The cost of insuring your vehicle is about to change and that can’t happen soon enough for a Burnaby woman.

Lindsay McArthur recently tried to make changes to her automobile policy and was given a quote by ICBC of nearly $21,000 a year for a 2008 Honda Fit.  That’s about four times more than the vehicle is worth and ten times more than the $2,000 a year she had been paying.

“You need to fix your calculations,” said McArthur when asked what she had to say to ICBC about it.

She got the quote after trying to add her partner, Chris Hodge, as the principal driver so that he could use the car to commute to work.  They had both paid reasonable rates on their own so McArthur was shocked by the news.

Although relatively new to B.C, she said Hodge had a 25 year clean driving record, previously in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Australia. And she says he had the documentation to prove it.

CTV News Vancouver contacted ICBC about the $21,000 quote.

“We’ve identified it and this problem will no longer be an issue, come September,” said ICBC spokesperson, Joanna Linsangan.

Here’s what happened:McArthur had some previous claims. Under the current premium pricing system, McArthur’s claims history would be a strike against Hodge, if he was listed as the principal driver of the vehicle. Essentially, he’d be treated as an inexperienced driver with claims.

“They’re deciding a future insurance on a fictional history,” said McArthur.

In September all drivers of a vehicle will need to be listed. If you think you’ll occasionally lend your vehicle to someone who is not on your list, there will be a new ‘unlisted driver protection’ offered.

Seventy-five per cent of the insurance premium will be based on the principal driver’s history and if you’re a new resident, like Hodge, all you need to do is prove how long you’ve had a driver’s licence without having to provide driving histories.

"It is an incredible challenge for some jurisdictions to actually get your abstract, so we want to do away with that," said Linsangan.

"I understand they are changing things in September but that doesn't really help me now," said McArthur.

To help her, ICBC clarified things in writing saying that she could keep her existing policy and her partner could still use her car to commute, stating: ‘not changing your principal operator midway through your policy will not result in voiding your insurance policy with us.’

The new premium pricing system will be in place when McArthur’s policy is up renewal. ICBC said, with all things being equal, adding Hodge as the principal driver will likely result in an annual premium somewhere between $1,900 and $2,300.

McArthur is feeling a bit more relieved but still has reservations about the way ICBC does its calculations.

“We’ll see how this plays out,” she said.

To see ICBC changes planned for September click here.