ICBC Autoplan broker serving all of British Columbia
Basic rates are the same at every broker in BC, so the real work is getting your transaction and your optional coverage right.
Nikki Tehara is a licensed BC insurance broker and ICBC Autoplan broker serving all of British Columbia. Basic Autoplan rates are set by ICBC, so Nikki’s job is getting the transaction and the optional coverage right. Autoplan is not sold through this website; Nikki completes it by phone, email or in person.
What is ICBC Autoplan?
Autoplan is ICBC’s vehicle insurance program, and Basic Autoplan is the compulsory part. Every vehicle registered and driven in BC must carry it, and it is sold only through licensed Autoplan brokers. ICBC sets the Basic rates, so the Basic premium is the same no matter which broker you sit down with.
That surprises people, and it changes what a broker is actually for. The job is not finding you a cheaper Basic rate, because there is no such thing. The job is making sure the transaction is set up correctly, and that the optional coverage on top, where there is real choice, fits your vehicle and how you drive it.
Worth saying plainly: Autoplan is not quoted or sold through this website. The transaction is completed with a broker. Nikki does that by phone, email or in person, wherever you are in British Columbia.
What it typically covers
Basic Autoplan, the compulsory layer, typically includes:
- Third-party liability coverage up to the Basic limit, for injury or damage you cause to others
- Accident benefits for medical care, recovery and wage loss after a crash, which in BC apply regardless of who was at fault
- Basic vehicle damage coverage, which commonly responds when another motorist is mainly responsible for a crash in BC
- Protection where the other driver is uninsured or cannot be identified
- A base level of underinsured motorist protection
The full description of Basic coverage lives on ICBC’s costs and coverage page.
What it commonly excludes
Basic Autoplan on its own commonly leaves out:
- Damage to your own vehicle when you are at fault, which is what optional collision coverage is for
- Theft, vandalism, fire, glass and weather damage, which fall under optional comprehensive coverage
- Liability above the Basic limit
- A replacement vehicle or other loss of use costs while yours is being repaired
- Roadside assistance and towing
- New vehicle replacement if a newer vehicle is written off
None of these are automatic. Each one is a decision, which is the point of the next section.
ICBC Autoplan in British Columbia: what actually matters here
Two things make Autoplan different from every other line on this site. First, Basic coverage is compulsory and its rates are set by ICBC, so shopping around does not change the Basic premium. Second, Autoplan is not quoted or sold through this website. There is no website, this one included, where you can pay and drive away insured. The transaction is completed with a broker, and Nikki completes it by phone, email or in person for drivers anywhere in the province.
So where does a broker earn their keep? Two places. The first is accuracy: the transaction type, the principal driver, the territory, the declared use and the annual kilometres all have to be right. A policy set up on the wrong use or the wrong principal driver can cause real problems at claim time.
The second is the optional coverage, where there is genuine choice:
- Extended third-party liability above the Basic limit
- Collision and comprehensive, and the deductibles on each
- Loss of use, so a rental is covered while your vehicle is repaired
- Roadside assistance and towing
- New vehicle replacement on newer vehicles
- Excess underinsured motorist protection
ICBC describes the options on its optional coverage page. Nikki’s job is turning that list into choices that fit your vehicle, your budget and the way you actually drive.
What Nikki needs to quote you
The quote form asks for what an Autoplan transaction actually requires:
- The type of transaction: new plates, a renewal, a transfer, a dealership purchase, a temporary operating permit, storage, or a cancellation
- The principal driver name exactly as it appears on the licence
- How many years the principal driver has been licensed, and the licence class
- Any other drivers who will use the vehicle
- Vehicle year, make, model and trim
- Whether the vehicle is owned outright, financed or leased
- How it is mainly used, and roughly how many kilometres it drives in a year
- Where it is parked overnight
- At-fault claims in the last 10 years, and tickets in the last 3
- Your current insurer and plate expiry date
- Which optional coverages you want priced
Date of birth and licence number are optional on the form and can be confirmed by phone.
Common questions
Can I buy ICBC Autoplan online?
No. Autoplan is not quoted or sold through this website. ICBC offers online renewal for eligible policies; everything else is completed with a broker. The transaction is completed with a licensed Autoplan broker. Nikki handles it by phone, email or in person, and paperwork that needs a signature can usually be signed electronically. Start with a call or an email and go from there.
Why use a broker if Basic rates are the same everywhere?
Because Basic rates are set by ICBC, no broker can offer a discount on them. What varies is whether the policy is set up correctly and whether the optional coverage fits how you actually drive. Deductibles, extended liability limits and extras like loss of use are real decisions, and that is where a broker earns their keep.
Do I have to renew in person?
Many Autoplan transactions, including most renewals, can be completed by phone and email with electronic signatures. Some transactions still require original paperwork or a visit. Tell Nikki what you need done and you will get a straight answer about how it can be handled and what to have ready.
Which optional coverages are worth pricing?
It depends on the vehicle and how you use it. Extended third party liability matters because a serious claim can exceed the Basic limit. Deductibles should match what you could comfortably absorb after a loss. Loss of use, roadside and new vehicle replacement tend to matter most on newer or financed vehicles. Nikki prices what fits rather than defaulting everything on.
I am buying a car from a dealership. What should I do?
Call or email Nikki before you pick the vehicle up. Dealership purchases, private sales and transfers each have their own paperwork, and getting plates and coverage sorted before you drive away is much easier than fixing it after. Have the vehicle details, your licence and the bill of sale handy and the rest can be sorted from there.
My car is going into storage. Do I still need coverage?
You can cancel your road coverage and place the vehicle on a storage policy so it is still protected against risks like fire and theft while parked. It is a common transaction for motorcycles, RVs and summer cars in the fall. Ask about it before the plates come off, because driving an uninsured vehicle, even briefly, is not worth the risk.
What if I have tickets or an at-fault claim?
Bring it up early. ICBC rates coverage on the driving history of the people who use the vehicle, so tickets from the last three years and at-fault claims from the last ten years are part of an accurate quote. Nikki can walk through how listing drivers and choosing coverage affects what you pay.
Related cover
You can also start a quote, read more about Nikki, or browse the FAQ.
Ready to sort out your Autoplan?
Answer the quote questions online, and Nikki completes the actual Autoplan transaction with you by phone, email or in person.
Start my quoteQuotes are estimates based on the information provided. Coverage is subject to underwriting and is not in force until confirmed in writing by a licensed broker.