The Joint Report is 30 years old - A handy tool in a collision

SHERBROOKE, QC, Nov. 9 /CNW Telbec/ - Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and the Sherbrooke police department (SPS) have joined forces to remind drivers how important it is to always have a copy of the Joint Report of automobile accident in their car and to use it when there is a collision with no injury.

It has been 30 years

The Joint Report first made its way into our glove compartments in 1979. "When you have a Joint Report, you don't need to call the police for a simple fender bender. The Joint Report is a simple tool that you can complete easily if you're involved in a collision in which no one is injured. It allows the parties involved to identify themselves and to report the accident to their respective insurer as quickly as possible", noted Jack Chadirdjian, Public Affairs Director at the Insurance Bureau of Canada .

Well known, but little used

A recent SOM poll commissioned by IBC revealed that the public knows about the Joint Report. Two-thirds of respondents (67%) said they were fairly familiar or very familiar with it. However, it is not used very much outside of Montreal and Quebec City. In fact, only 28% of drivers have used it to report an accident with no injuries (compared to 58% in Montreal and 48% in Quebec City).

In fact, the Joint Report offers drivers two clear advantages: not only does it simplify claim settlement, it also speeds it up.

A strong presence

To publicize the Joint Report to drivers in the Sherbrooke region - and more especially to make sure that as many as possible put a copy of the Joint Report in their glove compartment - IBC and the Sherbrooke police department will make a mass distribution of the Report today and tomorrow, November 9 and 10.

"The Sherbrooke police force encourages drivers to use the Joint Report, which will allow us to allocate our resources more effectively where they are needed the most," noted Martin Carrier , SPS Public Affairs spokesperson.

Members of the Joint Report Squad, highly visible in fluorescent orange clothing, will distribute copies of the Joint Report in a number of public places across the city.

    
    Some misconceptions
    The blitz is also aimed at clearing up misconceptions that drivers have:

    I prefer to call the police for a collision; it's safer that way
    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    The SOM survey revealed that a majority of respondents (59%) believe -
wrongly - that when the police are called to the accident scene, it is they
who establish the liability of each party involved in the collision.  In fact,
it is the insurance company which determines its client's degree of fault
based on the Direct Compensation Agreement (DCA).

    The Joint Report acknowledges liability
    ----------------------------------------
    

While almost nine in 10 drivers (88%) are right in affirming that the Joint Report identifies the parties involved in a collision, two-thirds (68%) are barking up the wrong tree by thinking that filling in the Report constitutes an admission of liability.

Each driver's fault is established using the scenarios described in the DCA, based on the provisions of the Highway Safety Code and legal precedents.

    
    Some advice
    - Be forward looking - keep a copy of the Joint Report in your glove
      compartment.
    - You're not superstitious, are you? Fill it in advance. If you're
      involved in a fender bender, this simple step will save you precious
      minutes.
    - If no one is injured, remain calm and courteous. This will help make
      this formality easier. Remember that the Joint Report is still the best
      way to identify the parties involved as well as describe the
      circumstances of the accident.
    - If the driver of the other car refuses to identify himself or herself,
      refuses to complete his or her section of the Joint Report or leaves
      the scene, write down the car's licence plate number and call the
      police.
    - Lastly, if someone is injured, even slightly, it's important that you
      call 9-1-1.

    For more information or to order your Joint Report
    Web site: www.infoinsurance.ca/JointReport
    Insurance Information Centre: 1 877 288-4321


    Joint Report Survey
    Fact Sheet

    Objective
    The objective of the survey is to assess how well known the Joint Report
    is among adults in Quebec, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.

    Target population
    Adults in Quebec (age 18 and over)

    Representative sample
    1,006 individuals

    Medium
    Telephone interviews carried out for SOM from June 17 to June 26, 2009

    Weighting
    Weighted to ensure sound representation based on age, sex, mother tongue,
    highest diploma, as well as individuals living alone.

