EDITORIAL – Auto insurance rebates will bring us closer to affordability

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

I WAS BETTING on a $101 rebate on my auto insurance — it just seemed like the kind of thing politicians might do — but Premier John Horgan fooled me, announcing rebates yesterday averaging $190, with some drivers getting up to $400.

I’m hoping for the latter but will settle for the former. The actual amount will be calculated by the government based on what we paid between April 1 and Sept. 30 last year.

And, keep in mind the $190 is an average, not a minimum. Some will get less.

The fact we’re getting anything at all is a tribute to common sense plus a lot of pressure from unhappy policy holders as ICBC savings mounted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to the tune, in fact, of $600 million. The fact drivers in other parts of the country have been getting rebates might have had something to do with it, as well.

Reluctance to promise a rebate was put down to the need to address ICBC’s dumpster fire before getting generous with drivers who have seen their insurance costs balloon over the past couple of years.

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Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.