Do Driver Penalty Points Affect My ICBC Premiums?
Driver penalty points will affect your ICBC premiums if you collect too many of them over a year. The greater the number of points accrued, the higher your premiums will rise.
Point numbers
Every traffic offence does not yield the same number of points. Minor traffic violations will generally cost you between two and three points per incident. Parking tickets do not involve points.
Speeding results in a three-point violation, while distracted driving will cost you four. However, if a police officer stops you and you are behind the wheel with a suspended or prohibited license– that is a 10-point charge.
Driver penalty point premium
Under the Driver Penalty Point premium (DPP), the ICBC reviews the amount of penalty points a driver accrues over a one-year period– but the months involving this assessment may vary according to the motorist. Anyone with four or more penalty points during that period can expect to pay the DPP.
The amount your premium will increase depends on the number of points. Those with four points can expect a $252 increase, while anyone racking up 50 or more penalty points will end up paying $34,560 or more.
DPP penalties increased as of September 1, 2019. However, anyone ticketed or involved in an accident after June 10, 2019, may find these incidents affecting their premiums for the coming year.
The ICBC moved to an insurance-based rather than a vehicle-based model in its penalty changes. That means any collisions now reflect the driver, not the vehicle. Overall, about 75 percent of drivers in British Columbia will pay the same or less in premiums, while the 25 percent with the highest violation rates will pay more.
Not paying DPP
Fail to pay the DPP after your points assessment and serious consequences will ensue. Drivers are charged a whopping 19.5 percent in interest on the monies owed after 30 days, and they also face insurance suspension. In addition, there is no driver’s license renewal or lost license replacement, while the DPP is outstanding. Further, the ICBC does not permit these drivers to take license exams.
Driver risk premium
Along with the DPP, there is also the Driver Risk Premium (DR). A motorist must pay the DR if he or she has one of the following qualifying events:
- A driving-related Criminal Code conviction, such as DUI
- A 10-point or more Motor Vehicle Act conviction
- An excessive speeding conviction
- At least two roadside prohibitions or suspensions
- At least two convictions in three years for driving while using an electronic device.
Before the annual assessment, which is usually the driver’s birth date, the ICBC reviews the previous three-year driving history. If the driver must pay the DR, new premium schedules as of November 1, 2019, include:
- $1,303 for one Criminal Code Conviction, and $5,414 for two such convictions.
- $533 for two roadside suspensions or prohibitions, excessive speed, or use of an electronic device. Just one excessive speeding conviction will cost $461.
The more convictions, the higher the DR premium. One issue with the DR is that it is not included on any tickets. Many drivers do not know they must pay the DR premium until they receive their ICBC renewals.
Contact a Vancouver ICBC lawyer
If another driver’s wrongful actions behind the wheel led to a collision, you might find the process of navigating the ICBC claims process confusing, overwhelming, and difficult to navigate. To learn how our British Columbia car accident lawyers may be able to provide you with legal assistance and advice, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers BC.
