Travel Policy
TAKE THE WORRY OF TRAVELLING!!!!
Are you going on a much needed vacation? Travelling for work? Expecting visitors from another country?
No matter what your plans are, make them worry free with travel insurance. travel insurance offers you unique protection rated according to the length of your trip and your destination. The security of knowing that you are well protected on your trip or vaction will give you peace of mind and you will have a much more enjoyable time.
Travel insurance is available whenever you need it and can even be purchased on the same day as you plan to leave. If you are a frequent traveller, you can get a policy to cover your trips for the entire year.
If you are visiting Canada on holidays, expecting visitors from abroad, studying or working here or you are an immigrant, you can get the protection you need. Keep in mind that the hospital and medical costs in Canada can be a huge financial burden for visitors and it is better to be safe than sorry.
In case of illness or an accident, emergency medical transportation, coordination of claim payments, verification of coverage to hospitals and doctors can all be arranged.
Travel insurance also provides a vital link between you, your family, personal doctor and employer. It also offers extra benefits such as: family transportation, out-of-pocket allowance, return of body, accidental death and return of vehicle.
So the next time you are getting ready for travelling, don't forget your travel policy!!!
Motorists Moving to or from BC
How do I register my vehicle so I can drive it in BC?
If you move to BC and bring a motor vehicle with you, you need to register, license and insure it within 30 days of your arrival if you intend to operate it here. Vehicles intended for commercial use must be registered, licensed and insured immediately. An Autoplan broker can help you with all the details.
Before you can register the vehicle or insure it for use in BC, provincial law requires that it undergo a mechanical safety inspection. This inspection is mandatory for cars, motorhomes, vans and small trucks with a net weight of 3,500 kilograms or less. Rebuilt, altered or constructed vehicles also require a structural inspection. A list of designated inspection facilities is available from an Autoplan broker or a BC Government AgentÕs office.
Once your vehicle has passed the inspection, take it and the inspection report to an Autoplan broker to register, license and purchase the proper insurance. You will also have to cancel the vehicleÕs current insurance.
How long is my driver's license from another place valid in BC?
You may use a valid driver's license issued from another jurisdiction for six months from the date you came to BC. A valid International Driving Permit issued in a country other than Canada may be used for 12 months from the date of entry providing a valid driver's license issued in that country.
As a new resident, am I entitled to a safe driving discount?
Yes, if you have a claim-free driving record. ICBC uses a Claim-Rated Scale (CRS) to give discounts to claim-free motorists and add surcharges for motorists who have had chargeable claims. A chargeable claim is a collision or liability claim paid against your insurance.
Discounts and surcharges place a premium above or below the base rate on a Claim-Rated Scale. The base rate is the premium without any discount or surcharge applied. CRS discount or surcharge applied. CRS discounts or surcharges are calculated on a yearly basis and take effect when you buy or renew your insurance.
How do I apply for my discount?
As a new resident to BC, you must prove that you are eligible to get a discount. You can do this with a letter from your previous insurance company Ð not the broker Ð giving the name of the vehicle owner or principle operator, policy number and the period of time for which no claims were paid. If this verification is not provided at the time you apply for a license and insurance, you must pay the base rate. No discount will apply. If you can provide this information within six months of applying for your license and insurance, then the applicable discount will be applied and you will receive a refund. When you apply for your CRS discount, you must pay a one time non-refundable charge of $20 per vehicle. Your Autoplan broker can supply you with all the information you need to apply for this discount.
What is the maximum discount?
The maximum discount is 40 per cent off the base rate. This discount is earned after four consecutive years of claim-free driving.
Do I get new license plates each year?
No. License plates (also called number plates) are assigned to a vehicle owner for use on a specific vehicle. If you sell or dispose of your vehicle you must keep these plates. They must be transferred to your next registered vehicle. If you wish to cancel your policy, you must return your plates to an Autoplan broker.
When you license your vehicle and buy insurance, you receive decals indicating the day, month and year of the expiry of your license and insurance. These are to be displayed on the rear plate of most vehicles. Check with your Autoplan broker for commercial vehicles that may be an exception.
Can my BC insurance be transferred to a new vehicle?
Autoplan insurance will cover a new or replacement vehicle with the same coverage for a period of 10 days, providing the original vehicle has been sold or disposed of before the old plates are attached to the new vehicle. It will not cover both vehicles at the same time. To complete a transfer of ownership, the seller's copy of the Owner's Certificate and a signed Transfer/Tax form must be taken to an Autoplan broker within 10 days of attaching the old plates to the new vehicle. Passenger plates may only be attached to a passenger vehicle and commercial plates to a commercial vehicle. Plates may not be transferred to an out of province vehicle. Plates may not be transferred to an out-of-province vehicle.
What if a person is in the province only for a short time?
If a person licenses and insures a vehicle and leaves the province with it before the insurance expires, they can cancel that license and insurance and apply for a refund.
Full-time students visiting BC, or members of the armed forces on assignment in BC for six months or less, must obtain a permit within 30 days to operate a vehicle for up to six months, or to the expiry date of the existing license, whichever comes first. If you have no existing insurance, you must buy some part of the operating permit.
Visitors do not have to register and license their vehicles if they are using them only for touring purposes for less than six months.
How long is Autoplan insurance in effect if I move outside BC?
Autoplan insurance is automatically void 60 days after a vehicle is moved from BC if the owner intends to continue operating it outside BC. Coverage also becomes invalid if the vehicle is registered and licensed somewhere outside BC or if it is being operated where the law of that jurisdiction requires it to be registered and licensed there. Before leaving BC, visit an Autoplan broker for advice on insurance matters.
What insurance applies if I live in an area bordering this province and work in BC?
The insurance of the jurisdiction where you live applies.
What insurance do I need if I bring my car to BC but don't use it here?
If you are a BC resident, you can buy an Unlicensed motor Vehicle Policy to protect a vehicle in storage anywhere in Canada or the USA, including storage at a garage where the vehicle is being sold or is on consignment.
*** this information was obtained from the "ICBC Motorists Moving to or from BC" Brochure
