WHAT DO ACCIDENT BENEFITS INCLUDE?

Accident benefits are an important part of your auto insurance. These benefits help cover expenses should you be injured in an accident that involves a motorized vehicle. The Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits Regulation is a mandatory part of every auto policy in Alberta. These benefits apply if you are injured as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist due to an auto accident. Coverage applies regardless of fault.

Below is a summary of what’s included in your policy. You can access the Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits Regulation from the Government of Alberta website.

Section B: Accident Benefits

These benefits are available to you if you were involved in an automobile accident. The benefits include all reasonable expenses incurred within two years from the date of the accident for necessary medical treatments, surgeries, physiotherapy, chiropractic, etc., and all other services which your attending physical and medical provider deem essential for the treatment and rehabilitation.

These treatments and services are limited to $50,000 and have a two-year limitation period (the period in which a claim can be made).

The following services have claim maximum limits under Section B including:

Massage therapy $350
Acupuncture $350
Chiropractic $1,000

The policy is not responsible for any services that are covered under any other provincial health insurance plan or employee benefits plan.

Disability Benefits

This benefit is available if you are disabled as a result of the accident, provided you were employed at the time of the accident, and within 60 days from the date of the accident, you were not able to perform any and every duty of your employment. This benefit has a seven-day waiting period and any payments for loss of earnings received from all other sources will be accounted for in the calculation.

The benefit pays $600 per week to 80 per cent of your gross earnings.

If you are 18 years of age or older, are not receiving wages for employment, and are considered to be completely incapacitated and unable to complete household duties, you may be eligible for $200 per week for not more than 26 weeks.

Diagnostic Treatment Protocol Regulation (DTPR)

The Diagnostic Treatment Protocol Regulation applies if the patient wishes to be diagnosed and treated following the protocols for a sprain, strain, or Whiplash and Associate Disorder (WAD) (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and lumbosacral) injury caused by a motor vehicle accident.

10 visits maximum – if a person is diagnosed with a sprain/strain 1 or 2 or WAD 1 injury
21 visits maximum – if a person is diagnosed with a sprain/strain 3 or WAD 2 injury

These sessions must be completed within 90 days following the date of the accident and are paid in full by the insurer. They do not impact any coverage under an employee benefit plan.

Death, Grief Counselling, and Funeral Benefits

If you die as a result of an auto accident, this benefit will provide a lump sum payout to your spouse and children/dependants. Payment will depend on the age and status of a person at the time of the accident.

Age of Deceased at Date of Accident	State of Deceased at Date of Accident
	Head of Household	Spouse/Adult interdependent partner	Family member/Dependent
Up to the age of 4 -years old			$1,000
5 to 9 years old			$2,000
10 to 17 years old	$10,000	$10,000	$3,000
18 to 64 years old	$10,000	$10,000	$2,000
65 to 69 years old	$10,000	$10,000	$2,000
70 years old and over	$10,000	$10,000	$1,000

Where a spouse or interdependent partner is living in the household, the benefit amounts increase by $15,000. They increase by $4,000 for each remaining survivor.

Funeral service expenses are available for up to $6,150.
Grief counselling is available for $500 per family.

Download the Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits Regulation

You can read or download the complete Automobile Accident Insurance Benefits Regulation from the Government of Alberta website. You can also view the Alberta Standard Automobile Policy (S.P.F. No. 1).