bit of a crash

So, Melissa and I were out shopping in Spruce Grove before Christmas when this happened….

As crashes go, it could have been much worse.

• Melissa’s truck has already been fixed – new bumper and grill etc. And Melissa was provided with a nice SUV to drive while her truck was in for repairs.
• There was no question about liability. It was definitely the other guy’s fault. Melissa’s dash cam video left no doubt.
• Melissa was only sore for a couple of days.
• I’m still sore – but that is because I tensed up and tried to brace myself against the dash. It is just a soft tissue injury and I will recover.
• I got to hear my daughter string together the most impressive string of cuss words I have ever heard – LOL. I originally thought she was cursing at the man who hit us, but she was actually cursing out her truck because she had not been able to get it into reverse fast enough to get out of harms way.

As a long time Insurance Professional, it is interesting to see how things work in Alberta, as compared to British Columbia.

The current system is BC (in effect from April 2019 to May 2021) is very similar to the Alberta model, except that Alberta has Private insurance companies. But each insurance company has to administer the first party coverage (accident benefits) according to the guidelines set by the province. Where it differs is that in addition to making a claim with our insurance company for the accident benefits, I will need to make a completely separate claim report to the insurer who covers the guy that hit us if I want any Tort Compensation. I have not done that yet as I keep forgetting to get the Third Party Insurance information from Melissa… Like BC, the tort amount is capped (somewhere around $5,000 or $6,000).

Come May 2021, the BC system is scheduled for a big change – to a no fault system. It will be interesting to see how that rolls out. Many Canadian provinces have already gone no fault as the Tort system is just too expensive to continue. If insurance rates are to stay affordable, No Fault systems appear inevitable.

The medical coverage so far has been excellent. I was a bit concerned as I just moved to Alberta and don’t have Alberta Medical coverage (3 month Waiting period) or a family doctor here. Our insurance company recommended a physio, where I was assessed. My Physical therapist reported to our Insurance company and I was approved for a set amount of therapy – 21 sessions – based on my diagnosis. The Physio has also referred me for massage therapy, but that was initially on hold due to covid restrictions.

I will get my first Massage treatment next week, and continue with weekly physio for a while longer.

It sounds like the system in BC is not quite as regimented, as it is easy in BC for the therapist to recommend ongoing treatment for a long time…

After this experience, I ordered a dash cam for my vehicle. I have thought about getting one for a long time, but just never got around to it.

This is the one I purchased. Mini Dash Cam

It is inexpensive and Tiny! It is about the size of an egg. It was easy to install. It even came with a little pry tool to help you tuck the wires in. The only trouble I had was with the micro SD card (need to order separately). Luckily I ordered a 2 pack, because I dropped one of them down between the seats and it disappeared.

Hopefully, now that I have it all set up, I will never need it.