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& Canadians moan about gas prices here!

& Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Old Apr 11th 2010, 4:50 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by canadian_critic
LIME RULES!

What's more expensive in Canada
- Insurance (up to about 500% more)


Nonsense -

Now come on. I'm not sure where you live but people in BC are paying around $2k - 3k for basic comprehensive insurance. Compare coverage with what you were paying in Britain and you're geting a lot less cover for a lot more dosh.
Oh really? I've never paid more than $1,200 for insurance here with fully comp $3m liability cover. It's easily equivalent to the cover I had in the UK. More expensive, yes, but nowhere near to the degree you're suggesting is typical.

Who are these 'people in BC' ?
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 4:57 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by R I C H
Oh really? I've never paid more than $1,200 for insurance here with fully comp $3m liability cover. It's easily equivalent to the cover I had in the UK. More expensive, yes, but nowhere near to the degree you're suggesting is typical.

Who are these 'people in BC' ?
Me - my car insurance is that kind of magnitude more than in the UK. UK cost 400 GBP, BC cost close to $3k for the same cover. Most of this is probably because I couldn't transfer my no claims as I wasn't living in the UK in the few years before I arrived.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 5:04 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Wow, I pay about $800/year to fully insure a 2003 Honda Accord and a 2007 Chev Silverado.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 5:34 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by Alan2005
Me - my car insurance is that kind of magnitude more than in the UK. UK cost 400 GBP, BC cost close to $3k for the same cover. Most of this is probably because I couldn't transfer my no claims as I wasn't living in the UK in the few years before I arrived.
I've never paid that much. I drive an Audi and pay about 1500 a year, which is the most I've ever paid. You really should be comparing apples to apples - what would no claims be in the UK?

The issue with used vehicles being more expensive is more of a case of them holding their value better and you get more when you sell them on. I suspect in the UK the mot and having no choice to pay for expensive repairs makes older cars less desirable.

Overall, it works out the same. I imagine driving a new vehicle is better, while an older used vehicle ends up being more.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:24 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by dboy
I've never paid that much. I drive an Audi and pay about 1500 a year, which is the most I've ever paid. You really should be comparing apples to apples - what would no claims be in the UK?

The issue with used vehicles being more expensive is more of a case of them holding their value better and you get more when you sell them on. I suspect in the UK the mot and having no choice to pay for expensive repairs makes older cars less desirable.

Overall, it works out the same. I imagine driving a new vehicle is better, while an older used vehicle ends up being more.
I wasn't complaining - just putting myself up as an example of one of those 'people in BC' that RICH doesn't think exist. My no claims in the UK was 4 years - I think that equates to a 20% discount here. But on the other hand the insurance group for the car I have now would be a cheaper one than I had in the UK. Having said that, I'm pretty sure that living downtown doesn't help either.

(resale values don't usually concern me, I usually buy a car and drive it until it's no longer economical to keep it on the road)
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:36 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I wasn't complaining - just putting myself up as an example of one of those 'people in BC' that RICH doesn't think exist. My no claims in the UK was 4 years - I think that equates to a 20% discount here. But on the other hand the insurance group for the car I have now would be a cheaper one than I had in the UK. Having said that, I'm pretty sure that living downtown doesn't help either.

(resale values don't usually concern me, I usually buy a car and drive it until it's no longer economical to keep it on the road)
I believe the discount here is 10 percent a year, so four years would be 40 percent, which is the max discount.

What is also odd here, it the vehicle itself as little influence on the insurance. I went from a piece of crap pont sunfire worth at best 4 grand at around 1100 a year to an audi for about 1500 a year worth 30 grand. Also here, any driver with 10 years clean driving experience or automatically covered under the vehicle's insurance plan - ??

I'm surprised you bought a motor, Living and working DT - I wouldn;t buy one. I know there's the convenience for trips about the area but still a significant expense when you don't really need it.

edit: it may be only 5 percent a year so would take 8 years for discount - the site is difficult to figure out - rip off!

