When Do You Have to Buy Car Insurance when You Move From Alberta to B.C.?
Are you planning to move from Alberta to British Columbia? If so, there are several steps that you will need to take to drive your car legally. One of these steps is buying car insurance for your vehicle. When do you have to buy car insurance when you move to B.C.?
Car Insurance in British Columbia
All drivers must obtain car insurance before they can legally drive their vehicles in British Columbia. Car insurance is provided by a government-run company, the IBIC. Obtaining car insurance is part of the vehicle registration process, so you will need to purchase insurance as soon as possible when arriving in this province. You cannot drive on British Columbia roads as a resident if you do not have the required car insurance coverages.
Buying Car Insurance in British Columbia
Although drivers in British Columbia have little choice when it comes to buying car insurance, you will need to contact a broker in your area to insure your vehicle. There are about 900 brokers throughout British Columbia that can help get you on the government’s insurance program, called the Autoplan. These brokers can prepare your application to the Autoplan, and help you decide which optional coverages you need to add to your policy.
What is provided in the Autoplan?
The basic Autoplan provides British Columbia residents with government mandated car insurance coverages, which include $150,000 for each person injured in an accident, $200,000 for claims for damage made by other drivers, and $1 million per person to cover your expenses if you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. There are also several optional add-on coverages you can purchase – you can extend your third party liability to up to $5 million, purchase up to $2 million in excess underinsured motorist coverage, and add comprehensive and collision coverages to protect your vehicle in the event of an accident. There are also bundled packages that add other coverages, such as rental car coverage and re-keying.
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