Huge Increase in Calls to ICBC’s Dial-A-Claim

Northern drivers kept ICBC busy last month.

Motorists in the Northern Interior – which the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia considers to be communities north of Williams Lake – called the “Dial-a-Claim” line 3,831 times in February. That’s a 28% increase from the same time last year when drivers called in 2,987 times.

The busiest day was February 6th when northerners made 246 calls, which was almost double the average daily call amount.

The winter weather seems to be a prominent reason for the high number of calls across the Province. ICBC’s Sam Corea says not every call is a claim; many drivers are calling about minor incidents like slipping and sliding in poor conditions or fender benders.

While most of the winter weather is behind us, Corea says we’re not yet in the clear.

“No matter where you are in the province, the weather can be variable, it can change quickly and remember that winter tires are required on certain BC roads until March 31st in spite of what the calendar says for spring.”

Northern drivers aren’t the only ones blowing up ICBC’s phone lines. British Columbians called Dial-a-Claim 292,604 times between December 2016 and February 2017. That’s 36,270 more calls than the same time frame a year ago, which is an increase of 14%.

Corea hopes drivers will remember these statistics the next time they hit the road.

“We know that the ICBC rates are under pressure with the result of increased crashes and increased claims costs so drivers can do their part to drive safely and help keep that crash rate down.”