehicle (if you have Collision coverage)
If you have Collision coverage, it will pay for the percentage you are responsible for. Your Basic Vehicle Damage coverage will pay for the percentage you are not responsible for.
You will have to pay a deductible (the amount you have to pay toward repairs before your insurance pays the rest). However, a portion of your deductible may be reimbursed or waived, depending on the percentage of responsibility of the other driver and if they are insured by ICBC.
If you don't have Collision coverage, from ICBC or another insurance provider, you are responsible for the percentage of the repairs that reflects your responsibility for the crash. For example, if you are 50 per cent responsible, you will need to pay 50 per cent of the repair costs.
How your insurance is affected
If you are more than 25 per cent responsible for a crash, your Basic insurance premiums will likely go up unless you have a long, claim-free record. The costs for any Optional insurance you have (Collision, for example) may go up as well. In general, the more crashes you are responsible for, the more you will pay in insurance.
Talk to your Autoplan broker for more information.
Repaying a claim
You may be in a crash that doesn't involve injuries or costly vehicle damage. If you are partially responsible, it might make financial sense to repay the cost of your claim to ICBC so it won't affect your future premiums.
Talk to your Autoplan broker for more information.
What if someone else was driving my car?
If someone else drives your car and causes a crash, the crash will affect the driver’s record, not yours.
Disagree with the responsibility assessment?
If you disagree with your responsibility assessment, talk to your claim representative about your options. Find out more about
responsibility assessment disputes.