Private Passenger Vehicles 

Congratulations! You own a vehicle. The first thing we need to do is determine what kind of vehicle it is: car, van or SUV. That’s the easy part (although some of these new ‘crossovers’ nowadays can make it hard to tell).

Next, we’ll need to know the usage. Do you drive it to work or school? If so, it’s considered All Purpose usage. If not, then your usage would be considered, somewhat appropriately, Pleasure.

If you use your vehicle to deliver cargo or passengers  for the purpose of work or business, Common Carrier usage applies. Unless we’re talking about a public service vehicle such as a bus. And you’d probably know if you were driving one of those.

Once we’ve determined what your correct usage is, we can help advise what kind of coverage is right for your vehicle: the ideal amount of liability, your options for collision insurance and wide variety of other coverage options. You’re probably familiar with comprehensive insurance, but did you know that you can also be insured for things like Loss of Use, Third Party Liability and Layup (no, that’s not so you’re insured against poor basketball skills. It’s for storing your vehicle).

We want to make sure you’re adequately covered without spending any more than necessary. Of course, when it comes to your premiums, things like your driving history will factor in as well.

Of course, this is all just an overview; for a detailed description of the types of vehicle usage, visit the Manitoba Public Insurance website. If you already know your usage, your types of coverage and you’re ready to get down to business, click here to start the Autopac quote process.  And as always if you’d rather just talk to a live person, we are always happy to talk to you.

Motorcycles

You’re wild. Untamed. You live for the thrill, the open road. Let’s see, any other stereotypes of motorcyclists we can throw in there? We’ll keep thinking, but in the meantime, here are some motorcycle insurance basics.

Basically, MPI sees motorcycles as a separate vehicle class. They’ve even been kind enough to provide a definition — as if anyone needed one. I mean, haven’t we all seen Easy Rider like a million times (there we go stereotyping again… sorry.) Anyway, for rating purposes, motorcycles are divided into five body styles: Motor Scooter, Sport, Sport Touring, Touring, and Other, which includes Dual Purpose (equipped for both pavement and off-road riding), Custom (choppers, fatboys or anything else that ‘squares’ wouldn’t approve of), or plus any other miscellaneous kind of motorcycle. 

Perhaps it’s also no great surprise that the Motorcycle Class includes motorcycles, and also includes things like Mopeds and Mobility Vehicles. But did you know that in addition to Basic Autopac coverage, you can purchase an  additional motorcycle extension that provides additional protection without requiring a separate policy? It offers you more choices for increasing liability, reducing your Collision deductible and purchasing Comprehensive. 

For more information just cruise on over here or if you have any questions, we’re all revved up and ready to advise you. Of course, if you’re ready for a quote now, click here for Autopac.

Rental Cars

We’ve all seen this happen in the movies:  Our heroes rent a car. Their rental car, through almost no fault of their own, goes over a cliff, or up in flames, or simply gets trashed by a slovenly, comically overweight Canadian co-star, leaving them in a precarious situation. Well, precarious situations with rental cars can happen in real life too, except without a hilarious third act in which to solve the problem.

In reality, there are a number of rental car mishaps that could put a serious downer on your roadtrip. Say you’re in an accident in your rental car. Depending on where it happens, the other parties involved could sue you — for property damage or for medical bills. Which could end being pretty expensive. Especially if it happens in the U.S. Enough said there. Then, of course, the rental car company will also hold you personally responsible for the damage to the car. Finally, if your rental car isn’t roadworthy after the accident, you might have to rent another one.

See what we mean? One bummer after another. Unless… you get rental car insurance to make all those problems go away. And sure, you could get it through your credit card, or at the rental car sales counter, but you’ll get better coverage at substantially lower cost if you purchase it from us. And credit cards don’t include the Third Party Liability or Loss of Use coverage that is included with MPI’s rental car coverage. Just sayin’.

You’ll be covered for claims made against you (up to $5 million), for damage to the vehicle (up to $100,000), plus a virtual trunkful of other coverage options for up $25 a day less than you’ll pay at the rental car company.

So before you throw your stuff in the trunk and hit the store to stock up on chips and cheese puffs, contact us and we’ll give you the full lowdown on rental car insurance.Because when you’re on a road trip, whiny kids and/or smelly friends should be the only problems you have to put up with.

Fleets

If you owned a fleet of ships you would be known as a Commodore. As you approached, people would salute you and say, “greetings, Commodore.” But alas, they’re not ships and this is Manitoba, where you’re referred to as someone who owns a fleet of vehicles. And here’s how you insure it.

