When I started getting into trouble I became pretty acclimated to legal procedures. Calling my attorney and working out bail was just another way to spend a Saturday night. Unfortunately, the stiffer the charges, the more difficult it was to talk my way out of a bad situation. After so many charges, I found myself slapped with a long jail sentence, and I realized that I wanted to turn things around. Fortunately, my lawyer was able to walk me through yet another process, so that I could make the right changes. My blog discusses how to emotionally cope with legal issues so that you can start living a good life.
Trademarks are crucial for protecting your brand and standing out in a competitive market. However, navig
It’s unavoidable — as we age, we start thinking about our eventual passing and what will happen to our es
Being falsely accused of a crime is a nightmare scenario that most people dread. It's an incredibly stres
Workplace sexual harassment is a pervasive issue that affects employees in various industries. It is esse
Navigating through a divorce or separation can be a challenging experience, especially when it comes to p
British Columbia (BC), Canada relies on a universal public auto insurance run by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). If you are a new resident to BC, you must apply for a BC driver's license with ICBC within 90 days and purchase auto insurance for your vehicle. When purchasing auto insurance, one of the most important factors that comes up will be declaring who the primary operator is.
Determining Who the Principal Operator Is
The principal operator of the vehicle will be the person who will be driving the vehicle more than 50% of the time. If you are sharing your vehicle with another family member, you will need to determine who will be driving the vehicle the most because the discounts that will be calculated to the insurance policy will need to be tailored to the primary driver's driving history and record. In most cases, the primary operator will be the owner of the vehicle.
If there are any changes to the identity of the primary operator, you will need to declare it to ICBC, so necessary changes can be made to the insurance policy. However, you do not need to declare changes until the next time that you renew your insurance policy with ICBC or an approved insurance agent.
If an individual who is not the primary operator is often involved in accidents, ICBC does recommend switching the primary operator status to their name. By paying more for insurance, you can avoid lengthy investigations by ICBC, as your vehicle will be considered over-insured. In short, you are paying a larger premium than what is actually necessary to cover any claims that you may make in the future.
Failing to Declare the Proper Principal Operator
Many people may fail to declare the identity of the proper principal operator, and opt to name the person who can get the most discounts as the principal operator instead. Failure to declare the proper principal operator means you are in breach of your insurance. This means that ICBC has a right to void the insurance contract with you and hold you personally responsible for any injuries or property damages that may have resulted from an accident. This essentially means you will be driving without any insurance.
On top of being held responsible for the damages and injuries involved with your case, you may also have difficulty with purchasing auto insurance from ICBC in the future. ICBC reserves the right to deny you insurance or may charge you ridiculously high premiums.
When filing an ICBC claim, ICBC will open an investigation into your case. This investigation will look at who was at fault for the accident, whether all of the injuries claimed are legitimate and whether you have breached any of the terms and conditions in your contract. In particular, ICBC will look at whether you have properly declared who the primary operator is. There are many tactics used to determine whether the primary operator was declared correctly. For example, ICBC may hire a private investigator to speak with your neighbours.
Conclusion
It is definitely not worth shorting ICBC by making a false declaration regarding to whom the primary operator may be for you face serious consequences if you are found to have breached the terms and conditions of your auto insurance policy. You may face serious financial hardship if ICBC refuses to cover a major auto collision claim. Make sure you speak with an experienced insurance broker when purchasing your auto insurance policy to make sure that you are properly covered by ICBC. And you can get professional assistance from an ICBC claims lawyer, like one at Rella, Paolini & Rogers.
Share