Credit: B.C. Government

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Auto insurance rebates will bring us closer to affordability

Feb 3, 2021 | 4:39 AM

KAMLOOPS — I WAS BETTING on a $101 rebate on my auto insurance — it just seemed like the kind of thing politicians might do — but Premier John Horgan fooled me, announcing rebates yesterday averaging $190, with some drivers getting up to $400.

I’m hoping for the latter but will settle for the former. The actual amount will be calculated by the government based on what we paid between April 1 and Sept. 30 last year.

And, keep in mind the $190 is an average, not a minimum. Some will get less.

The fact we’re getting anything at all is a tribute to common sense plus a lot of pressure from unhappy policy holders as ICBC savings mounted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to the tune, in fact, of $600 million. The fact drivers in other parts of the country have been getting rebates might have had something to do with it, as well.

Reluctance to promise a rebate was put down to the need to address ICBC’s dumpster fire before getting generous with drivers who have seen their insurance costs balloon over the past couple of years.

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I noted about a year and a half ago that I was paying more for insurance on my vehicle than on our house, even though there had been no change in coverage.

Others had it even worse, being dinged thousands of dollars in premiums to insure decidedly humble vehicles. Despite government talking points about reforms, we in the Pacific province continued to pay the highest premiums in the country.

So, when it became obvious that COVID-19 was causing us to drive less, resulting in dramatically fewer accidents, it was natural to start talking about rebates.

Yesterday’s announcement is a one-time situation and only a partial answer. When B.C. changes to no-fault insurance in May and we see savings of 20 per cent, that will be truly meaningful.

Meanwhile, the pandemic rebates will be welcome.

The cheques are supposed to be in the mail by March. We can only hope they arrive more promptly than the pandemic relief cheques — 300,000 British Columbians are still waiting for those.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.