"In the 60s we had private insurance. I remember being told because I had an accident claim, the insurance company did not want me as a client anymore. We had to go from company to company until one took us. Because I was under 21, the premiums were unreal. ICBC changed all that when they came in 1974 or 1975. We have had excellent service with them since – almost 50 years. I would never support private insurance again. Family in Saskatchewan and Manitoba would never vote to have private insurance either."

Robert B.
Resident, Vancouver

" My experiences with private insurance were 44 years ago. I was paying $650 or $700 a year as a new driver. After ICBC came in, it dropped to $450 a year! Insurance is a profit business, and private will not give anyone cheaper insurance. "

Paul D.
Resident, Vancouver

" A friend of mine, who has since moved to Ottawa, used private optional insurance while he was living here in Victoria. He had three claims - two not at-fault accidents, and one comprehensive claim. When it came time to renewal, he was denied coverage by his private insurer. The good news for him was he was able to purchase ICBC coverage without any issue or penalty. "

Robert M.
Front-line worker, Victoria

"As a teen, I was looking to insure myself as a daily driver for pleasure only. The lowest priced private insurer at the time in 1973 quoted me $1300 for $200,000 third-party coverage. This stopped me dead in my tracks. With a clean (new to the road) license, I waited a year for ICBC to come and was offered the same coverage for a more reasonable rate – around $500. Back then we also wondered how ICBC would beat the private guy’s rates given the lack of competition, but it did its job."

"My brother-in-law runs a top-notch, multiple award-winning body shop. It was number one, actually, for many years running. He will not book work for private insurance companies due to lack of on-time payments and struggles with supplements that would easily be approved by ICBC. They are most often busy enough doing ICBC work that they have no availability for the immediate future when an unfortunate person comes to them with a claim that is to be paid by a private provider. Also know of many cases where a private insurer will depreciate mechanical items being replaced on an own damage claim (for e.g., turbo intercooler) causing the insured to pay out of pocket for parts that ICBC would not have applied depreciation to."

Jeff. L.
Resident, Keremeos