Victoria, British Columbia — Data collected by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) shows that there is a growing number of glass repair and replacement claims across the province, with the ICBC paying more than $100 million each year.
While the Crown corporation did not speculate on the reasons behind the increase, data shows that the ICBC paid to repair or replace more than 216,000 windshields in 2022, up from approximately 200,000 in 2021.
Furthermore, windshield replacement cost came in at around $164 million in 2022, while repairs totalled $4.8 million, said the Vancouver Sun.
ICBC spokesperson, Lindsay Wilkins further told the Vancouver Sun that the cost for windshield claims has increased every year since 2018, with a big jump in 2022 when inflation, labour and supply chain issues made parts more expensive.
In 2022, there was also an increase of 11 percent in the province for glass replacement claims as drivers returned to roads in greater numbers after the pandemic.
However, Wilkins also told the Vancouver Sun that the ICBC’s free windshield chip repair program, introduced in 2017, has saved many drivers from paying the deductible for a full replacement, while in turn prolonging the life of the windshield.
Sid Joshi, owner of Maple Auto Glass in Surry, B.C., noted that a replacement windshield used to take repair shops in the province an average of two and a half hours, but now takes an additional hour on average to reattach and calibrate necessary sensors.
