Latest news with #ManitobaPublicInsurance
Global News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Global News
Manitoba Public Insurance cracks down on unpermitted vehicle dealers
Manitoba Public Insurance says it's putting the brakes on 'curbers' involved in the illegal vehicle trade. According to the Crown corporation, the term 'curbers' describes people who sell more than four vehicles in a single year without a dealer permit. These sellers, MPI said, are often linked to wider fraud networks, as they don't follow the same requirements as legitimate dealers, including disclosing collision history or keeping any records of the vehicles that pass through their hands. As of 2024, MPI has had the ability to issue provincial offence notices for illegal sales, with four issued to date — each of which carries a fine of at least $2,500. MPI said it has also sent 30 letters to potential curbers, with 30 more being sent out this month. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The ability to issue Provincial Offence Notices to unpermitted dealers goes hand-in-hand with sanctions for dealers, MPI's Dana Frazer said in a release Thursday. Story continues below advertisement 'Suspended dealers are monitored, and if found to be still operating as a dealer, a notice is issued. 'With this increased oversight over curbers and suspended dealers, we now have increased awareness of fraud networks.' Legitimate dealers are identified on MPI's website, the insurer said, and anyone who wants to report fraud anonymously is asked to call the tip line at 204-985-8477 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers.
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Limited spots for driver's ed program drive up demand, causing long lineups at MPI
Big demand for Manitoba Public Insurance's condensed driver's education program drove teens to long lineups outside MPI offices on Wednesday. Only a fraction of those who lined up in Winnipeg were able to get spots in the program.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba Public Insurance slams brakes on $7-M, $10-M third-party liability options
Manitoba Public Insurance is scrapping its third-party liability options of $7 million and $10 million, prompting concerns that some Manitobans involved in out-of-province crashes may not have enough coverage. The change, which takes effect July 1, will bring the Crown corporation in line with other Canadian auto insurance providers, MPI spokeswoman Tara Seel said. 'That standard is $5 million as the maximum amount of third-party liability coverage,' she said Wednesday. 'We were the only public insurer offering coverages greater than $5 million for non-commercial auto policies.' Seel said customers still have 'quite a bit of choice.' MPI's remaining third-party liability options — above basic coverage of $500,000 — are $1 million, $2 million and $5 million. Grant Wainikka, chief executive officer of the Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba, said the change could create 'real risk' to some of the tens of thousands of customers who will be affected, especially those who drive in the U.S. 'In general, it's not ideal for coverage options to be taken out of market. This is especially true here in Manitoba as customers don't have a lot of options outside of MPI, given their market position,' he said. 'We continue to be in dialogue with MPI and we hope they will reconsider this decision.' Wainikka said some court judgments in the U.S., where the environment is 'increasingly litigious,' exceed $5 million, which will soon be the Crown corporation's limit. Seel said it's 'fair to say some customers may be exposed to that risk' when travelling out of province. 'But, in our experience and based on the data, and that's what we base these decisions on, is that the ruling to the extent of the third-party liability is we haven't reached that limit where customers are actually using that level,' she said. 'We're providing coverage through the $10 million and $7 million that we're just not seeing used.' MPI's personal injury protection plan helps to reduce the number of third-party liability claims, Seel said. Wainikka said the $7-million and $10-million options were introduced in 2017 in response to the cost of court judgments, particularly in the U.S. 'What's curious here is those costs have only gone up. The world has been, especially in the last couple of years, subject to a lot of inflation,' he said. 'These judgments are going up in price, so consumers actually require increased liability limits, not a reduction in them, given that some of these judgments are landing where they are.' The cost of Canadian judgments is also rising, Wainikka said. While she did not have an exact figure, Seel said the change will affect about 12 per cent of MPI's customers. MPI said more than 1.6 million vehicles were registered by the Crown corporation in 2024. 'We were the only public insurer offering coverages greater than $5 million for non-commercial auto policies.'