Equipment on a WorkSafeBC or ICBC Claim | What to Know First
Equipment on a WorkSafeBC or ICBC claim
Injury claims have their own rules, and getting them wrong costs you money rather than time. This page covers what has to happen before you buy anything, what paperwork is involved, and one precaution worth taking with your documents.
Never hand over your only copy
Start here, because it is the cheapest precaution and the one people skip. Keep your originals. Give anyone who asks a copy. That applies to claim letters, approval forms, prescriptions, therapist assessments and anything else with your claim number on it.
There is no situation in which a shop needs to keep your original documents for a week. If somebody asks to hold onto them, photograph every page on your phone before you hand anything over, and ask for a receipt listing what you left. WorkSafeBC’s own guidance for providers says plainly that a copy should be retained regardless of how approval was obtained — that applies to you too.
We do not keep customer documents. If we need something for a quote, we take a copy or a photo and you keep the original.
Claim letters, approval forms, prescriptions, assessment reports. It takes two minutes and it means a lost document is an inconvenience rather than a setback in your claim. Keep the photos somewhere you can find them — an email to yourself works.
The rule that catches everybody: approval comes first
WorkSafeBC states it directly — all durable and disposable medical supplies must be approved before they are provided to an injured worker. Some durable medical equipment additionally requires a purchase order.
So buying the wheelchair first and submitting the receipt afterwards is not how it works. That order of operations is the single most common reason people end up paying for equipment themselves on a claim that would have covered it.
The same principle applies to a motor vehicle injury claim through ICBC. Confirm with your adjuster what is approved before you purchase, rather than assuming reimbursement will follow.
Renting is not a purchase, so it does not prejudice a claim, and it covers the person’s needs while the paperwork moves. If the equipment is later approved, nothing has been lost. This is the same advice we give people waiting on Ministry funding.
How a WorkSafeBC equipment request works
Roughly, and in the order things need to happen.
Your claim is accepted
You will have a claim number. Everything else references it, so keep it somewhere you can reach quickly.
A need is identified
Usually by your physician, an occupational or physical therapist, or a nurse involved in your care.
A quote is submitted
The supplier sends a quote to WorkSafeBC on their equipment quote form, priced to the published fee schedule.
Approval, then supply
Only after approval is the equipment provided. Some items also need a purchase order first.
If you are unsure who is handling your file, WorkSafeBC’s Claims Call Centre can tell you. Give them your claim number and ask whether a Special Needs Officer is assigned, and if not, who the claim owner is. That is the person who can move an equipment request along.
What we can and cannot do
Worth being straight about, because it saves you a wasted trip.
What we do
- Provide free itemised quotes, formatted for a claim submission
- Give you detailed invoices and receipts for reimbursement
- Take a copy of any document rather than keeping your original
- Rent you equipment while approval is pending
- Tell you honestly if another supplier is the right route
What we cannot do
- Approve anything, or influence a claim decision
- Guarantee that a claim will cover a particular item
- Speak to your case manager or adjuster on your behalf
- Give legal or claims advice — we are a retailer, not an advocate
WorkSafeBC holds supply agreements with a contracted network of providers for certain mobility devices and durable medical equipment. If your item falls under that arrangement, they may direct you to a contracted supplier. Ask your claim owner before assuming any supplier can be used.
Common questions
I bought the equipment already. Will WorkSafeBC reimburse me?
Not necessarily. Supplies are meant to be approved before they are provided, so a purchase made without approval may not be covered. If you are in that position, contact the Claims Call Centre with your claim number and explain the circumstances rather than assuming either way — there are reimbursement processes and it is worth asking.
A shop wants to keep my claim documents. Should I let them?
No. Photograph every page first, and give them a copy rather than the original. There is no reason a supplier needs to hold your only copy of a claim letter or an approval form, and if it goes missing you are the one who has to replace it.
How long does approval take?
It varies with the item and how complete the request is. The quote and the clinical justification are usually what hold things up. If timing is urgent, say so when you call the Claims Call Centre and ask who the claim owner is, so the request goes to a person rather than a queue.
What about a car accident rather than a work injury?
That runs through ICBC rather than WorkSafeBC, and it has its own rules and its own adjusters. The principle is the same: confirm what is approved before you buy. Ask your adjuster specifically about the item you need, and get the answer in writing where you can.
Can I rent while my claim is being sorted out?
Yes, and it is often the sensible move. Renting is not a purchase, so it does not affect a pending approval, and it means the person is not waiting on paperwork to get out of bed or use the bathroom safely.
Will you invoice WorkSafeBC directly?
That depends on the item and on whether it falls under their contracted supply arrangement. Call us with your claim number and what has been recommended, and we will tell you plainly whether we can supply it on your claim or whether you need a contracted provider.
What paperwork should I keep?
All of it, and in copies. The claim number, any approval letters, the prescription or assessment, the supplier quote, the invoice and proof of payment. Keep them together and photograph them. Invoices on a WorkSafeBC claim generally need to reach them within 90 days, so do not let paperwork sit.
This page is general information about equipment claims in British Columbia and is not legal, financial or claims advice. Must Medical Equipment is an independent retailer and is not affiliated with WorkSafeBC or ICBC. We cannot approve, submit or influence any claim. Rules, forms, fee schedules and timelines change — confirm current requirements directly with WorkSafeBC or your ICBC adjuster before acting on anything here. If you need help with a claim itself, the Workers’ Advisers Office provides free assistance to injured workers in B.C.
Serving injured workers across the Lower Mainland
We supply and rent equipment throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley — Surrey, White Rock, South Surrey, Delta, Ladner, Tsawwassen, Langley, Aldergrove, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack. Free delivery, and we set the equipment up rather than leaving boxes at the door.
Need a quote for your claim?
Tell us your claim number, what has been recommended, and who is handling your file. We will send an itemised quote in the format the claim needs — free, and with no obligation to buy from us.
- Showroom: 12987 80 Ave, Surrey, BC
- 604-240-2450
- info@mustmedical.ca
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week