ICBC Claims: From Crash Report to Repair or Total Loss
Follow the vehicle-claim lifecycle without mixing four different decisions: reporting what happened, assessing responsibility, repairing the vehicle and valuing a total loss.
Four separate decisions in a vehicle claim
Tell ICBC what happened and provide available crash, vehicle, injury, witness and police information.
ICBC reviews statements, evidence, road rules and other sources to determine fault or liability.
A damage estimate helps determine whether the vehicle should be repaired or treated as a total loss.
The claim proceeds to repair and deductible handling, or to a total-loss valuation and settlement process.
ICBC claims deep dives
Each page below isolates one part of the claim so repair cost, responsibility and vehicle value are not confused with one another.
ICBC does not publish one universal “accident surcharge”
ICBC says premiums will likely rise after a responsible crash in many cases, but the actual effect depends on the driver's record and circumstances. For an accurate estimate, ICBC directs drivers to contact ICBC or an Autoplan broker once they are within six weeks of renewal.
Repair Network or another shop?
ICBC says drivers can generally choose a repair facility. Repair Network shops can estimate and repair the vehicle, bill ICBC directly for covered work and provide limited warranties. A non-network shop can still be chosen, but the payment and warranty workflow can differ.
Read the ICBC repair process guide →Total loss is a valuation problem, not just a high repair bill
When a vehicle is not economical to repair, ICBC moves the claim into a total-loss or write-off process. The settlement is based on the vehicle's determined value. If the owner disagrees, ICBC provides a review path and ultimately vehicle-damage arbitration.
Read the Total Loss & Valuation guide →