Insurance quote surprises B.C. farmer

Jun 01, 2018

Baldev Dhugha’s insurance company quoted him $40,000 to insure an old minivan

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A Pitt Meadows, B.C. blueberry grower is scratching his head after receiving an incredibly high auto insurance quote.

Baldev Dhugha hired Amjad Parvai, who has a clean driving record, to drive a 2002 Dodge Caravan for BNN enterprises, Dhugha’s farm business. He pays for the insurance, which would be under his employee’s name.

When Dhugha received the quote from the insurer, it said the cost would be $40,000 for the year.

He is confused by the high number, as he already insures four other farm vehicles. The insurance for theese drivers tops out at around $200 per month, he said.

“I cannot drive every vehicle, (so) I hire three to four drivers,” he told Maple Ridge News today. “I want to hire (Parvai) to give him the job. If he drives this van, it’s $40,000 a year.”

He’s also worried about covering business expenses with such a high insurance quote.

“I’ve never seen it anywhere like that,” he told Maple Ridge News. “How can I run my business if I can’t hire a driver?”

His insurance company told him there’s nothing they can do about the quote, he said.

British Columbia is the second-most expensive province for auto insurance.

Drivers pay an average of $1,112 per year of coverage, data from ARC Insurance Brokers shows. Only Ontario, at $1,281 per year, is more expensive.

Farms.com has reached out to Dhugha, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more insight into the situation.

artisteer/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo

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