Accident Benefits coverage

Accident Benefits coverage is compulsory everywhere in Canada except Newfoundland and Labrador. It provides for you, your passengers or pedestrians who are injured or killed in an automobile accident. Accident Benefits coverage varies between the participating provinces but in general provides compensation for medical and rehabilitation treatments, funeral expenses, loss of income due to disability and death. In Quebec, Accident Benefits coverage is provided by the government.

What is covered?

Accident Benefits provides coverage for medical expenses, rehabilitation costs or a loss in earnings for the time you can’t work from a crash. If the worst happens, you and your family will be covered for funeral costs and death benefits.

This coverage is also for:

·         every passenger riding in a vehicle that is licensed and insured in B.C.

·         any pedestrian or cyclist, if they collide with a vehicle licensed and insured in B.C.

·         any household member of the owner of a B.C. licensed and insured vehicle

·         anyone with a valid B.C. driver’s licence

Payments from other insurance policies may affect your Accident Benefits. Check with your adjuster before you claim.

How much does accident benefits pay?

Medical and rehabilitation expenses

Autoplan Accident Benefits provide up to $150,000 for each insured person injured. This medical coverage might include dental care, hospital care, ambulance, chiropractic treatments, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, medication, medical supplies or equipment and more.

Check with your adjuster to make sure that your medical care is eligible before you receive treatment.

Also, if you have any existing insurance policies, they could affect the amount of your payout. Remember to mention these policies when you claim.

Wage loss and homemaker disability benefits

If you are an employed person who is injured in a crash, Autoplan pays for 75 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings minus the weekly total wage loss payments from all other sources, or a maximum of $300 per week, whichever is less. You must have been employed at the time of the crash (or for six of the last 12 months) and be unable to work after the crash because of a total disability.

If you are a homemaker, you may get up to $145 a week if you are injured in a crash and cannot continue with most of your normal household tasks. This money helps you hire a non-family member to help around the home and applies even if you live alone.

These benefits are available as long as the disability lasts, or until you reach age 65, whichever comes first.

After the first 104 weeks of payment, benefits are reduced by any amounts received from the Canada or Quebec Pension Plans.

Please note: Wage loss benefits are not payable for the first seven days of total disability.

Are you over 65?

Basic Autoplan gives you Accident Benefits, whatever your age. No benefits are payable beyond 104 weeks if the disabled person:

·         was over 65 and was a homemaker or employed person at the time of the disabling crash.

·         was a homemaker or employed person at the time of the disabling crash and turned 65 after the crash.

Speak to your adjuster if you have any questions about the policy.

Funeral expenses and death benefits

Accident Benefits entitles you to funeral costs and death benefit payments for you, your spouse and your children. Spouses are:

·         married partners

·         common-law partners, including same-gender partners

Please note: Common-law and same-gender partners must have lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two continuous years immediately preceding the right to claim.

Payments for death benefits vary if the policy holder was the main wage earner in the home, and if there are any children or dependants.

There are also payments if the deceased is a child. Payments for a child come in a lump sum, whereas payments for adults combine a lump sum and weekly payments for 104 weeks.