Dial-a-claim calls were up by 14 per cent this winter compared to the year before, according to ICBC.
The auto insurer reported 292,604 claim calls from December 2016 to February 2017, spokesperson Sam Corea said. The busiest day this winter was Jan. 3 with 5,868 calls as a result of the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day snowfall. Average weekday call volume was 3,263 in February 2017, up from 2,696 in 2016. Average ICBC weekday call volume is 2,811.
December saw a 15 per cent increase in claim calls, January saw a 12 per cent increase and February saw a 17 per cent compared to the year before.
This winter saw record breaking snow in parts of the Lower Mainland and snow is expected for parts of the region this weekend.
In December, this caused hundreds of claims for Alex Fraser and Port Mann bridge-related damage, leading the province to cover ICBC deductibles for those drivers.
It’s been a rough year financially for the auto insurer as well. NDP leader John Horgan questioned the province about the $833 million deficit that ICBC is running.
“When you add it all up, it’s a $1.5 billion blunder,” said Horgan. The province had been expecting a revenue of $678 million in 2015 and is instead showing a $833 deficit as of the end of 2017.
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