Introduction
Alberta's auto insurance system is changing in a big way, and if you've ever been injured in a motor vehicle accident - or know someone who has - OR drive a car… - this change matters. Starting January 1, 2027, Alberta is moving to a new model called “Care First”, and it has significant implications for how injured people access care, how quickly they can start treatment, and what services are covered.
At Vital Performance Care, we work with clients on both the clinical side (chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, osteopathy, acupuncture) and the performance and training side (exercise physiology, kinesiology, and structured programming). Care First has potential implications for both - and we're watching the rollout closely.
This post is our current read on what's known. There's still a lot to learn, and we'll be sharing updates through our newsletter as the details get filled in. If you want to stay informed, sign up at the bottom of this post.
What Is “Care First”?
Care First is a no-fault auto insurance model, which means that when you're injured in a motor vehicle collision, you receive benefits and access to care based on your injury - not based on who was at fault, not after a lengthy legal battle, and not with 30–40% of any settlement going to a lawyer.
Under the current system, many injured Albertans wait months or years to access the full care they need, because accessing compensation is tied to litigation. Common injuries are capped at 10–21 clinic visits. Serious injuries are capped at $50,000 in medical and rehabilitation benefits. People often can't access ongoing treatment while their legal case drags on.
Care First changes the structure entirely.
What Changes on January 1, 2027?
The headline changes, directly from the Alberta government:
Unlimited treatment access — for common, serious, and catastrophic injuries alike, Care First covers treatment "as long as it contributes to getting you better." There is no visit cap and no dollar cap on care.
Benefits within weeks, not years — rather than waiting for litigation to resolve, treatment and income replacement benefits can begin within weeks of a collision.
Significantly higher income replacement — up to $125,000 per year until retirement (compared to approximately $600/week for two years under the current system).
Higher catastrophic benefits — permanent impairment benefits up to $295,000, and spousal support up to $600,000 in the event of a death.
No lawyers required to access care — out-of-pocket expenses can be automatically claimed, and care begins without needing legal representation.
For people dealing with soft tissue injuries, whiplash, neurological complaints, or musculoskeletal injuries from a collision, this is a meaningful shift. Care can begin when it's most effective — in the acute phase — rather than being rationed while a legal claim works its way through the courts.
What This Could Mean for Our Clients
On the Clinical Side
The Alberta government's own language lists chiropractic, physiotherapy, and psychology as examples of covered care under Care First. The model is explicitly built around treatment that "contributes to recovery" — which aligns directly with the kind of hands-on, individualized clinical care our practitioners provide.
For patients working with our eam following a motor vehicle accident, this could mean:
- Faster access to a full course of treatment without the clock running out at 10 visits
- No need to manage care within an arbitrary dollar cap
- The ability to continue care as long as clinical progress is being made
For practitioners, it may mean a shift in how care is documented, authorized, and billed — details we're still waiting on.
On the Training and Kinesiology Side
This is where we're paying especially close attention — because it's also where the details are least clear.
At Vital, our exercise physiologists and kinesiologists play a meaningful role in motor vehicle accident recovery. Progressive loading, movement retraining, grip and shoulder strength, return-to-sport and return-to-work conditioning — these aren't extras. For many injured people, structured, progressive training is how they get from "cleared by their practitioner" to actually functional in their daily life and sport.
The Care First model's language — "unlimited treatment as long as it contributes to getting you better" — is broad enough to include supervised exercise therapy, kinesiologist-directed rehabilitation, and exercise physiology programming as legitimate components of an MVA recovery plan. Whether these services are explicitly recognized under Care First, and how they'll be authorized and billed, is something we're actively working to understand.
We believe the integration of clinical care and structured loading is the strongest approach to MVA recovery. Care First may be the framework that finally makes that approach accessible to more people.
What We Don't Know Yet
We want to be honest here: a lot of the practical details haven't been released yet.
We don't yet know:
- Which practitioners and professions are on the recognized provider list (is kinesiology explicitly included?)
- How pre-authorization or treatment approval will work
- Which insurers will operate under Care First, and how direct billing will be structured
- What documentation is required to demonstrate that treatment "contributes to recovery"
- Transition timelines for people currently mid-claim under the old system
These are not small questions. They shape whether this model works as well in practice as it looks on paper, and they matter a lot to how we plan care for our clients.
We're committed to understanding the answers as they emerge - and to making sure our clients are informed before January 1, 2027 arrives.
Stay in the Loop
We'll be publishing updates as the Care First implementation details become clear - including what it means specifically for clinical services and kinesiologist-supervised training at Vital.
The best way to stay informed is to get on our newsletter. We'll send updates directly to your inbox as we learn more, and we'll make sure you know what questions to ask your insurer when the time comes.
Sign up for the Vital newsletter →
If you need help recovering from an injury and you’re in Calgary, reach out to discuss your case with us, and we will do our best to help!
Book a complimentary 15-min consult →
Source: Government of Alberta, Care-First Auto Insurance, accessed August 2026.
More About The Author
Carla Robbins, Co-Founder of Vital Performance Care
Carla's journey into the world of endurance training, strength and conditioning, and exercise physiology began with her Undergraduate Degree in Exercise Physiology at the University of Calgary and continued into her graduation with a Master's in Exercise Physiology in 2016. Between working for the Canadian Sports Institute to the co-founding of Vital Performance Care, Carla is driven by a desire to find better ways to address complex cases in professional and everyday athletes and individuals.