Christy Clark - BC Premier

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by maniac78

We pay twice what Albertans pay. It's only the lowest in the country according to ICBC supporters.

For the exact same coverage?

A few years ago when the insurance industry considered me young and dumb, I decided to get some insurance quotes as if I was living in Alberta.

My ICBC premiums at the time were $2,000 per year. (They're down to $1,200 now on the same car.) The quotes I got from Alberta insurers were between $3,000 and $6,000 at the time.

[G-Man]

^ Agree. My yearly premium for my car is $479. There is no way I could insure a car for a year anywhere in Canada for half that.

[Mike K.]

Originally Posted by maniac78

We pay twice what Albertans pay. It's only the lowest in the country according to ICBC supporters.

It's only the most expensive according to you. I pay $864 through ICBC and my Alberta premium is $1,400+ all the way to $2,500 depending on options.

Where's your proof that we're paying twice what Albertan's pay? Anecdotal quips won't cut it, though.

[maniac78]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

It's only the most expensive according to you. I pay $864 through ICBC and my Alberta premium is $1,400+ all the way to $2,500 depending on options.

Where's your proof that we're paying twice what Albertan's pay? Anecdotal quips won't cut it, though.

Friends of mine just moved to Alberta, insured their car. Here it was ~$800 there it's $400. That's half by my math. Yes young people pay more and yes people who are bad drivers with lots of accidents pay more too.

[Coreyburger]

Originally Posted by maniac78

Friends of mine just moved to Alberta, insured their car. Here it was ~$800 there it's $400. That's half by my math. Yes young people pay more and yes people who are bad drivers with lots of accidents pay more too.

Is a point of data, but only a single point. I would like to see a more systematic approach before you make statements that everybody pays half in Alberta.

[Mike K.]

Friends of mine just moved to Alberta, insured their car. Here it was ~$800 there it's $400. That's half by my math. Yes young people pay more and yes people who are bad drivers with lots of accidents pay more too.

That's anecdotal.

What are the options they chose on their insurance? Did they purhcase CAA coverage? Did they insure multiple vehicles? Did they insure a home and vehicle together? Did they select a lower coverage rate? Did they change the primary use? Primary driver? Was a teenager removed from their insurance? Did they meet an old-age requirement? Is the vehicle now a year older and cheaper to insure? Was the deductible decreased? Do they have collision? Do they commute? Do they run a business? Are they living in a rural area? Is the car parked in a garage? Etc., etc., etc. There are dozens of factors that affect insurance rates.

Unless you know the precise parameters affecting their insurance you can't go around making statements like "we're getting fleeced in BC."

Just out of curiosity, how much are you paying for your insurance with ICBC, and what vehicle do you drive?

[Bob Fugger]

As part of government's 2001 Core Review process, I had the privilege of working for government's crown agency oversight arm. One of my projects was to conduct a comparative analysis into auto insurance regimes in all Canadian jurisdictions. I used three vehicle types, three customer types and as comparable insurance levels as possible (more on that later). Averaged out amongst the matrix of choices, ICBC was in a majority of cases as or more affordable than private jurisdictions.

When you consider coverage, only in public auto insurance regimes (though not all), you have what is called a full tort system. That is, you can sue for the moon. In Alberta, for example, there are very low limits to what you can sue for. When you factor the comprehensive nature of our full tort system and compare it to private auto insurance regimes, ICBC blows them out of the water on a value-for-money perspective. Sadly, ICBC is terrible at communicating these points to their customers.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by sebberry

My ICBC premiums at the time were $2,000 per year. (They're down to $1,200 now on the same car.) The quotes I got from Alberta insurers were between $3,000 and $6,000 at the time.

So, my insurance this year will be $1,255 at ICBC, including $2M Liability and $300 deductibles.

Just did the automated insurance quotes and tried to match up all the features as best as I could. Quotes ranged from $1460 all the way to $2044 per year. It's difficult to match it exactly - for example I don't know what neighbourhood in Edmonton to pick for a fair comparison. But the general trend appears to be higher rates in Edmonton for me to insure the same car.

