Manitoba Public Insurance
About Manitoba Public Insurance
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is a provincial Crown corporation that provides compulsory automobile insurance to all drivers vehicle owners in Manitoba. MPI was established in 1971 and has grown into a substantial company since, now employing about 1,750 individuals across the province. The annual revenues of MPI, including investment income, total nearly $1 billion. The Corporation’s total investment portfolio exceeds $2.2 billion. MPI insures approximately 800,000 drivers and nearly one million vehicles in the province.
The provincial government provides compulsory automobile insurance in order to provide stable, affordable rates by limiting competition. It also seeks to insulate Manitoba drivers—and the province’s legal system as a whole—from costly civil litigation. Manitoba Public Insurance claims that its premiums are among the lowest in Canada while benefits and coverage are reported to be among the most generous.
Insurance of any kind spreads out the cost of individual claims among many people so that no one individual has to face the cost of a claim alone. Insurance mitigates individual financial risk and ensures that the cost of an accident becomes significantly more affordable for those impacted through damages.
For automobile insurance, known as Autopac by MPI customers, individuals are grouped together based on three factors that indicate overall claims risk—namely, those who live in a similar area, own similar vehicles and use their vehicles for similar purposes will be grouped together in order to determine the minimum premiums they pay. Any premium expense beyond the minimum premium is determined by an individual’s driving record.
MPI charges a premium for Basic insurance on every Manitoba driver’s license and every vehicle owner in Manitoba must be an MPI customer. This automatic premium gives Manitoba drivers Basic coverage up to $50,000 of all-perils coverage for accidental damage of most registered vehicles, up to $200,000 of third party liability coverage for claims made against them and Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP) coverage for personal injury or death caused by an automobile. The PUB is only responsible for setting rates for Basic insurance administered by MPI. It does not have jurisdiction over rates charged for other insurance products offered by the Corporation, such as Extension insurance or Special Risk Extension that increases the level of coverage.
According to MPI, the Corporation aspires to the following goals when it comes to serving Manitobans:
- Guaranteeing all Manitobans access to Basic automobile insurance
- Setting rates fairly by matching Autopac premiums to claims risk and submitting Basic Autopac rates to the PUB for independent review and approval
- Giving Manitobans the most complete auto insurance protection in North America. This principle includes making Autopac services accessible throughout Manitoba, settling claims fairly and promptly; and promoting road safety to help prevent traffic collisions and keep insurance costs down.
Board Decisions can be found at this link.