Do you drive for a living or have a fleet of vehicles in your business? Do you drive to work?

Recent UCP changes to remove the cap rates on auto insurance premiums will have an unintended consequence. Insurance companies in Alberta have been limited by the amount of insurance premium increases they can impose and consequently have been losing $1.30 for every $1.00 in auto insurance premiums. Costs to repair more complicated vehicles is the main reason. Now that the UCP have lifted these limits, Insurance Companies are looking to recoup what they have lost. The major carriers have focused on Distracted Driving as a high-risk offence and the consequences to drivers and fleet owners can be disastrous.

It will be next to impossible for drivers or fleet owners to renew their insurance if they have a distracted driving offence. Insurance Carriers are refusing Comprehensive and Collision coverage. As a last resort, Insurance Carriers are moving these “high risk” clients to the Insurance Facility which is a pool of high- risk clients. We have noted that insurance in Facility can increase your premiums many times over. For example, we know of a particular Fleet Owner who had premiums in the thousands and is now paying tens of thousands in dollars in insurance for having 2 drivers with distracted driving offences.

Distracted Driving can be as simple as having a cell phone in hand or in reach. Police are aggressive in issuing these tickets and we have heard that red light cameras may be set up to look through the front windows to search for in-sight cell phones.

ANDERSONBRONSCH TEAM
ROMANOVSKY & ASSOCIATES LLP
CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

Keith M.J. Anderson* BCom, CPA, CA-IT, CITP

Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Accountant (Canada)
CA-Designated Information Technology Specialist (Canada)
Certified Information Technology Professional (US)
* Professional Corporation

Web: www.AlbertaCPA.com
Email: keith@albertacpa.com
Phone: 780 447 5830
Fax: 780 451 6291
Cell: 780 906 2223

Disclaimer:
This information is provided for general information purposes only. As legislation changes frequently, certain information may be out of date periodically. The complexity of the Law and the varied circumstances of each taxpayer dictates that the information provided may not be suitable in all circumstances. Readers must not rely on any information provided without first obtaining direct and competent professional advice. The information provided is not intended to replace or serve as substitute for any audit, advisory, tax or other professional advice, consultation or service. Therefore, the information is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including accuracy, timeliness and completeness. In no event shall and associated parties to this information be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, consequential or other damages whatsoever.

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