Liberals Left ICBC In Bad Shape

[GordonH]

Both BC governments have used ICBC & BC Hydro as their own personal piggy-bank for general revenue. With 1 huge difference they only took from it never added to it.

[Smurf]

Take the money and put it into hiring more police and if there is extra put it into roads or what ever but they should make sure they are taking lots. I don't care if it goes to the owner of the car they can collect it from the driver if it wasn't them. Maybe they'll stop lending their car to idiots if it costs them enough. There are lots of places to put the money to good use. Give lots of points with the tickets and let ICBC soak them on their drivers licenses and any car insurance they buy. Let ICBC know the owner of all cars caught in infractions and add a premium to their insurance next time around. If it starts to cost them 20 thousand or more a year most will soon learn and soon no one will lend them a car. Make it so that if a company hires someone with so many points on their licence and allows them to drive company cars their company insurance goes up. One way or another it is time these idiots pay big time for their foolishness.

I am sick of paying extra because of these people and of all the accidents, deaths and injuries they are causing. Time to make people responsible citizens instead of idiotic fools.

[Gone_Fishin]

I've warned that the NDP would bring back photo radar. And I hope they do, because the last time they did, well, 77 -2. Go for it Horgan!

[GordonH]

I've warned that the NDP would bring back photo radar. And I hope they do, because the last time they did, well, 77 -2. Go for it Horgan!

If it slows down those who speed so be it, I never got a ticket last time photo-radar was used.

I guess that makes me a lefty now.....

[Smurf]

I wonder if we took these people and made them clean up some bad accident scenes, be right in the thick of things, if it would help. Make them get down and dirty to keep their licenses. Sorry boss I was driving like a total idiot and now I have to have the afternoon off to go clean up a serious accident on hwy 97.

[Dizzy1]

I've warned that the NDP would bring back photo radar. And I hope they do, because the last time they did, well, 77 -2. Go for it Horgan!

If it slows down those who speed so be it, I never got a ticket last time photo-radar was used.

I guess that makes me a lefty now.....

Rrrriiiiigggghhhht - for about 2 minutes.

[hobbyguy]

The premise of this original post is just the NDP spinning top of circular logic.

The BC Liberals held ICBC rates down by limiting ICBC's profitability. I KNOW that was done for political purposes but in point of fact it inadvertently pretty much returns ICBC to the original Dave Barrett NDP intent - a non profit insurance company to provide the lowest possible cost for BC drivers.

Now lessee, which party? promised to "cap ICBC rates" during the election. Was it the Green party - nope, don't think so. Was it the Liberal party - nope, don't think so. Was it the NDP - yessiree it was the NDP advocating capping ICBC rates, politically interfering with the rates of ICBC.

So when the Liberals hold down ICBC rates - bad!!! Very, very bad!!! Despicable!!! Awful, nasty, horrid politicians - how dare they!!!

When the NDP want to "cap ICBC rates" - cue the gentle harp music, rhapsody in blue, what wunnerful folk! Cheering applause from the NDP supporters.

There goes the NDP spinning top of circular logic again.

[Hurtlander]

The premise of this original post is just the NDP spinning top of circular logic.

The BC Liberals held ICBC rates down by limiting ICBC's profitability. I KNOW that was done for political purposes but in point of fact it inadvertently pretty much returns ICBC to the original Dave Barrett NDP intent - a non profit insurance company to provide the lowest possible cost for BC drivers.

Now lessee, which party? promised to "cap ICBC rates" during the election. Was it the Green party - nope, don't think so. Was it the Liberal party - nope, don't think so. Was it the NDP - yessiree it was the NDP advocating capping ICBC rates, politically interfering with the rates of ICBC.

So when the Liberals hold down ICBC rates - bad!!! Very, very bad!!! Despicable!!! Awful, nasty, horrid politicians - how dare they!!!

When the NDP want to "cap ICBC rates" - cue the gentle harp music, rhapsody in blue, what wunnerful folk! Cheering applause from the NDP supporters.

There goes the NDP spinning top of circular logic again.