    Margin of error
    Collectively: 4.0% (confidence level of 95%).

    Survey results

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                                                              Else-
                                                          where in     Total
                                      Montreal    Quebec    Quebec  Province
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    Following an accident without
     injury
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Completed a Joint Report              58%       48%       28%       43%
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    - Called the police                     47%       51%       55%       51%
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    Police called to the accident scene
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Completed a Joint Report              18%        4%        5%       10%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Completed an accident report          72%       83%       89%       82%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Level of knowledge about the Joint
     Report
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Is very familiar or quite
       familiar with the Joint Report       65%       69%       68%       67%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Is somewhat familiar or not at
       all familiar with the Joint Report   33%       28%       30%       31%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Had a Joint Report in the glove
       compartment                          57%       54%       52%       55%
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    - Believes the Joint Report
       acknowledges liability               73%       66%       68%       70%
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    - Believes that the police determine
       each party's fault in a fender
       bender                               46%       51%       59%       52%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Considers the Joint Report a
       straightforward and
       easy-to-complete tool                83%       89%       81%       83%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    - Believes the Joint Report speeds
       up claim settlement                  38%       30%       28%       33%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Auto insurance data
    Passenger cars
    Province of Quebec and regions, 2009 (first three quarters / January
    to September)

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Collision
                               Insurance     Average               frequency
    Region                        rate(1)  premium(2)  vs 2008(3)         (4)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Bas-Saint-Laurent                 70%       $407        -0.6%        3.0%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Chaudière-Appalaches
     (excluding Quebec City
      suburbs)                        72%       $425        -0.8%        2.9%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Abitibi-Témiscaminque             64%       $431        -2.2%        3.5%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mauricie                          75%       $448        -0.6%        3.3%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Saguenay - Lac-Saint-Jean         70%       $458        -1.1%        4.1%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Québec                            77%       $463        -0.6%        3.5%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Centre-du-Québec                  74%       $467        -1.7%        2.9%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Gaspésie - Îles-de-la-Madeleine   67%       $468       stable        3.1%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Estrie                            75%       $487        -2.6%        3.2%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Chaudière-Appalaches (Quebec
     City suburbs)                    84%       $488        +0.2%        4.3%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Montérégie (excluding Montreal
     suburbs)                         75%       $505        -1.8%        3.2%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Côte-Nord                         70%       $505        -0.7%        3.3%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Capitale-Nationale (excluding
     Quebec City)                     85%       $517        -0.1%        4.9%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Outaouais                         78%       $543        -0.5%        3.6%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Montérégie (Montreal Suburbs)     82%       $575        -1.8%        4.0%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Laurentides                       79%       $577        -2.2%        3.8%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lanaudière                        77%       $584        -1.8%        3.9%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nord-du-Québec                    71%       $654        -2.3%        2.4%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Laval                             82%       $676        -2.1%        4.9%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Montréal (West)                   82%       $689        -2.2%        5.4%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Montréal (Centre and East)        76%       $747        -2.9%        6.2%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Province                    77%       $553        -1.7%        4.1%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Source: Groupement des assureurs automobiles (2009).

    Notes
    1. Percentage of drivers whose vehicle is insured for personal damages
       (resulting from an at-fault collision or upset).
    2. Average insurance premium paid to auto insurance company (cumulative
       for the first three quarters of 2009). Does not include insurance
       contributions of $144 charged by SAAQ (driver's licence and car
       registration combined).
    3. Compared to the first three quarters of 2008.
    4. Claims frequency for collision (cumulative for the first three
       quarters of 2009). Frequency of 4.0% means that one in 25
       policyholders made a claim following a collision with another vehicle.
    

For further information: Alexandre Royer, Public Affairs Advisor, Insurance Bureau of Canada, [phone], ext. 232, Cell: [phone]; Martin Carrier, Public Affairs spokesperson, Sherbrooke Police Department, [phone], Cell: [phone]