Vancouver, a busy city lying on the west coast of British Columbia, is one of the most populated and most multicultural cities in Canada. Vancouver is also a city filled with many mountains, known for its arts and cultures, so many theatres and filmhouses.
It is a beautiful city that is one of Canada’s biggest tourist attractions. Unfortunately, many accidents, car accidents happen in Vancouver and that’s because of the busy nature of the city. Having automobile insurance is a must in British Columbia. Every policy in British Columbia must have at least a basic ICBC autoplan, car owners have the option of using whatever private insurance company they want for better coverage. You must however know that the ICBC doesn’t care about you, all it cares about is ensuring the lowest possible claims payments are made. And this is why you would need an ICBC lawyer in Vancouver.
Getting the right automobile insurance lawyer starts with knowing what you need and knowing where to look. For instance, for those looking for an ICBC Lawyer in Vancouver, it is important you know what an ICBC claim entails. The really good lawyers will be able to advise you properly in this regard. The really very good lawyers don’t come cheap, an ICBC lawyer especially does not come cheap. An ICBC lawyer will know all the relevant laws and be able to properly file your claims.
Accidents are daily occurrences although they are not desirable in life, no one wishes or prays for loss of any kind but it happens now and then. Unfortunately, no one is immune to losses; it could happen to anyone at any time. The degree of loss varies, ranging from minimal to highly devastating. No level of loss is desirable, hence the need to be properly armed to deal with this unpleasant surprise of life.
Thankfully, there is something called insurance. You do not have to bear loss or damages all by yourself. In some states, it is illegal to lack some basic insurance. The government aims to see that all its citizens are well protected from losses. People have suffered losses that, had it not been for insurance coverage, would have left them in total disarray. Insurance takes the burden of loss off your shoulders. Fortunately, you can insure almost anything if you know where to look.
An automobile is a key part of our everyday life – we move from one place to another. As useful and key as this is, it is not without downsides even to the most careful and on the best roads. Damages and accidents are inevitable. As a result, it is better to be prepared for anything even though you hope for the best. Automobiles, just like life, involve risk; insurance is an excellent way to manage them. There are several types of automobile insurance you can get, each having its peculiarities. Six types are quite common:
Liability coverage
This is mostly mandatory for all drivers or car owners. It is necessary to purchase the minimum amount of liability coverage, at the least. Liability coverage covers bodily injury including the costs of taking care of the people injured in an accident caused by you. It also covers property damage which cares for the damage done to people’s property in an accident caused by you.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
This insurance coverage takes care of damage you suffer in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured person. It may cover the damage caused by someone who doesn’t have insurance coverage as well as the one caused by underinsured persons whose insurance coverage can’t take care of the total cost of the damage. The coverage includes medical bills and car repairs.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers a range of things including theft, vandalism and fire. As far as the damage caused is covered by the insurance, repairs or replacement is done by the insurance company. Usually, you are required to pay a certain amount called the deductible. It covers up to the actual cost of your automobile.
Collision coverage
This covers repair or replacement caused by collision with other drivers or in the case of hitting static objects like a fence. This coverage is usually optional though it is required by some lenders.
Medical payments coverage
This covers medical bills of families and passengers who are involved in an accident in the insured automobile.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP covers your medical bills following an accident. It may also cater for associated injuries like that of your children. PIP is necessary in some states and optional in others.
Other automobile insurance coverage includes: towing and labor cost insurance, gap coverage, new car replacement coverage, rental reimbursement coverage and transportation expense coverage.
To get your precious asset and most importantly your life and that of family members insured, you need the service of automobile insurance lawyers. Vancouver is littered with top-level insurance lawyers and you need to know where to look to get the right service for you.
How to find the right lawyer in Vancouver
There are several lists of Vancouver automobile insurance lawyers online. Each list contains lawyers who are trained and experienced in all matters that have to do with your automobile insurance. Websites like Avvo.com and bestlawyers.com have a great list of lawyers to pick from.
When choosing the lawyer right for you through these websites, you need to:
- Set out the type and level of coverage you want;
- Take your time to surf through the profiles of the lawyers and make a shortlist of the ones best suited to your need;
- Subsequently visit or contact the lawyers on your list and see what their offers are; and
- Place offers side by side and to decide which is best.
In making these decisions, don’t just look at the cost; try to see the whole picture.
I must also mention that you have a great advantage if you have people who are already working with insurance lawyers in Vancouver. Reach out to them to get the modus operandi of their insurance coverage. Evaluate if it matches your needs and get on board.