First of all, undoubtedly neither the NDP or anyone else not closely connected to the previous government had a clue as to how bad the ICBC financial situation was until this report recently came out. I highly doubt that the NDP would have made the promise to cap ICBC rates if they were aware as to the extent of ICBC's financial mess...
Furthermore more, I dare you to man up and write a letter to Rob Shaw and the Vancouver Sun explaining to them why their article is nothing more than "NDP spinning top of circular logic" ........writing a letter to the Vancouver Sun telling them that you disagree with their article is a far more sensible approach that jumping down my throat for posting a link to something you disagree with. I'll be checking with the comment section to that article in the Sun, watching for your letter to set them straight...

[mr.bandaid]

You want to lower rates shoot a few lawyers, Figuratively. Rates are going through the roof because the leeches are involved. They are involved because ICBC low balled settlements for years. You could be parked in your garage and someone would crash into your garage while you slept and totaled your car and I BC would say you were 50% responsible.

[seewood]

I understand road blocks we see in the evenings were paid for by ICBC. I was told that anyway... Just anecdotal but it seems when the government was dipping into ICBC to balance the books, I have noticed a reduction in road blocks. Being a paid on call fire guy for 19 years and dealing with the aftermath of many vehicle incidents, I like the idea of road blocks.
The last one I went through a couple of weeks ago had 3 cars lined up ready for towing and that was at 8 o'clock in the evening.
I'd like to see ICBC go back to the time when profits went back to the company and the investment of those funds helped keep the ever increasing rates down. Thought that was the original premise of ICBC.

[hobbyguy]

Hurtlander - of the course the NDP had no clue as to the ICBC situation - that would require the NDP to read a financial statement - and we know for a fact they don't know how. Couldn't cost their own platform, couldn't bidget it, couldn't figure out a taxation plan? Now you expect the financially illiterate NDP to read and understand a financial statement?

And OF COURSE people knew about the developing problems with ICBC and claims costs. It is right here: http://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/company-info/Documents/Statement-of-financial-info-2015.pdf

You don't need a report to tell you that ICBC was running an underwriting loss, just read the financial statement!

Oh - I forgot - the NDP don't "get" financial statements, so the underwriting loss will come as a complete shock to Horgan and crew! Besides - they were probably audited by KPMG, so it is all a conspiracy theory.

I certainly knew that ICBC rates were going to have to jump, and I noted the political moves to suppress rates. That was easy to spot, as insurance premiums all over North America are jumping as claims costs go through the roof and accident rates climb rapidly thanks to idiots who can't leave their phones alone.

http://wate.com/2017/06/19/your-car-insurance-premium-is-likely-to-rise-again/

"Across, the United States auto insurance rates are expected to increase by 26 percent, according to a new study by global research company J.D. Power."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ccasazza/2017/05/23/why-are-car-insurance-rates-still-going-up/#61de29597753

"It’s even worse for some other insurers like State Farm. The single largest auto insurer in the country has seen its revenue from premiums rise by 26% since 2010, but also suffer a 35% increase in the cost of covering the cost of claims in the same time period."

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/your-car-insurance-rates-are-going-because-everyone-keeps-texting-n725326


Then add into the much higher accident rates from distracted drivers the much higher costs of repairs to newer vehicles. $1,000 to replace a mirror on some models of E-150!! Just for a mirror! ICBC has no control over those costs, nor the reasons behind it - the weak Canadian $ and this scam:

https://newrepublic.com/article/122820/infuriating-reason-car-repairs-are-so-expensive

The automakers are moving toward the model that inkjet printer makers use - sell the product dirt cheap, and the ink costs like gold. Except the automakers use parts, patented parts so nobody can compete.

So if the NDP claim that this is all a surprise - then the NDP have been walking around with their eyes closed. I have been waiting for the sticker shock to kick in for a couple of years.

[madmudder]

Bottom line is the BC Lieberals raiding ICBC coffers for hundreds of millions of dollars every year to balance their budget.

[Smurf]

That certainly doesn't help matters. The governments should keep their slimy hands out of these companies and collect their dollars by taxes the way they are supposed to. Since the NDP started the trend with BC Hydro, I'm not sure about ICBC, I am doubtful they will change the habit and raise taxes. Time will tell and it will be feather in their cap if they actually do. If they do freeze rates in these companies it will be an absolute disaster.

[flamingfingers]

NDP must come clean about plans for ICBC, Liberal Opposition demands

How come the ChristyLiberals are just now taking an interest in the mess they created???

[LordEd]

It's their new job to hold the current government accountable.

What was the NDP doing for the last decade?