Of all the kinds of vehicle insurance benefits and protections available, accident benefits protection is the one that is particularly designed to cover you. If the worst should take place, and you see yourself as the victim of a car crash, you may be required to take some time off work to get healed, get medical treatments, or make changes to a new way of living. These conditions can result in significant financial strain, adding to the stress of an already challenging time.
The good thing is this is where accident benefits protection is used. It offers financial assistance for various expenses, including medical costs, lost income, rehabilitation, and more, ensuring you are taken care of when you need it most.
In this article, you will understand more about what accident benefits protection is, what it protects, which regions and territories in Canada make it compulsory, and others.
Table of Contents
Meaning Of Accident Benefits Coverage
Accident benefits protection, often referred to as “Section B” in specific regions, provides a financial reward to individuals who are injured or killed in a car crash. Based on where you reside in Canada, accident benefits protection may typically be attached when you purchase car insurance, provided as an alternative add-on, or given as part of your public car insurance scheme.
This protection aims to assist in covering the costs that victims of car crashes may incur during their recovery and also provide support for their families in the event of a fatal incident. Below are some instances of what accident benefits protection may protect:
- Earning replacement for lost incomes
- Personal medical services and treatments, including physiotherapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic care.
- Rehabilitation services include vocational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological counseling.
- Medical supplies, devices, and tools such as mobility aids, prosthetics
- Funeral costs in the sad incident of a fatality.
While the types of costs protected are commonly similar, the specifics of qualifications and rewards can differ by province. Each region develops its laws concerning the amount of compensation provided and the requirements under which it is given. For example, in Ontario, the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) outlines the structure insurers use to specify the benefits an injured party may receive.
Is Accident Benefits Coverage Compulsory?
Accident benefits coverage is mandatory across most of Canada. Drivers in regions and territories where it is available can receive financial rewards for qualifying costs, such as medical expenses and lost earnings, up to the limits of their vehicle insurance policy.
Regions Where Accident Benefits Coverage Is Compulsory
- Alberta
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
However, Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba have government-operated public auto insurance systems that include accident benefits in most forms, regardless of fault.
The remaining two provinces have varied systems. Newfoundland and Labrador observe a tort structure where drivers can either purchase accident benefits protection through a personal insurer or seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance. In Saskatchewan, through the public car insurance scheme, the default is no-fault protection; however, drivers can choose a tort-based scheme instead.
Who Is Qualified For Accident Benefits
Accident benefits are designed to provide financial assistance to all individuals who may be involved in a car crash, whether you are the driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian.
Generally speaking, if you have your vehicle insurance policy, you will automatically be entitled to accident benefits from your insurer, even if you were not driving at the time of the incident, such as if you were a pedestrian or passenger. If you do not possess insurance, you may be able to assert accident benefits via the policy of the driver who triggered the accident.
Additionally, qualification for accident benefits and the procedure for obtaining them can vary by region or territory. Often, review the laws in your area to know your coverage and privileges completely.
The Limitation Duration For Accident Benefits
Since the impacts of a car accident may not be instantly apparent, you commonly possess a set duration of time, typically 24 months, from the date of the accident to file a claim for accident benefits. Hence, the particular restriction duration can differ based on where you settle in Canada. For example, in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, the cap duration is 24 months from the date of the accident, whereas in Quebec, it is 36 months.
In any case, it is crucial to account for your injuries immediately. Delaying your assertion could complicate your qualification or the reward procedure, so immediate reporting is often key.
