Third-Party Liability coverage is part of your Basic Autoplan and covers you for claims made against you by other drivers after a crash. If the crash was your fault, up to $200,000 of their costs will be covered by your Basic Autoplan.
If you are responsible for a crash, you might also be responsible for paying to repair another vehicle or covering its driver's medical costs. Third-Party Liability coverage protects you against these claims, covering the cost of damage and injuries sustained in a crash that you were at fault for.
If you have Basic Autoplan and own a passenger or light commercial vehicle registered in B.C., you are covered for payments up to $200,000.
If you are the owner of a bus, taxi, limo or heavy commercial vehicle, you are covered for payments up to $1 million.
If you carry dangerous goods in your commercial vehicle, you are covered for payments up to $2 million. See the Ministry of Transportation’s Commercial Vehicles
web site for more information.
If you are at fault in a crash, the costs claimed against you could be more than $200,000. With only the Basic Autoplan coverage, you would be responsible for the difference.
Ask your Autoplan broker about Extended Third-Party Liability coverage — you could buy coverage for claims up to $5 million.
Why would I need more Third Party Liability?
Canadian and U.S. courts often award damages that are much higher than $200,000. In fact, injury awards sometimes exceed $1 million. Without Extended Third Party Liability coverage, you are responsible for paying any amounts above the $200,000 covered by Basic Autoplan. Most motorists feel more comfortable extending their Third Party Liability coverage to $1 or $2 million, or more.
All coverages are quoted in Canadian dollars. If you will be driving in the U.S., remember that any damages claimed against you there will be in U.S. dollars!