Hurt in a Car Crash? What ICBC Covers in Your First 12 Weeks

The weeks after a crash fill up fast. There’s a claim to report, a car to repair or replace, maybe time off work, and a neck that felt fine at the scene but won’t turn properly the next morning. Treatment is the thing people put off, and that delay costs you, because ICBC’s pre-approved treatment window starts counting on the day of the crash whether you’ve booked anything or not.

Below: what ICBC covers in those first 12 weeks, what you need before your first visit, and how to get the most out of the time.

What ICBC pre-approves

Under Enhanced Care, anyone living in BC who’s injured in a crash is pre-approved for treatment for the first 12 weeks, no matter who was responsible. You don’t need a referral from your family doctor or nurse practitioner, and you don’t need ICBC’s approval first.

For treatments between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027, ICBC pre-approves:

Each treatment type has its own count, so seeing a physiotherapist doesn’t use up your massage visits. We offer six of the seven at Vertex; psychology is the one we don’t.

ICBC updates these numbers every April, so if you’re reading this after March 2027, check icbc.com for the current list.

What you need before your first visit

Just two numbers: your Personal Health Number (it’s on your BC Services Card) and your ICBC claim number, which you get the moment you report your claim. Write it down somewhere you’ll find it.

You can report a claim online at any hour, or by phone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day at 604-520-8222 (toll-free 1-800-910-4222). ICBC asks you to report as soon as it’s safe to do so. It helps to have your driver’s licence and vehicle details handy, along with the date, time and location of the crash, any photos, and contact details for anyone involved or anyone who saw it happen.

When the pain shows up the next day

Plenty of people walk away from a crash feeling okay and wake up stiff. According to Cleveland Clinic, some whiplash symptoms start right after a crash, others take at least 12 hours to appear, and it can be a few days before all of them show up. The usual ones are neck pain and stiffness, headaches, and pain or muscle spasms in the shoulders and arms.

Feeling fine on day one doesn’t mean you should skip getting checked. A physiotherapist or chiropractor can assess what’s going on, and the sooner you start, the more of your 12 weeks go to actual recovery.

Some symptoms need a doctor before they need us. Get urgent medical help if you have:

• severe pain that painkillers aren’t touching
• tingling or pins and needles on one or both sides of your body
• trouble walking or sitting upright
• weakness in your hands, arms or legs, or a sudden “electric shock” feeling running through your neck or back

If you hit your head, or you’ve felt foggy, dizzy or just off since the crash, see a doctor and tell us at your first appointment. We offer concussion therapy and vestibular rehabilitation for exactly those symptoms.

Making 12 weeks count

ICBC’s own advice is to book right away, because 12 weeks go by quickly. A few habits help:

• Book your first appointment as soon as you have your claim number.
• Tell your practitioner about everything that hurts, including the small stuff you’re tempted to ignore, so your plan covers all of it.
• Check in with your ICBC recovery specialist every two to three weeks; ICBC suggests this even if all you have to say is that things are going well.
• Keep receipts for parking and transit, and track your mileage. ICBC can reimburse the cost of travelling to treatment.

If your injuries keep you off work for seven days or more, ICBC’s income replacement benefit can cover up to 90 per cent of your net income (up to a yearly maximum). Your recovery specialist can walk you through it.

If you need more than 12 weeks

Some injuries take longer. If you haven’t returned to function by the end of the 12 weeks, your practitioner can work with your recovery specialist to ask ICBC for more treatment through a benefit extension. It isn’t automatic, so keep going to your appointments in the meantime rather than letting the gap grow.

Hurt while you were working?

If you were on the job when the crash happened (driving a work vehicle, for example), WorkSafeBC pays for your treatment first, so report it to WorkSafeBC as well. We bill WorkSafeBC directly too.

Getting started at Vertex

You don’t need a referral, and we bill ICBC directly, so there’s nothing to pay for your pre-approved visits. Bring your Personal Health Number and claim number to your first appointment and we’ll handle the rest. More on how we work with ICBC is on our ICBC page.

Our Surrey clinics:

• Scott Road: Unit 201, 7110 120 St · 604-596-6775
• Tong Louie Family YMCA: 14988 57 Ave · 604-676-4442
• Panorama (coming soon): Unit 204, 15149 56 Ave

Book online or call 604-596-6775.

This post is general information, not medical or legal advice. ICBC’s rules and numbers can change; confirm your coverage with your ICBC recovery specialist.

Sources

• ICBC, Accessing treatment during your first 12 weeks of recovery
• ICBC, Enhanced Care: care and recovery benefits
• ICBC, Overview of the injury claims and recovery process
• Cleveland Clinic, Whiplash
• NHS, Whiplash