The insurance industry is one industry where competition doesn't necessarily work in favour of the consumer.

[Sparky]

A bad week for Clark’s fading B.C. Liberals

It should have been so simple and straightforward [...]

The Globe and Mail

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/na...service=mobile

[http]

Originally Posted by Sparky

I am all for putting this province into receivership (which it is) and let the accountants run it for a while.

The notion fills me with horror. While financial management is an important aspect of government, government is not a business. I am not a taxpayer, I am a citizen.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by http

The notion fills me with horror. While financial management is an important aspect of government, government is not a business. I am not a taxpayer, I am a citizen.

We need some businessmen running this province, not politicians.

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by http

The notion fills me with horror. While financial management is an important aspect of government, government is not a business. I am not a taxpayer, I am a citizen.

A socialist is someone that has nothing and wants to share it with everyone.

A liberal is a communist with an education.

We lost our business party when the Zalm screwed it up for all of us.

There is no hope on the horizon.....

[Lorenzo]

Originally Posted by sebberry

We need some businessmen running this province, not politicians.

Well, I'd be fine with an HONEST combination of both!

Maybe my naivete' is showing through.

[History Buff]

John Van Dongen just left the NDP for the conservatives

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by History Buff

John Van Dongen just left the NDP for the conservatives

Worse than that, he left the Liberals for the Conservatives!

[History Buff]

Sheesh....I need a proof reader

But the worse than that comment was funny

I suppose it is all the same though

[Sparky]

The wacky world web is faster than the eye. If you click on www.johnvandongen.com you get the BC Liberals web page.

Do the Liberals own his name?

[Lorenzo]

Somehow I don't think he will be the last. I am undecided where my support will go this time around. But for the sake of the BC Cons, I hope they are very careful about who they let cross the floor. I'd hate to see MLA's who are well past their "expiry date" be allowed to cross over and stink up the new place!

[sebberry]

Dongen doesn't exactly improve the image of the conservative party...

[J Douglas]

The rats are emerging from the bilge, and jumping into the water, as is often the case in these sort of circumstances. We may hope that they know how to swim, but given the nature of the animal, I think we need have no doubt about their survival techniques.

As for businessmen running the province, we have had ample evidence of businessmen running things, from the great depression of the '30's to the crash of '08, with many sideshows along the way. Thanks, but no thanks, is my take on it.

If the polls are accurate, social democracy will be returning to BC, in another year or so. It will be a welcome relief.

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by J Douglas

If the polls are accurate, social democracy will be returning to BC, in another year or so. It will be a welcome relief.

Oh sure, that's just what this province needs: a return to bankrupt the Keynesian economic policies of the 1990s, paid for by you and I. Hell, even the federal NDP don't believe in that ******** anymore. Pity, the BCNDP never got the memo.

[spanky123]

The Provincial Libs were an uneasy coalition of the centre and right which came together to defeat the Clark NDP. It is hardly a suprise that when the going gets tough some members are pulling back to their routes. Dix shouldn't be gloating however, his "bust" today for fare jumping on the Skytrain hardly makes him appear as leadership material either.

I wouldn't count on a rise in socialism returning the NDP to power at any level either. Topp's defeat this past weekend prove's how little appetite there is for that even in our "leftist" party.

[G-Man]

^ On the positive side Victoria will be able to get some infrastructure money as the pork barrel rolls our way. So bridge funding, LRT etc... All coming to an NDP muni near you.

[Candarius]

I am amused that leaving the Liberals to sit as a Conservative means that he is technically sitting as an independent because the Conservatives do not have party status in the Legislative Assembly just yet...

But I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of wacky times in BC Politics.

How does the saying go? Like deja vu all over again?

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by Candarius

...But I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of wacky times in BC Politics...

When is it NOT wacky times in BC politics?