–MPI spokeswoman Tara Seel IBAM was informed about two months ago the change was being considered, Wainikka said. Brokers were told May 20 the change would begin July 1. MPI recently updated its website with details of the change. The public auto insurer did not issue a news release — it did when the $7-million and $10-million options were added in 2017 — nor did it publicize the update on social media. Seel said there typically wouldn't be an announcement regarding a 'product update' that would happen at the point of purchase. Existing customers will be informed via their annual statement. Wainikka said there could be a 'knowledge vacuum,' while brokers inform customers when their renewals are due. Customers with a $7-million or $10-million option will see their coverage 'adjusted' to $5 million when their policy is up for renewal, with the option to make changes when they visit their broker, MPI's website said. Renewals occur every five years. For those in a reassessment year, their coverage will remain in place for the rest of their term unless a change results in the cancellation of their policy. MPI's third-party liability is designed to cover a policyholder if they face a claim for damage to another vehicle or property in a collision. It extends to injury-related claims outside Manitoba but within Canada and the U.S. The insurer's website recommends those who leave the province, even for one-day or weekend trips, consider increasing their coverage above the basic amount of $500,000. 'We hope they will reconsider this decision.'–Grant Wainikka, Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba 'There was some communication about the standard product across the country now being at $5 million and that MPI wanted to fall in line with that,' Wainikka said of the insurer's explanation for the change. 'They did give us some information in that regard. However, we know that there are $10-million options out there.' He said other products, such as umbrella liability insurance, offer added liability protection for some classes of customers, and there are also third-party providers. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. IBAM, which represents more than 2,000 property and casualty insurance brokers, is in contact with other insurers. 'There is somewhat of a competitive market for some liability products,' Wainikka said. 'For some clients that really do require this $10-million cover, brokers will be working hard to try and find additional coverages on top of the basic product that MPI offers.' A spokeswoman for Matt Wiebe, the NDP government's minister responsible for MPI, deferred comment to MPI. When the $7-million and $10-million options were introduced in 2017, Ron Schuler, then-Tory government minister responsible for MPI, said in a news release that some court judgments in the U.S. and some Canadian provinces can 'far exceed' liability limits of up to $5 million. Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
'Just ridiculous': Teens line up to snag limited spots in Manitoba driver's education summer program
Social Sharing A surge in demand for a provincial driver's education program drove teens and their parents to line up outside Manitoba Public Insurance offices on Wednesday to get one of the limited spots. The line at the MPI location at the corner of Bison Drive and Barnes Street started forming at 5 a.m. and was about 120 people deep by 7:15 a.m. In Brandon, the lineup outside Guild Insurance Group on Victoria Avenue started around 8 p.m. Tuesday and had reached 40 by Wednesday morning. Registration didn't start until 8 a.m. The courses were sold out by 10:30 a.m. provincewide. "I didn't believe that getting into this driver's ed is this, what I call it, stressful. It's just ridiculous. I couldn't believe it," said Andrew Bawa, who was in the Bison Drive lineup with his 15-year-old daughter, Elswidih. She will turn 16 soon and has friends already driving, while others are wrapping up Driver Z classes that started earlier in the year. She expected it to be busy but was determined to get a spot, and arrived at 6:15 a.m. "It'll be nice to drive, not having to ask your parents to take you everywhere," she said. MPI staff went down the line handing out numbers to confirm people's spots in line. When those numbers ran out, there were some tears. "I can't just imagine you're here, thinking that you'll get in, and then they tell you 'Sorry,'" Andrew Bawa said. "Some of these kids were crying. I know what that means for your child." He's not sure what MPI should do, but suggested the insurer improve the system somehow so young kids don't need to be so stressed. "I don't think it should be this difficult." MPI announced earlier this month that it would again be offering a condensed version of its Driver Z course this summer. Spokesperson Tara Seel said there were 384 available spots in Winnipeg and 204 spots across the rest of the province. That total of 588 is up from past years, when it was 312. The spots are limited because there is a shortage of Driver Z trainers, Seel said. "It's not us not wanting to offer the course more. We would offer as much as we could," she