This insurer is allowing some COVID-19 support measures to expire

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) announced Friday that three of the temporary measures it introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are set to expire in the coming weeks.

The B.C. Utilities Commission had approved ICBC implementing the following measures starting Apr. 23 and ending Aug. 20:

• Waiving of the $30 insurance cancellation charge
• Suspension of fleet vehicle insurance
• Allowance of unlimited deliveries by drivers in non-delivery rate classes (private passenger vehicles continue to have up to six days per month for delivery use)

Phase 3 of B.C.’s Restart Plan is progressing and more British Columbians are returning to roads and highways, ICBC said in a press release. Customers are also now re-insuring their vehicles at higher than historic levels. Since Apr. 23, a total of 300,000 new plate policies have been issued for non-fleet customers, compared with the approximately 120,000 non-fleet customers who cancelled their insurance policies for the same time period.

As the support measures come to an end Aug. 20, ICBC is encouraging consumers to talk to their broker to make sure they are properly insured, including those people who are using their vehicle for the delivery of food or medical products and services.

Two measures remain in place at this time, as outlined in regulation: 1) waiving of the $18 re-plating fee, and 2) waiving of the first knowledge test fee for learner driver’s licence holders whose licence expired during the pandemic.

Customers can continue to renew their insurance by phone and email with the help of brokers. Those who are facing financial hardship and who pay for their insurance on a monthly basis still have the ability to defer their payments for up to 90 days with no penalty, the public insurer reported.

ICBC continues to review its operations to support customers and employees as normal business resumes.​