If you have been in a motor vehicle accident, whether in British Columbia or elsewhere, you need to report your ICBC claim to ICBC Dial-A-Claim as soon as is reasonably practicable, however your health comes first, so be sure to seek immediate medical treatment if required. You may report your ICBC claim 24 hours per day/7 days a week by calling:
604-520-8222 if you are in the Lower Mainland
1-800-910-4222 if you are elsewhere in British Columbia, Canada, or the United States
It is important that you only provide ICBC with basic information about your ICBC claim, such as the date, time, and location of the accident, as well as your personal information, such as name, address, phone number, licence plate, insurance policy number, etc…
DO NOT provide details of how the accident occurred, or about your injuries. You are NOT required to do so at this stage of your ICBC claim.
Also, you should not feel pressured into attending an ICBC office to give a statement, as you are NOT required to at this stage of your ICBC claim either.
Your ICBC claim can be severely compromised if you make an error in what you tell ICBC, if you make a vague comment, or if there is an omission of any kind, any of which could negatively impact the value of your ICBC settlement amount or ICBC payout at the conclusion of your claim.
Certain claims can be reported online, such as:
- collision claims without injuries
- claims involving theft
- claims involving vandalism.
Certain claims, however, cannot be made online, and must be made by phone, such as:
- claims involving injuries
- hit and run claims
- glass damage claims
- out of province claims
Once you have reported the claim to ICBC, you should arrange for a free consultation with Veale Law, to be ensured that your legal rights are protected, and that your legal rights and obligations are properly explained to you. ICBC is under no legal obligation to inform you of how to protect your legal interests, such as, for example, informing you of applicable limitation periods with respect to your claim, the failure of which to abide by can result in your claim being dismissed forever.