March 1, 2024
ICBC, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, provides auto insurance, driver licensing, vehicle registration, road safety and other products and services. They are committed to protection and peace of mind for B.C. drivers, quality products and services, and offering customers the best coverage at the lowest possible price.
ICBC provide Enhanced Care – a new auto insurance for B.C, making insurance more affordable and providing better care and recovery benefits to anyone injured in a crash.
Who is Eligible for Enhanced Care?
Under Enhanced Care, all British Columbians who have been injured in a crash on or after May 1, 2021 have access to medical care and treatments for as long as needed. Enhanced Care is available to anyone, regardless of fault.
Anyone impacted in a crash is eligible for enhanced care. That means drivers, passengers and even pedestrians can get the care they need.
What is Enhanced Care?
ICBC have changed auto insurance to make it better for you. Enhanced Care is more affordable and provides the care and coverage you need if you are in a crash. It removes many legal costs, such as lawyer fees, and passes both savings and better benefits on to you.
Enhanced Care offers you:
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Savings of approximately 20% and more stable rates
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No maximum limit in care and recovery
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Up to 90% of net income in wage loss payments
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Care when you need it, for as long as you need it
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100% of care benefits and compensation
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No legal action, except in Criminal code offences
What Are The Benefits of Enhanced Care?
The benefits under Enhanced Care coverage are available to all British Columbians. Whether you are a driver, passenger, cyclist or pedestrian, regardless of whether you caused the crash or not. Everyone deserves the care they need to get better.
New benefits support students, minors, or people who run a family business and cannot study or fulfil their usual family business activities due to injuries from a crash. One example of a new benefit includes Caregiver benefits, which is a new benefit if you’re a family caregiver and your injury prevents you from fulfilling your regular caregiver duties.
Another of the key benefits is that there is no maximum limit for your medical care and rehabilitation expenses. This means you’ll get all the care you need, when you need it, for as long as you need it. This cover includes treatments such as physiotherapy, chiropractic care and massage therapy, important for those recovering from injuries caused by an accident.
How Therapy Can Benefit You After an Accident
One of the main reasons that people choose chiropractic care after a car accident is that chiropractors are specifically trained to address whiplash, soft tissue injuries, spinal strains, and other musculoskeletal damage. They aid recovery by restoring joint movements by preventing the shortening of muscles and ligaments, an outcome caused by immobility after an injury.
Physiotherapy is important after an accident as it can help reduce pain and improve strength, balance, mobility, and overall fitness. It can help speed up recovery time after an accident, something most people are keen on to ensure they can return to normal quickly. Physiotherapy can also provide reassurance, advice, and education on how to best manage symptoms.
Similar to Physiotherapy and Chiropractic care, massage is also an effective technique for injuries such as whiplash, where injuries to the soft tissue in the neck occurs. Massage increases circulation which promotes healing and can alleviate the pain.
How Can You Access Enhanced Care?
ICBC refers to the initial date of your accident as the MVA date, or the date of loss. Within 12 weeks of this date, you are in what the ICBC Enhanced Care refers to as the “early access”.
Within this 12 week early access period, you do not need a physician’s note to access:
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Chiropractor
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Physiotherapist
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Massage therapist
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Kinesiologist
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Acupuncturist
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Counsellor (for mental health purposes)
What If You Need Care After 12 Weeks?
Passing the 12 week “early access” period does not mean you are now unable to access the specialist care that you need. However, to continue to benefit from ICBC Enhanced Care, your therapist must put a treatment plan in place. This treatment plan then has to be approved by ICBC.
Generally, ICBC will approve one initial session with the therapist (if you’re outside the 12 week early access period). During your initial session, your therapist will conduct an initial assessment, and draft a treatment plan. This will generally include how many sessions your therapist recommends. This is then submitted to the ICBC.
Approval generally takes a few days. Once approved, you can then continue to see your therapist for your treatment plan. At the end of your agreed upon treatment plan, your therapist will reassess your situation. If a determination is made that further treatments are needed, a new treatment plan can be submitted to ICBC for approval.
At COUVE HEALTH, we believe that our patients should benefit from a team of specialists. Each visit consists of manual therapy, by a chiropractor or physiotherapist, and movement together. By seeing both providers each visit, we enable you to achieve far higher outcomes than your typical chiropractic or physiotherapy visit. Book your appointment today.
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