Nova Scotia Car Accident Claims – Insurance Review Recommends Improvements to NS System

The consultant hired to conduct a review of Nova Scotia’s auto insurance system has recommended improvements to help benefit consumers.

The Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association was asked to sit on the Board that reviewed the insurance legislation: McKiggan Appointed to Provincial Insurance Review Committee

My colleague Ray Wagner and I proposed a number of improvements to Nova Scotia’s insurance scheme that have been adopted and recommended to the government for implementation.

Some of the key recommendations include:

Creating an optional insurance coverage that consumers can purchase that would allow them to fully recover for their injuries (“full tort” insurance coverage)

Increasing the amount available to injured persons for medical and rehabilitation expenses from $25,000.00 to $50,000.00.

Increasing death benefits for the head of a household to $25,000 from $10,000.00

Treatment protocols which would speed access to treatment doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors.

Requiring insurance companies pay treatment providers directly rather than the current system that requires accident victims to pay first and get reimbursed later

It remains to be seen which, if any, of the recommendations will be adopted by the government. But Graham Steele, the finance minister in charge of the review, has stated his support for the review process and the recommendations.

Here’s a link to the Auto Insurance Review Final Report.