N.S. triples minor injury cap limit
Nova Scotia is tripling the amount of money that people who suffer whiplash and other minor injuries in motor vehicle crashes can receive from insurance companies.
On April 28, Finance Minister Graham Steele announced that the cap for minor injuries will go from $2,500 to $7,500 and that the Insurance Act will be changed to narrow the definition of who qualifies for payments.
Steele says the new limit will be indexed to inflation and is now the highest in Canada.
The cap on minor injuries has been criticized by victims of car crashes since it was introduced in 2003 to help insurance companies reduce soaring car insurance premiums.
Accident victims have said in several court cases that the limit was too low to compensate for their pain and suffering and that insurance companies could afford higher payouts.
Steele says an actuarial study done for the NDP government shows that the higher cap should not result in higher premiums when the payouts begin in July.
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EDIT: ILSTV received an email from Tracie Henry from Richmond, BC saying "This is completely incorrect. B.C does not have an exact cap – in very particular circumstances, ICBC will place a cap of $340,000 for minor injuries only." — That’s very true. The $7,000 cap is the highest defined cap, but is not the highest amount available in the country. Thanks for your email, Tracie. — ILSTV editors
