by Raymond » Wed May 07, 2008 11:00:27 AM
Not too sure what you mean, "RBC didn't have to pay out a dime."
Nova Scotia, unlike Ontario and New Brunswick, doesn't have a direct compensation property damage agreement. To get reimbursed for your property damage (but not medical expenses), you would have had to received the money from the collision or all perils section of your RBC policy, less your $250 deductible.
Otherwise, since your province doesn't have a DCPD plan, you would had to have made a claim against the other drivers, yourself, for the percentage of the PROPERTY damage they were found to be at fault for and wait for a judgment in your favour - something highly unlikely.
(But heh, if you did, maybe they, too, would have been able to settle for 10 cents on the dollar.)
As well, had you been personally injured in the accident, there would have been significant costs to RBC. Under the accident benefits section of your policy, the other drivers or their insurers are liable only when when the accident benefits under yours have been exhausted. Because bodily injury costs can be a lot more than property damage ones, that could add up to a whole heap of money.
And so, it's not quite as cut and dried as you make out. That's why they raised your deductible. There should have been some corresponding drop in your premium if you were found 0% at fault in those collisions.
As for myself, I've been with RBC for a number of years and they've treated me OK. I've maintained a perfect driving record while driving everything from motorcycles to transports. Nevertheless, I've been rear ended 4 times, coincidently, always while stopped at a red traffic light. One driver even had a stolen car. Needless to say, it wasn't counted against me, HTA or insurance wise. Just glad I wasn't driving a Smartcar though. In any event, RBC always acted fairly with me.
Ray