said. MPI was able to bump up the offerings this summer because it recruited nearly 30 new instructors, but that's still not enough. "We're always looking. If anybody is interested in being a driving instructor, please reach out to MPI. We're constantly recruiting," said Seel. "We recognize how frustrating it must be for parents. We apologize. We don't want to see people going through that." Tejal Makwana and her son also lined up at the Bison Drive office, knowing how busy it would be. Like Bawa, she's not sure how MPI could make the process better, other than perhaps opening more registration locations. If it was online, it would likely cause problems with the system pretty quickly, she said. "Just look at the people willing to stand in line. It's going to crash at 8 a.m., and that's another headache for them to manage," Makwana said. In Brandon, Ty Aldcroft and buddies Brayson Gerdis and Jonah Lepishak, all 15, camped out starting at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. "Twelve hours is a long wait," Aldcroft said, but he didn't want to risk not locking up a spot. "I probably wouldn't get in. Chances are slim. It's worth it, I think." Lindsay Dietrich arrived with her son around 9:30 p.m. and settled in front of Guild Insurance — conveniently located next to a Tim Hortons. "Blankets and lawn chair, that's all we [brought]. Didn't even need to worry about snacks, 'cause restaurant's right beside us, which was awesome," she said. She has two older daughters and neither had to wait in line. "It's crazy. I also have a nine-year-old at home, so I'm hoping they fix this before we have to go back and do this again." Courses sold out quickly As for those trying to get some of the coveted spots, MPI's Seel said there are alternatives to camping out and standing in line. Registering for a time slot can be done by visiting an MPI broker or calling MPI's contact centre. "It seems like a lot of people chose the third option of going to the service centre and created some of those lineups," Seel said, but admitted many people who did try calling encountered busy signals. To access one of the other options, people had to first go to an MPI contact centre ahead of time and create a new customer profile. That has to be done in person in order to verify a person's identity. They could also pay for the Drive Z course at that time, so that on Wednesday, all they needed to do was pick a time slot, Seel said. But many of those who stood in line didn't do that, so the entire procedure was slowed down by having to create customer profiles and process payments for the course before choosing a time slot. In the meantime, those slots are being snapped up at other locations and over the phone, Seel said. In the end, just 17 per cent of the 200-ish people in line at the Bison Drive service centre secured a course slot. The number was closer to 25 per cent for those in line at the Main Street centre in Winnipeg, said Seel, who didn't have numbers for the St. Mary's Road centre. "Brandon sold out very quickly," where the number of summer courses had doubled to four from two last year, Seel said. The program uses a mix of in-person and virtual classes as well as in-car training to teach students driving skills. It allows teens to start taking instruction at 15½ years old, giving them a six-month jump on the graduated licence program in Manitoba. It's typically a 12-week course, but the condensed version will be five weeks and run in July and August, a news release from MPI said. The condensed program will have two weeks of virtual classes followed by three weeks of in-car lessons. The July course will take place in Arborg, Beausejour, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Winkler and Winnipeg. In August it will be in Brandon, Steinbach, Winkler, Winnipeg and The Pas.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Teens line up to snag limited spots in Manitoba driver education summer program
A surge in demand for a provincial driver's education program has driven teens and their parents to line up outside Manitoba Public Insurance offices to get one of the limited spots. The line at the MPI location at the corner of Bison Drive and Barnes Street started forming at 5 a.m. and was about 80 people deep by 7:00 a.m. and continuing to grow. The doors open for registration at 7:30 a.m. MPI announced earlier this month that it would be offering a condensed form of its Driver Z course this summer. The program uses a mix of in-person and virtual classes as well as in-car training to teach students driving skills. It's typically a 12-week course but the condensed version will be five weeks and take place in July and August, according to a news release from MPI. The condensed program will have two weeks of virtual classes followed by three weeks of in-car lessons. The July course will take place in Arborg, Beausejour, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Winkler and Winnipeg. In August it will be in August in Brandon, Steinbach, Winkler, Winnipeg and The Pas. Students must attend all classes to complete the course.
