B.C.’s Crown auto insurer is suing 46 people who have been charged or convicted for taking part in the mayhem during the Stanley Cup riot, in a bid to recover its massive insurance payouts.
The Insurance Corporation of B.C. – or ICBC – is seeking punitive damages, interests and costs for the 77 vehicles that were damaged or set on fire during the night of June 15, 2011.
The claim says shortly before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final ended a Nissan Versa was flipped over and set on fire close to the public viewing area set up by the City of Vancouver.
It was the first of at least 122 vehicles to be damaged or completely destroyed during the riot – for a total of around $500,000 in damages.
The claim says ICBC paid out more than $39,000 to the owner of a 2007 Hummer H2 after the vehicle was destroyed by seven male rioters.
The company also paid out $46,542 for a claim involving a 2006 BMW M5 that was the target of another six rioters.
One of the biggest claim payouts is $61,014 for damage sustained to a 2006 Bentley.
Ten vehicles were so damaged that they were completely written off.
ICBC has also named Jane Doe and John Doe as defendants in the civil claim for any people who have charges pending or may be charged in the future.
In a statement, the company said it has filed the claim in an effort to “recover the costs of these acts of vandalism to ensure they are not passed on to our customers.”
In total, Vancouver police have recommended 1086 charges against 325 rioters.
So far, 149 have entered guilty pleas for participating in the riot, which saw store windows smashed and merchandise looted. The riot caused millions of dollars in damage to businesses.
