The Top Four Questions About ICBC Claims
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#1: What is my claim worth?
If there were an easy answer to this question, negotiating with ICBC would be a fair process. ICBC benefits from the asymmetrical information that their adjusters know the true value of a claim, and car crash victims do not.
It is difficult to negotiate for something that you do not know the value of – especially when the majority of your advice comes from the person you are negotiating with, or your ICBC adjuster.
Valuation factors considered by our personal injury file quantification team:
| Car crash claim valuation factors: | Car crash claim valuation factors NOT considered: |
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| Why vehicle damage and speed of impact do not influence claim value: | Other claim valuation resources: |
#2: Do I have to accept ICBC’s allocation of fault?
Fault is another bargaining chip in ICBC’s pocket. As your negotiations proceed, your adjuster may change their determination of fault to your benefit, or to the opposite. In some cases, company policies such as the Low Velocity Impact Policy, are quoted to void a car crash claim all together.
The truth is that these policies and fault determinations are not final. Sometimes it is necessary to fight for a fair determination of fault, as demonstrated in this case:
#3: Will ICBC treat me fairly?
You hired them. They are your insurance representative. Each month you pay your ICBC bill with the expectation that you will be taken care of if you are in a car crash.
However, it is the professional responsibility of an ICBC adjuster to pay as little as possible on a claim settlement. Their initially friendly demeanor often misleads car crash victims to believe that their interests are being protected instead of their claim being minimized. This is because when you deal with an adjuster, they are representing the interests of the offending driver.
#4: Do I need to hire a lawyer to get a fair settlement?
Experience is key for obtaining fair results. This might be your first ICBC claim whereas your ICBC adjuster is a trained professional, tasked with paying as little as possible on your claim. You don’t always need to hire a lawyer to get a fair settlement…getting a free consultation and claim valuation is a great start to being treated fairly.
Our consultations are 100% confidential, which means that your ICBC adjuster will not know that you’ve sought out additional information about your rights unless you tell them.
Read more about consulting a lawyer:
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