Last edited by dboy; Apr 11th 2010 at 6:45 pm.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:37 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

I was only pointing out the difference. In BC we have ICBC which is, well, an experience in itself. Having one insurance company dealing with practically everyone's insurance has some major drawbacks, and can be advantageous.

I have heard some nightmare stories regarding ICBC, and there are legal firms dealing exclusively with ICBC.

For example, someone whose vehicle was legally parked and unattended had someone smash into them and drive away. Thankfully a couple witnesses left notes on the vehicle. Apparently ICBC was trying to process this as 50:50 blame!!!!! I can see why though. If they draw from two policies not one, there's 2 lots of excess to exclude from the claim. So if both parties are on $1,000 excess, that's $2k that ICBC doesn't have to pay.

The nice thing about ICBC is that it discourages claimants to enter into heated debate or fighting at the scene. As I understand it it's the driver vs ICBC, never driver vs driver other than in a legal sense (i.e. if one is suing the other).

My ICBC cover is about $2k with about 10 years' no claims. I would estimate the same vehicle where I used to live in Britain at the time I left would have cost about £350 which is about $500. So in my case it's 400%. However the cover wouldn't be as good. My excess is $500 here but would be lower at about £250 in Britain. Also most British insurers include windscreen cover with zero excess and no impact on no claims discount for comprehensive insured customers. Windscreens are covered by my Canadian insurance but subject to my regular $500 excess and no doubt will affect my no claims discount in some way. Last time I had to replace my screen I was quoted $503 all in to replace it, which is $500 out of my wallet and a generous $3 from ICBC. I got it done in the US instead and shelved out $220 all in, and got a set of new tyres for about 40% of the cost too. That's the relief those of us living on the border have, but it's more than a bit frustrating paying so much over the odds... but another story.

Again, my thoughts only....
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:41 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by R I C H
Oh really? I've never paid more than $1,200 for insurance here with fully comp $3m liability cover. It's easily equivalent to the cover I had in the UK. More expensive, yes, but nowhere near to the degree you're suggesting is typical.

Who are these 'people in BC' ?
Wow - maybe it's a lower mainland thing, but seems 2-3k is pretty well standard according to the people I know here. But insurance does work in an unexpected way here. I got a quote on a convertible sports car recently and it came out a lot less than my present, more boring car. I questioned how they work this one out, and they said because the sports car was rarer, they have less stats on it and it just works out cheaper. Now I'm not going to protest about a price reduction, although I'll never quite understand their logic (assuming they have some).
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:49 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by canadian_critic
Wow - maybe it's a lower mainland thing, but seems 2-3k is pretty well standard according to the people I know here. But insurance does work in an unexpected way here. I got a quote on a convertible sports car recently and it came out a lot less than my present, more boring car. I questioned how they work this one out, and they said because the sports car was rarer, they have less stats on it and it just works out cheaper. Now I'm not going to protest about a price reduction, although I'll never quite understand their logic (assuming they have some).
I also found this odd, as i noted above, not a lot of difference in a run around vs a new audi??? It seems that insurance costs are more evenly distributed, stinging those with crap cars and benefiting those with fancier ones? It appears the value of the motor and how powerful it is, has little impact on insurance costs. I also know that age is not really a factor and it really comes down to the no claims discount.

It is odd.

I wonder what Del Boy's three wheeler would cost to insure here?

Last edited by dboy; Apr 11th 2010 at 6:53 pm.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 6:57 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by dboy
I'm surprised you bought a motor, Living and working DT - I wouldn;t buy one. I know there's the convenience for trips about the area but still a significant expense when you don't really need it.
Getting up to whistler (like I did yesterday) is a lot easier with one and, as you say, there is getting out and about in BC too. But yes, it's an extravagant luxury that I could get by without easily enough - I did so for the first 18mos of living here.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 8:02 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by dboy
I wonder what Del Boy's three wheeler would cost to insure here?
I'm sure it would flag a message to instruct the customer to re-affix the wheel they have removed before applying.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 8:49 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

I'm not an adjuster with ICBC, but have dealt with these scenarios in past. Although basic info, it may provide some further clarification.


