The Province of Ontario’s June 2016 reduction of accident benefits in the name of lowering auto insurance premiums has been a consistent source of frustration for Toronto personal injury lawyers and victims’ rights organizations. The move significantly limited the benefits available to accident victims, particularly those who suffered catastrophic injuries, while doing nothing to curb steadily climbing auto insurance costs. Indeed, premiums increased over each of the past two quarters.
In an August 12 opinion column in the Toronto Sun, GTA lawyer Darcy Merkur laid out a new line of attack against the province’s insurance reforms, arguing that they are unfair to taxpayers.
“Paying less for automobile insurance gets you less in insurance coverage and results in increased government spending (also known as higher taxes),” he wrote.
In his article, Merkur argues that reducing premiums by cutting benefits does not ultimately save Ontarians money. Injury victims need care, he says, and if the resources to pay for this care are not provided through insurance benefits, the cost will shift to the public realm. Victims will increasingly rely on provincial programs like the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC); public subsidized housing; public transit for disabled individuals, such as the TTC’s Wheel-Trans; the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP); and the province’s public health insurance plan, OHIP.
These programs provide essential, worthwhile services to Ontario’s vulnerable populations, of course, and are part of the social safety net that makes our Province a great place to live and work. As representatives for some of Ontario’s most at-risk individuals, Toronto personal injury lawyers hold these government programs in the highest regard.
They also recognize, however, that they are costly to operate and maintain, and will be placed under increasing pressure as Ontario’s population ages. When insurance companies fail to provide adequate benefits to injured accident victims, this pressure multiplies, as do the costs transferred to taxpayers.
As Merkur succinctly puts it: “The goal of the automobile insurance system should be to provide a product that gives accident victims a legitimate chance to maximize their recovery and to live with dignity and independence, without having to feel like a drain on the public purse.”
If you or a member of your family has been injured in an automobile accident, consider contacting the Toronto personal injury lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers today. Our experienced, reputable team has years of experience helping injured Ontarians access financial compensation and leading medical care. Set up a free, no-obligation consultation to learn how we can help you.
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