Essentially, MPI’s Fleet Program rewards safe driving and vehicle maintenance. The lower the losses MPI pays out in claims against the vehicles in your fleet, the less you'll have to pay for insurance. 

To qualify as a fleet, you must have at least 10 vehicles registered (including vehicles under dealer and repairer plates) on the first day of any customer month in your registration period. You must also meet the required minimum number of insured days, and there is a number of exempted vehicles that do not qualify under the leasing program. 

In fact, most aspects of the Fleet Program are fairly lengthy and complex, so rather than rehash it all here we’ve provided the following links and contact info:

• To peruse the complete Fleet Program Rate and Surcharge tables for yourself, visit the MPI website.
• To find out if your vehicles qualify as a fleet, contact MPI’s Fleet Unit at (204) 985-7501, (204) 985-7510 or 1-800-406-1886.

Or if you’d prefer, you can contact us here have us and we’ll provide you with all the information you need. If you like, we’ll even address you as ‘Commodore’.

Temporary Permits

True to its name, the Temporary Registration permit authorizes the short term (1-30 days) operation of a vehicle for personal use only, to move the vehicle into, out of, within, or through Manitoba. The permit is valid in Canada and the United States.

A Temporary Registration permit provides temporary registration and Basic Autopac coverage for the period of time specified on the permit. Optional extension coverage (reduced deductible and increased third party liability) is available to Manitobans only. If you’d like more information about registering vehicle on a temporary basis, perhaps so that you can pull the SUV out of storage in order to help Aunt Edna move her heirloom china cabinet over to your cousin’s where it will now be taking up permanent residence, feel free to contact us.

Get Your Quote (Autopac)

Hello. You’ve reached the section for getting your Autopac quote and learning even more about the rating of this fabulous product — Manitoba’s ONLY government-run mandatory auto insurance plan. You probably know what it is, but you may not know how it works — or more specifically, how it works for you. We’re not saying you don’t know stuff, just that you’ve probably never paid much attention because you don’t care about insurance — (didn’t we already cover this in our snazzy Intro Section?)

Anyway, the information we provide here is intended to help you make more informed Autopac decisions, thereby (hopefully) saving you some money. And that’s something we’re pretty sure you care about.

How are insurance rates set?

First, key members of government gather in a candlelit circle. Then someone pulls out a Ouija Board, and…

…just kidding, just kidding. In reality, rates are set by a complex formula that factors in things like the number of insured vehicles in the province, the reserve amount and, of course, the number of claims. The formula is tabulated by computer and interpreted by people who paid attention in Math.

Why do my rates change from year to year, even if my vehicle doesn’t change and I have no tickets or crashes?

Mostly… in a word: claims. The more claims MPI has to process and pay, the greater their cost, and the more they have to charge for premiums the following year. Fewer claims result in lower rates. It’s a cumulative thing, so each and every individual’s driving habits have an impact on the rates we all have to pay. You know those people out there speeding, texting, running lights, ignoring their blind spot, causing accidents resulting in claims? Well, they’re wrecking it for everyone. The good news is that with a safe driving record you can get a discount on your Autopac premiums.  

How much liability should I carry?

Well, that’s going to depend largely on your usage. If, for example, you shuttle your kids and their friends to and from school, soccer games, movies and beyond it might be a good idea to have plenty of liability coverage. It’s also not a bad idea to increase your coverage before you travel out of province, especially to the U.S. An Autopac advisor can recommend the right amount of coverage based on your usage.

What’s the deal with my deductible? 

Excellent Question. The basic deductible for passenger vehicles, vans, light trucks and motor homes is $500. However, you can reduce it incrementally if you wish to as little as $100. With Motorcycles, deductibles are structured a bit differently. And there are circumstances where your deductible can be reduced or waived, such as if you use an approved anti-theft device and your wheels are stolen anyway, or if you’re hit by a deer. We recommend the use of approved anti-theft devices. We do not recommend colliding with deer.

How many kinds of coverage are there?

Autopac features extensions and optional coverage for just about any type of vehicle or vehicle usage. It’s a virtual superstore of auto insurance options. So if you’re looking for a specific type of coverage, chances are you’ll find it on the MPI website. You’ll also find a lot more detail on the subjects we’ve touched on here. Specifically:

For more information on premiums, click here.

For full information on deductibles, click here.

If you’d like to get a quote for your vehicle, click here.

When are you going to provide contact information so I can chat with an Autopac advisor?

Here you go.