Rev up your ICBC coverage with Western Coast's motorcycle insurance that, frankly, can't be beat

May 3, 2021

Sabrina Langston is our Western Coast Insurance Services’ branch manager for our Clayton Crossing and Langley locations in British Columbia. She is a trusted, licensed expert with over two decades spent providing customers the right motorcycle insurance.

Could you explain the benefits and advantages in choosing Western Coast?

What makes it exciting at Western Coast is our insurance advisors go above and beyond on all your insurance needs. We want you to know that we care about you and want to see you protected. The high level of experience at Western Coast is rare within the industry. Here, we have tenured staff members who have been in the business 5 to 20 plus years. In working for other agencies, I would say our Western Coast motorcycle product can’t be beat when it comes to coverage and pricing for what’s available in this province. We’re there when our clients need us through access to our in-house claims department and the championship service they provide.

Could you explain the basics of motorcycle insurance in British Columbia?

If you take a motorcycle on any road or highway in British Columbia, you have to carry a minimum of $200,000 in third party liability with ICBC to legally drive it. Your standard Autoplan motorcycle policy comes with the $200,000 liability. However, there are great advantages in buying up to $5 million to protect you from non-vehicle damage or when you’re traveling out of province.

We’re reminding customers that ICBC changed on May 1, 2021 to a new program called Enhanced Care. You’ll now have significant improvements to your care and medical benefits, no matter who is determined to be at fault. The same goes for pedestrians and cyclists. You can also buy collision and comprehensive, as well as emergency roadside coverage, for your motorcycle through ICBC.

Your ICBC policy will also cover you when you travel out of province or to other jurisdictions (Canada and the United States, Mexico excluded). Under Enhanced Care, you will be able to sue for non-vehicle damage, but not bodily injury. Yet, when traveling outside British Columbia to a “tort” province, the right to sue for bodily injury and vehicle damage still exists — this is another reason why you should consider the $5 million liability.

Under the basic Enhanced Care policy, if you’re innocent in a motor vehicle collision, but you have received vehicle damage, it now pays for repairs up to $200,000 with some exclusions.

What are the benefits and enhancements with Western Coast’s motorcycle insurance?

The benefits of our Western Motorcycle product begin immediately with superior rates and coverage for collision and comprehensive as well as emergency roadside. With us, emergency roadside is covered up to $200 maximum per annual policy period, whereas ICBC would only cover $50 if you purchased the Roadside Plus policy. Next, we offer replacement cost for bikes two model years or newer.

In order to qualify, the motorcycle must be insured to the full replacement cost, including taxes. Let’s say I purchase a 2021 Harley-Davidson motorcycle in 2021 and, unfortunately, get into an accident the next year (total write off). Even though it was a 2021, I would get a 2022 Harley, similar make and model, because I purchased replacement coverage with Western Coast.

As for bikes three model years or older, we insure these on a declared value basis. Meaning, how much it would cost to replace that exact bike, year, make and model, including taxes. That amount is agreed upon when you purchase the policy.

Great customer advantages of our Western Coast motorcycle product

We provide coverage for riding gear and helmets up to $3,000.
Optional coverage is available for your trailer, if towed by your motorcycle.
If your bike sustains a loss by fire, lightning or theft, we waive the entire deductible.
$1,000 for lock rekeying with no deductible if your keys are stolen.
If you’re traveling away from home and you’re involved in a motor vehicle incident or your bike is vandalized, you’re eligible for $1,000 maximum for delivery of the damaged bike back home.

o $2,000 maximum additional living expenses (depending on the number of people).

o $3,000 per person or $6,000 max travel cost (return home by the most direct route).

o $500 max for a replacement (similar make and model) bike if damaged in an accident.

We have options available for additional living expenses, designed to help you if your bike were to be vandalized, damaged or stolen. For example, if you are travelling and come from dinner and your bike is gone, then your insurance will pay for you to stay in a hotel, rent another motorcycle (or similar vehicle) or provide travel cost to get you home. You can even continue on your trip a bit. You don’t have to stop just because something happened. Our insurance provides very nice peace of mind.

Are there misconceptions around motorcycle insurance that you would like to clear up?

People will often tell us they’re not getting collision or comprehensive for fire and theft because they keep their bike in their garage. Some believe their bike will be covered under their home insurance if it was in their garage, and it’s not. They would lose the full value of their motorcycle in the event they didn’t have collision or comprehensive on their bike. Our expert team at Western Coast always explains the value of each coverage and what it truly means.

Why should you consider $5 million in liability for motorcycle insurance under Enhanced Care?

As previously discussed, increasing your third-party liability coverage on your bike from $200,000 up to $5 million is advantageous. Even though you don’t have the right to sue for bodily injury anymore under ICBC’s new program, we still want to see you properly protected from non-vehicle damage. Plus, many of our motorcycle customers will be taking their bikes across Canada. Remember, other places outside British Columbia may be “tort” provinces where you can still sue for bodily injury in the event of a collision. I highly recommend everyone carry the $5 million in thirty-party liability on every ICBC policy.

Why should I consider collision and comprehensive?

You need to have collision to cover damage done to the bike in an accident. If it was a total loss, you would get nothing for the motorcycle if it was your fault that you hit something. Comprehensive coverage is very important as well; that’s for fire, vandalism, water damage, animal collision, hail damage, if it sunk on a ferry etc.

Are there opportunities for people to save on their motorcycle premium?

We have discounts available for: