Private car insurance
costs more…
a lot more
Main Content
Car insurance isn’t just about the car. It’s about people’s safety and the care that people need when something goes wrong.
ICBC was built to deliver good coverage and good care. But, for 16 years, the previous government did real damage and drained $1.2 billion from the insurer, forcing them to raise rates in order to pay for it.
People were understandably frustrated, and that’s when giant, private insurance corporations sensed an opportunity to make money off of BC drivers. Big insurance corporations say they’re offering competition and choice, but what they’re really offering is privatization - which means more profits for them, less care for you, and more risk for everyone on the roads.
There’s a better choice. The current BC government has made the right moves to start fixing public auto and getting ICBC back on track. The introduction of the Enhanced Care model by May 2021 means premiums will start to come down and people will get better care and treatment when they need it.
Private insurance companies and personal injury lawyers won’t be happy about losing out on profits. But fixing public car insurance is about taking care of people, not helping lawyers and big corporations from outside BC get rich.

Despite the private insurance industry’s attempts to manipulate the facts, it’s been shown time and time again that private car insurance simply costs more. No wonder drivers in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec aren’t in any hurry to give up public car insurance.

Your health should not
be left up to private
insurers or lawyers.
When it comes to your health and recovering from injury, the care you get should be determined by your doctor and health care professionals. No one should have their care determined by lawyers and private insurance companies from outside BC who fight tooth and nail to avoid paying out claims.

Private Car Insurance:
Delayed Claims
Denied Coverage.
With public insurance, you know what you’re getting. The choices are clear and if you ever have to make a claim, the process is easy to follow –especially since it’s the same insurer for both parties. You don’t have to try to figure out dozens of confusing, intentionally complicated plans from private insurers. And you don’t have to put up with delays while they pass the buck between them.

Public means
security and protection.
Car insurance isn’t just about your vehicle. It’s about protecting you and the people you care about. Public car insurance provides that.
With private car insurance, companies are driven by profit and have every incentive to cut corners and give you less. The less they pay out, the more they make.

With private auto, up to 20%
of drivers are uninsured.
Rising car insurance rates in private insurance provinces mean more drivers rolling the dice… and hitting the road either with no insurance or inadequate coverage.
That’s dangerous for everyone. If you — or the person who hits you — don’t have enough coverage, you’ll face huge out-of-pocket costs.

Private car insurance
discriminates based on age,
gender and marital status.
When private insurance companies calculate your premiums, they don’t stop at things like your driving record. They also factor in your age, gender, and even your marital status - making you pay more based on who you are, not how you drive.

Public keeps jobs, profits
and investments in BC.
With private corporate insurance giants, your premiums go to head offices far from British Columbia… even outside Canada. But with public car insurance, the nearly 6,000 jobs and investments stay in British Columbia. The brokers, claims adjusters and administrators are your neighbours — and revenues get reinvested in our communities. Let’s keep those jobs in BC.

Private insurance focuses
on profits, not people.
Private insurance has one goal above all else: making a profit for corporate shareholders. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it means your needs are often the last thing on their minds. So they cut back on service, and they often try hard not to pay claims.

Public insurance is simple
and easy to navigate.
With public insurance, you know what you’re getting. The choices are clear and if you ever have to make a claim, the process is easy to follow - especially since it’s the same insurer for both parties. You don’t have to try to figure out dozens of confusing, intentionally complicated plans from private insurers. And you don’t have to put up with delays while they pass the buck between them.
Does competition in car insurance mean lower rates and better coverage for you?
Looking at provinces with private car insurance, the answer is no. In fact, choice usually means more profits for private insurers, less care when people need it, and more risk for everyone.
Even in major markets, like Ontario or Alberta, only a small handful of multinational insurance companies dominate – continually increasing rates and eroding benefits for people who need care.
Private insurance lobbyists continue to lobby governments to cut benefits provided under basic insurance coverage under the guise of giving people “choice.” Think of it like buying a car but having to pay extra for headlights!
Ultimately, with private car insurance you’re paying more for less care.
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Private car insurance discriminates based on age, gender and marital status
Private insurance giants use these factors to discriminate against certain drivers. It means bigger profits for the insurance companies – and a big hit for many drivers.
With BC’s public insurance, your premiums don’t depend on your age, gender or marital status. Unlike private insurers, public insurers do not turn people away. And if you’re a good driver with a good record, public insurance means you pay less – period.
Private car insurance costs more
The insurance companies know it, too. One study published by a private insurance company showed the average premium
for drivers in provinces with private-only insurance is seven per cent higher than in provinces with public
insurance. In fact, studies from sources including the Government of Saskatchewan have shown that premiums are
lower in provinces with public car insurance, like BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec.
Private car insurance takes money out of BC… and out of Canada
With publicly-owned car insurance like ICBC, your premium dollar stays in our province, creating jobs and helping improve road and highway safety. But with giant private insurance companies, that money flows out of the province — and often out of Canada, into head offices in the U.S. and Europe.
Brought to you by front-line workers in public auto insurance in British Columbia, represented by MoveUP, the Movement of United Professionals.