Originally Posted by canadian_critic
For example, someone whose vehicle was legally parked and unattended had someone smash into them and drive away. Thankfully a couple witnesses left notes on the vehicle. Apparently ICBC was trying to process this as 50:50 blame!!!!! I can see why though. If they draw from two policies not one, there's 2 lots of excess to exclude from the claim. So if both parties are on $1,000 excess, that's $2k that ICBC doesn't have to pay.
If a vehicle was hit while unattended, then it would be classed as a "hit and run" and if apprehended by the police, the departing driver would be charged for leaving the scene of the accident and be held 100% responsible for the incident. Generally speaking, the split liability (50/50 for instance) is applied when 2 parties have differing stories and there are no independent witnesses to prove otherwise. At times, even the witnesses see things entirely differently and although one party may seem more believable, a decision can only be based on the facts available. This would fall under the Negligence Act and from what I understand, any insurance company would approach the scenario in the same manner.


Originally Posted by canadian_critic
My excess is $500 here but would be lower at about £250 in Britain. Also most British insurers include windscreen cover with zero excess and no impact on no claims discount for comprehensive insured customers. Windscreens are covered by my Canadian insurance but subject to my regular $500 excess and no doubt will affect my no claims discount in some way. Last time I had to replace my screen I was quoted $503 all in to replace it, which is $500 out of my wallet and a generous $3 from ICBC.
You have a choice of what deductible you pay for your comprehensive. If you carry $300. deductible, then in most cases, you would pay a $200. deductible for glass coverage/replacement. Comprehensive claims (glass, fire, theft, vandalism, hail damage, collision with an animal, etc) are not chargeable claims and won't affect your discount upon renewal.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 10:48 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by dboy
I also found this odd, as i noted above, not a lot of difference in a run around vs a new audi??? It seems that insurance costs are more evenly distributed, stinging those with crap cars and benefiting those with fancier ones? It appears the value of the motor and how powerful it is, has little impact on insurance costs. I also know that age is not really a factor and it really comes down to the no claims discount.

It is odd.

I wonder what Del Boy's three wheeler would cost to insure here?
It's probably a side effect of insuring based on driving record rather than statistical risk. 'Lower risk' people subsidise 'higher risk' people, whether they be teenagers or people driving expensive cars. That's just a guess - but it tallies in with something JonboyE said about this ages ago.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 10:57 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by Alan2005
It's probably a side effect of insuring based on driving record rather than statistical risk. 'Lower risk' people subsidise 'higher risk' people, whether they be teenagers or people driving expensive cars. That's just a guess - but it tallies in with something JonboyE said about this ages ago.
I've been told that the "flatter" rates across cars in Canada is connected mostly to the higher compensation in civil damages cases. It doesn't matter if a pedestrian was run over by a Honda Civic or a Humvee.

The other factor is how often different models get stolen, which is related to the model's marketability in places like Istanbul or Caracas.
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Old Apr 11th 2010, 11:56 pm
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Default Re: & Canadians moan about gas prices here!

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I wasn't complaining - just putting myself up as an example of one of those 'people in BC' that RICH doesn't think exist.
I didn't claim they didn't exist, I was responding to the assertion that "people in BC are paying around $2k - 3k for basic comprehensive insurance" - it's just a broad generalization that doesn't necessarily give a true picture of costs. In my own experience, and with knowledge of friends and colleagues insurance overheads, those figures are much higher than average.

I agree that the vehicle seems to make little difference. My premiums have differed by less than $150 p/yr, for vehicles as varied as a Sierra 1500 SLT, Mazda 3GT, Ford F150, Impreza WRX, Mercedes ML and Forester XT. The value of them ranged from $20 to $60k, some leased, some financed, some owned outright.
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